Hobart and William Smith Colleges were established in Geneva, New York in 1822. The Colleges are named after two British philanthropists, John Hobart and Henry William Smith. Hobart was the Bishop of London and Smith was his nephew. With their generous donations, these two men provided the necessary funds to enable the development of a college in Geneva. The original plan was for a single college, but eventually, it evolved into two separate colleges, Hobart College for men and William Smith College for women.
The first president of Hobart and William Smith Colleges was Bishop John Henry Hobart who served from 1822 to 1830. During his tenure as president, he worked hard to ensure that the Colleges would be successful and that they would provide a quality education to its students. He also worked with other local churches to ensure that the students had access to religious services while attending the Colleges.
In the years since its founding, Hobart and William Smith have continued to grow and flourish under various presidents who have helped shape its mission and identity over time. In 1895, President James Houghton laid out a plan for the future of the Colleges which included expanding course offerings in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This initiative has allowed students at both colleges access to an education focused on preparing them for success in these fields as well as many others. Additionally, initiatives such as The Summer Science Program (SSP) were developed during this time by President Houghton’s successor President George Lincoln Burr; this program has enabled students from all over the world to study at both colleges throughout their summer breaks since its inception in 1897.
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, as one of the top colleges ranked by major educational institutions, has impressed us by its high selectivity and student friendly application process during admissions. The following tables detail 2018 class profile, including total applications received, average high school GPA, SAT scores/ACT scores, and acceptance rates of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about Hobart and William Smith Colleges, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.
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University acronym: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/hws_hobart-and-william-smith-colleges.html
Admissions Stats
Hobart and William Smith Colleges are two independent liberal arts colleges located in Geneva, New York. The colleges offer a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as several professional studies opportunities. Admissions to the colleges are highly competitive, with an average acceptance rate of 34%. In 2019, the schools received over 5,000 applications from first-year students from all over the world. Of those applicants, only 1,232 were accepted. The admitted students had an average GPA of 3.7 and an average SAT score of 1260. The most popular majors at both schools include economics, political science, psychology and biology. Additionally, Hobart and William Smith Colleges have a strong commitment to diversity; approximately 30% of their student body is made up of students from historically underrepresented backgrounds. The college also offers a number of need-based grants and scholarships for eligible students in order to make their education more accessible.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 62% |
| Early decision acceptance rate | 85% |
| Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
| Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 61% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
| Applicants | 4,682 |
| Female applicants | 2,450 |
| Male applicants | 2,232 |
| Applicants accepted | 2,909 |
| Female applicants accepted | 1,632 |
| Male applicants accepted | 1,277 |
| Freshman enrollment | 618 |
| Female freshman enrollment | 339 |
| Male freshman enrollment | 279 |
| Early decision applicants | 252 |
| Early decision applicants accepted | 213 |
| Early decision applicants enrolled | 192 |
| Early action applicants | N/A |
| Early action applicants accepted | N/A |
| Early action applicants enrolled | N/A |
| Total enrolled incoming freshmen who were accepted under early acceptance or early action | 31% |
Fall 2022 Wait List
| School has a wait list | Yes |
| Applicants placed on wait list | 390 |
| Students accepting place on wait list | 96 |
| Students accepted from wait list | 4 |
Fall 2022 High School GPA
| Freshman students submitting high school GPA | 94% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.2 |
| High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
| Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 40% |
| SAT Critical Reading average score | 608 |
| SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 560-650 |
| SAT Math average score | 612 |
| SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 560-640 |
| SAT Writing average score | N/A |
| SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
| SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
| Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 19% |
| Average ACT Composite score | 26 |
| ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 25-28 |
| ACT English 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
| ACT English score breakdown | N/A |
| ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
| ACT Math score breakdown | N/A |