College of Holy Cross Acceptance rates – Admissions and Rankings

The College of Holy Cross is one of the oldest colleges in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. A highly discerning, four-year undergraduate liberal arts institution ranked among the nation’s leading four-year liberal arts colleges, accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of schools and colleges ). College of Holy Cross has recently been named a ‘Hidden gem’ college based on affordability, quality of education, and student outcome.  

College of Holy Cross is one of the select group of colleges (less than 100) that meets 100% of each student’s financial needs, with an A+ on Forbes’s list of College Financial grades, 2021 and 2021 Best colleges in America on and Niches’s list, respectively. Among its various achievements, the College of the Holy Cross ranks as No.1 on the Institute for International Education’s list of long-term study abroad programs and is one of the 50 most beautiful college campuses in America, according to Architectural Digest. 

The College of Holy Cross was founded in 1843 by Bishop Benedict Joseph Fenwick of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) to educate the men of Massachusetts. Over time, the College of the Holy Cross has continuously evolved to cater to the needs of its students and changing times. Still, it is by tradition and choice, a Jesuit liberal arts college serving the catholic community, American society, and the wider world. 

As a liberal arts college, the College of Holy Cross pursues teaching, learning, and research excellence. Fascination to challenge open new ideas, be patient with ambiguity and uncertainty, and combine the passion for truth with respect for others’ views is encouraged by all Holy Cross students and personnel. 

College of Holy Cross Admissions

The admission procedure at the College of Holy Cross takes a holistic approach, where the application gets read, re-read, and sometimes re-reread. Giving priority to every aspect of the applicant’s background, every part of the application will be scrutinized to get a clear picture of the applicant. 

The College of the Holy Cross offers Early Decision and Regular Decision admission for its first-year applicants. Early Decision applicants commit to attending the College of Holy Cross, and if admitted, all the following procedures will follow an accelerated schedule. All first-year applicants are required to submit the following during the admission process; 

1.  Common Application or Coalition Application
2. High School transcripts
3. Two letters of recommendation
4. Application fee of $60

The College of the Holy Cross welcomes applications from second- and third-year transfer students, and they are requested to provide two additional documents during admission; 

1.  College Official’s report 
2. Course Description 

All first-year and transfer student applicants are highly encouraged to participate in an admission interview. 

College of the Holy Cross, ranking No.1 on the institute for International Education’s list of long-term study abroad programs, provides smooth procedures for international applicants. The admission procedures are almost similar to natives having both Early Decision and Regular Decision, inclusive of one or two forms and certificates; 

1.  Common Application or Coalition Application 
2. Holy Cross Certification of Financial Forms 
3. Bank Letter or Financial Affidavit 
4. TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores (for non-native speakers) 
5. High School Transcripts 
6. Two letters of recommendation 
7. Application fee of $60 

College of Holy Cross does not accept self-reported English proficiency exams. All English proficiency test results must be submitted directly from the testing agency. 

All international students are highly encouraged to participate in a one-on-one interview. 

 One thing to take advantage of during admission procedures is having close contact with the regional admission counselors. An admission counselor can be a great resource at any point in the admission process, as they are incredibly knowledgeable and welcome to answer all questions. 

During the admission procedure, the free structure stumps many admissions, College of the holy cross provides various financial aids. They are known for meeting 100% of each student’s demonstrated financial needs and have multiple grants that cater to it. The fee structure of the College of The Holy Cross is as below; 

General Tuition Breakdown Without Aid

 Fees:  Tuition 

Fall session: 28,800 $ 

Spring session : 28,800 $ 

Total: 57,600$ 

 Fees: Room 

Fall session: 4,550 $ 

Spring session: 4,550 $ 

Total:9,100 $ 

 Fees: Board 

Fall session: 3,760 $ 

Spring session: 3,760 $ 

Total: 7,520 $ 

 Fees: Health Service fee 

Fall session: 190 $ 

Spring session:190 $ 

Total: 380 $ 

 Fees: Activity Fee 

Fall session: 380 $ 

Spring session:  

Total: 380 $ 

Fees: Total (with room and board) 

Fall session: 37,680 $ 

Spring session: 37,300 $ 

Total: 74,980 $ 

Fees: Total ( without room and board) 

Fall session: 29,370 $ 

Spring session: 28,990 $ 

Total: 58,360 $ 

College of Holy Cross Rankings 

The College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts, is recognized by various publications and organizations for its exceptional academic programs and campus experience. It is ranked no.1 on the Institute for International Education’s list of long-term study abroad programs. 

The College of the Holy Cross ranked 28th on Niche.com’s list of best liberal arts colleges in America and 29th among the best small colleges in America. It is graded A+ on Forbis’s list of college Financial Grades, 2021, and A+ on Niche’s list of 2021 Best Colleges in America.  

Of its many laurels, the College of the Holy Cross is known for its lenient fee structure and various financial aids, appearing on Money Magazine’s list of “10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for your Money” in the 13th position and 15th on Kiplinger’s list of best value liberal arts colleges.  

Another feature of the College of the Holy Cross is its beautiful campus; it ranks as one of the 50 most beautiful college campuses in the United States, according to architectural digest, and the most beautiful College in Massachusetts, according to Travel+Leisure. 

College of the Holy Cross Acceptance Rates

 The acceptance rate of all colleges is strenuous; while the College of Holy Cross acceptance rate is a bit more than others, it is by no means liberal; it just shows how Holy Cross can take care of their new applicants and make them continue in the College. While the College of Holy Cross follows a moderately selective admission process, the large number of applicants shows the College’s standing in the applicants’ eyes. 

The College of Holy Cross acceptance rate for the recent academic year is around 43%, with 73% selected from early decision applicants, 40% from the SAT score range of 650 – 720, and the remaining 19% from the ACT range 29 – 33.