St. Olaf College was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American Lutheran pastors and settlers. The college was named after the patron saint of Norway, St. Olaf, and its mission was to provide a quality liberal arts education for students of Norwegian descent. The college opened with just 12 students and two faculty members, but quickly grew in size and influence over the next few decades. By the turn of the century, St. Olaf had become an important center for higher education in the Midwest, attracting students from all over the region. In 1906, St. Olaf became one of the first colleges in America to offer a four-year program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree, which further increased its status as an academic institution. Over time, St. Olaf has continued to expand its offerings with new majors such as music and engineering being added to its curriculum in later years. Today, St. Olaf is a thriving liberal arts institution with nearly 3,000 students enrolled each year from around the world seeking out an education rooted in faith and service to their community. Check USPRIVATESCHOOLSFINDER for a list of private schools in Maryland.
St. Olaf College, 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 St. Olaf College. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about St. Olaf College, 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/sto_saint-olaf-college.html
Admissions Stats
St. Olaf College has an acceptance rate of 57%, which is lower than the national average, making it a selective school. The college received 6,858 applications for the fall 2020 semester, and 3,917 were accepted. The middle 50% of test scores for accepted students ranged from 1160-1360 on the SAT and 24-30 on the ACT. The college also has a student/faculty ratio of 12:1, meaning that students have plenty of opportunities to engage with their professors in a more intimate setting. Additionally, St. Olaf College has a six-year graduation rate of 79%, which is higher than the national average of 59%. These statistics demonstrate that St. Olaf College provides an excellent education and an engaging learning environment for its students.
The college offers over 50 majors and minors in fields ranging from biology to economics to theatre arts. Students can also partake in various experiential learning opportunities such as research projects and internships as part of their major or minor requirements. Furthermore, St. Olaf College offers numerous study abroad options in countries such as France, India, and Japan – allowing students to gain unique perspectives through international travel and cultural immersion experiences while still completing their degree requirements at St. Olaf College.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 57% |
| Early decision acceptance rate | 77% |
| Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
| Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 55% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
| Applicants | 4,024 |
| Female applicants | 2,259 |
| Male applicants | 1,765 |
| Applicants accepted | 2,303 |
| Female applicants accepted | 1,276 |
| Male applicants accepted | 1,027 |
| Freshman enrollment | 844 |
| Female freshman enrollment | 434 |
| Male freshman enrollment | 410 |
| Early decision applicants | 328 |
| Early decision applicants accepted | 253 |
| Early decision applicants enrolled | 234 |
| 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 | 28% |
Fall 2022 Wait List
| School has a wait list | Yes |
| Applicants placed on wait list | 473 |
| Students accepting place on wait list | 181 |
| Students accepted from wait list | 5 |
Fall 2022 High School GPA
| Freshman students submitting high school GPA | 94% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.6 |
| High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | 3.4-4 |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
| Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 37% |
| SAT Critical Reading average score | 649 |
| SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 600-720 |
| SAT Math average score | 650 |
| SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 600-710 |
| SAT Writing average score | N/A |
| SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | 580-700 |
| SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
| Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 85% |
| Average ACT Composite score | 29 |
| ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 26-31 |
| ACT English 25th-75th percentile range | 26-33 |
| ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range | 26-32 |