Holy Names University was founded in 1868 by a group of nuns from the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. The sisters had arrived in San Francisco from Montreal, Canada with a mission to educate and empower young women. The school was originally called the Convent of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, but it was soon renamed Holy Names College. In 1949, Holy Names became a university and adopted its current name.
The original campus was located in Oakland, and included a high school and college. In 1936, the college moved to its current location on a hilltop overlooking Lake Merritt in Oakland. During this time, Holy Names began to focus on liberal arts education and developed several new programs including music, education, nursing, business administration and psychology. Over the years, enrollment at Holy Names grew steadily as did its reputation for academic excellence. Check LAWSCHOOLSINUSA for a list of law schools in Maine.
In 1973, Holy Names became coeducational after merging with nearby St. Mary’s College for Men. This opened up new opportunities for students who wanted to pursue higher education regardless of their gender or background. Throughout its history, Holy Names has been committed to providing an accessible educational experience that nurtures intellectual curiosity and personal growth within an inclusive community environment where everyone belongs.
Holy Names University, 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 Holy Names University. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about Holy Names University, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.
University acronym: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/hnu_holy-names-university.html
Admissions Stats
Holy Names University is a private Catholic institution located in Oakland, California. The university was founded in 1868 and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees. In 2018, the university had an enrollment of 1,576 students. The student body is composed of students from diverse backgrounds and cultures, with over 40 countries represented. The student-faculty ratio is 12:1, allowing for individual attention to each student.
The acceptance rate of Holy Names University for the fall of 2019 was 87%. This high acceptance rate reflects the university’s commitment to making higher education accessible to all types of students regardless of their academic background. Of those accepted to the university, 61% were female and 39% were male. Additionally, approximately 27% of enrolled students identified as belonging to an ethnic or racial minority group. The average GPA for incoming freshman in 2019 was 3.4 on a 4-point scale and the average SAT score was 1020 out of 1600 points.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
| Selectivity | less selective |
| Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 70% |
| Early decision acceptance rate | N/A |
| Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
| Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 70% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
| Applicants | 543 |
| Female applicants | 382 |
| Male applicants | 161 |
| Applicants accepted | 381 |
| Female applicants accepted | 272 |
| Male applicants accepted | 109 |
| Freshman enrollment | 135 |
| Female freshman enrollment | 97 |
| Male freshman enrollment | 38 |
| Early decision applicants | N/A |
| Early decision applicants accepted | N/A |
| Early decision applicants enrolled | N/A |
| 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 | N/A |
Fall 2022 Wait List
| School has a wait list | No |
| Applicants placed on wait list | N/A |
| Students accepting place on wait list | N/A |
| Students accepted from wait list | N/A |
Fall 2022 High School GPA
| Freshman students submitting high school GPA | 90% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.2 |
| High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | 2.8-3.5 |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
| Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 89% |
| SAT Critical Reading average score | 461 |
| SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 420-510 |
| SAT Math average score | 458 |
| SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 400-510 |
| SAT Writing average score | 459 |
| SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | 405-520 |
| SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
| Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 34% |
| Average ACT Composite score | 19 |
| ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 16-21 |
| 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 |