Scripps College 2025 Admission Statistics

Scripps College Admission Guide — Class of 2030 (Applying 2025‑26)

“We’re a women’s college that treats the liberal arts as a launchpad for global leadership.” — Scripps admission dean, April 2025

Why read this?

You’re a current junior who will press submit during the 2025‑26 cycle.
Scripps has just published its 2024‑25 Common Data Set, giving us fresh numbers on acceptance rates, scores, costs, and financial aid. Skip the spreadsheet dive and use this narrative cheat‑sheet—no tables, no fluff—to benchmark your profile, map every deadline, and craft an application that feels unmistakably Scripps.

The Admission Landscape — Numbers in Plain English

• 3,199 applications arrived last cycle; 1,225 offers went out → overall admit rate ≈ 38 %.
• Binding Early Decision (ED  I Nov  15 & ED  II Jan  8) drew 287 apps and 135 admits → ≈ 47 % admit rate, a sizable bump over Regular Decision.
• 313 first‑years enrolled, creating a 25 % yield—Scripps watches demonstrated interest to hit its class target.
• Women’s college, consortium perks. All undergrads identify as women or non‑binary and can cross‑register seamlessly at the other Claremont Colleges.
• Persistence. First‑year retention sits at 94 %; six‑year graduation lands at 87 %—evidence students stick and finish.

Academic Profile of the 2024‑25 Admitted Class

• Testing optional—but stellar if submitted.
  • 24 % submitted SATs; middle band 1450 ‑ 1520.
  • 16 % submitted ACTs; middle band 31‑34.
  • Submit scores only if you clear 1480 SAT / 33 ACT territory.
• GPA & rigor. Scripps no longer publishes GPA ranges because of weighting variation, but 99 % of reporting admits ranked in the top decile of their high‑school class. Expect peers with 10+ AP/IB or dual‑enrollment courses.
• Holistic must‑haves. The rubric lists curriculum strength, GPA, essays, recommendations, and extracurricular impact as “very important.” Class rank and test scores follow.
• Context counts. First‑gen status, talent, character, and demonstrated interest all land in the “important” tier.

What Scripps Values (and How to Show It)

• Interdisciplinary intellect. Show how you fuse disciplines—coding climate‑change visualizations for a humanities project, for example.
• Leadership with social conscience. Quantify outcomes: “organized 90 volunteers for a weekly refugee‑tutoring program.”
• Voice & reflection. Essays that wrestle with questions—ethics in AI art, the politics of language—land well in a Core Curriculum–centric college.
• Global perspective. Independent travel, Model UN chair roles, or multilingual projects highlight fit with Scripps’ 70‑plus study‑abroad programs.
• Consortium savvy. Reference how you’ll tap Pomona labs, Harvey Mudd hack‑nights, or Claremont McKenna policy forums to underscore ecosystem awareness.

The Money Question

• Sticker (2025‑26): tuition $65,650, fees $300, room + board $21,792 → ≈ $87,700 all‑in.
• Need‑blind for U.S. citizens / permanent residents and meets 100 % of demonstrated need—loans remain small (<$4,000 on average).
• Merit scholarships exist but limited. Scripps Scholars awards run $15 K‑$30 K per year and require no extra application—apply by Jan 8.
• International aid is need‑aware and competitive; file early and be clear about financial limits.
• Aid deadlines: CSS Profile + FAFSA by Feb  1  2026 (or with ED application).
• Reality check: Run Scripps’ Net Price Calculator before committing to Early Decision.

Anticipated Timeline for Class of 2030

Spring  2025

• Lock senior schedule: AP Calc BC or multivariable, AP/IB lab science, advanced language, and a writing‑intensive elective.
• Register for August SAT/ACT only if trending above 1480/33.

Summer  2025

• Draft the Common App essay and Scripps’ two prompts (why Scripps + the 150‑word community question).
• Finish a signature project—research paper, social‑enterprise launch, or art portfolio—and collect impact metrics.

Early Fall  2025

• Visit Claremont or join a virtual info session; log demonstrated interest.
• Nov  15  2025 — ED  I application deadline.

Winter  2026

• Jan  8  2026 — ED  II & Regular Decision deadline; last test scores must arrive by Jan  15.
• ED  I decisions drop mid‑December; ED II by mid‑February.

Spring  2026

• RD decisions release April  1  2026; compare aid offers.
• May  1  2026 — Enrollment deposit and housing form due.

Life in the Olive Grove

• 9 : 1 student‑faculty ratio; two‑thirds of classes under 20 students.
• Residential vibe. 97 % of students live on campus in Spanish Mission–style halls dotted with citrus trees and study courtyards.
• Traditions. Noon Tea in Seal Court, “Pool Dives” after thesis submission, and the senior‑year Sagehen “Camp Scripps” retreat in Joshua Tree.
• 5C synergy. One million‑volume Honnold/Mudd Library, 250+ clubs, and dining swaps across five campuses keep life varied.
• SoCal perks. Beach by Metrolink in 50 minutes, ski slopes in 90; sunny weather fuels outdoor art studios and late‑night astronomy labs.

How to Decide If Scripps Fits

1. Do you crave small, seminar‑style classes but want Big U resources via the 5Cs?
2. Will a women’s‑college environment push you to take academic risks?
3. Could you leverage SoCal sunshine and LA‑area internships for applied learning?
4. Does full‑need, low‑loan aid align with your budget?

If you answer “yes” at least three times, Scripps belongs on your Early Decision or Regular list.

Quick‑Hit Checklist

• [ ] Maintain 3.9 + GPA with max rigor.
• [ ] Submit SAT ≥ 1 480 or ACT ≥ 33 only if above mid‑range.
• [ ] Finish an impact‑measurable project by September.
• [ ] Name‑drop a Core Curriculum seminar or Motley Coffeehouse tradition in your supplement.
• [ ] Apply ED I Nov 15 or ED II/RD Jan  8  2026.
• [ ] File CSS Profile + FAFSA by Feb  1  2026.
• [ ] Send courteous follow‑ups after your optional alumna interview.

Final Word

Scripps pairs intellectual rigor with palm‑shaded courtyards and a consortium that magnifies opportunity fivefold. Admission is holistic but data‑driven: a challenging transcript, a distinctive impact story, and essays that weave mind and mission. Nail those, honor the timeline, and you could soon be sipping chai in Seal Court before a seminar on quantum feminism.

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