REQUIREMENTS AND CAMPUS GUIDE
Claremont McKenna
Founded in 1946, Claremont McKenna College is a top-ranked applied liberal arts school with world-class expertise in economics, public affairs, government, business, and finance. Located in sunny Claremont, California, known as the town of “trees and PhDs,” Claremont McKenna is nestled in a cozy college town buzzing with intellectual energy. CMC is also part of a consortium comprised of five undergraduate institutions and two graduate schools (Pomona College, Claremont Graduate University, Scripps College, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, Pitzer College, and Keck Graduate Institute), modeled after the University of Oxford, so it’s easy for students to find community across the “7Cs.”.
REQUIREMENTS AND CAMPUS GUIDE
Claremont McKenna
Founded in 1946, Claremont McKenna College is a top-ranked applied liberal arts school with world-class expertise in economics, public affairs, government, business, and finance. Located in sunny Claremont, California, known as the town of “trees and PhDs,” Claremont McKenna is nestled in a cozy college town buzzing with intellectual energy. CMC is also part of a consortium comprised of five undergraduate institutions and two graduate schools (Pomona College, Claremont Graduate University, Scripps College, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, Pitzer College, and Keck Graduate Institute), modeled after the University of Oxford, so it’s easy for students to find community across the “7Cs.”.
REQUIREMENTS AND CAMPUS GUIDE
Claremont McKenna
Founded in 1946, Claremont McKenna College is a top-ranked applied liberal arts school with world-class expertise in economics, public affairs, government, business, and finance. Located in sunny Claremont, California, known as the town of “trees and PhDs,” Claremont McKenna is nestled in a cozy college town buzzing with intellectual energy. CMC is also part of a consortium comprised of five undergraduate institutions and two graduate schools (Pomona College, Claremont Graduate University, Scripps College, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, Pitzer College, and Keck Graduate Institute), modeled after the University of Oxford, so it’s easy for students to find community across the “7Cs.”.
School Location:
CLAREMONT, CA
School Type:
PRIVATE LIBERAL ARTS
Admissions Rates:
ADMITTED: 11.12%
GENERAL INFO
SAT/ACT Scores:
Test Optional for 2024-2025
Admission Cycle
Class of 2026 Test Scores
Middle 50% SAT:
1470-1530
Middle 50% ACT: 33-35
Dates/Deadlines:
Early Decision I (ED I):
November 1
Early Decision II (ED II):
January 10
Priority/Rolling/Regular Decision: January 10
School Information:
Undergraduate population:
1,375
Faculty Ratio:
8:1
Interviews considered:
No
CLAREMONT MCKENNA TIPS & GUIDE
How difficult is it to get into Claremont McKenna?
Claremont McKenna is a high reach school for most students, even with stellar test scores and an impressive resume. The admissions rate for the Class of 2027 was 11.1%, and the median SAT composite score was similarly competitive at 1500, while the median ACT composite score was 34. Though the interim test-optional policy will extend to students applying to enter CMC in the Fall of 2025, submitting strong test scores will render your application far more competitive.
What is the campus like at Claremont McKenna?
CMC is a residential college; approximately 94% of students live on campus for all four years. There are 14 residence halls and one student apartment complex. Unlike many colleges, CMC doesn’t lump all of the first-year students into “freshman dorms.” Instead, a minimum of 20% of each residence hall is reserved for incoming students each year. This policy gives you a chance to get to know a greater proportion of the school right off the bat. One residence, Becket Hall, is gender-inclusive, meaning that students can live with any other student regardless of gender identity. Stark Hall is a substance-free residence hall, so no controlled substances are allowed within the residence.
There are two on-campus dining options at CMC. Collins Dining Hall is the college’s only dining hall. You can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner there on the weekdays, whereas only brunch and dinner are served on the weekend. The second option is “The Hub,” a grill in the Emett Student Center, which has a variety of quick meal options for those days when you’re running late to your 9 am lecture (again).
When you’re not sleeping, eating, or in class, there are plenty of other things to do on CMC’s campus. CMC has almost any student organization you can think of—from kombucha makers and coffee enthusiasts to marketing and tech interest groups, there is a Claremont McKenna club for practically everyone. You can browse their list of clubs to find out what pre professional, athletic, community service, and cultural organizations they have to offer. As is the case with academics, students at CMC have access to 5C organizations where they can connect with students from Pomona, Pitzer, Scripps, and Harvey Mudd.
What is Claremont McKenna known for?
Claremont McKenna is known for its award-winning school system, engaging professors, rigorous coursework, and gorgeous campus. Students with a passion for government, business, and economics will thrive within CMC’s advanced research and learning opportunities. Notable alumni include actor Robin Williams, KKR founder Henry Kravis, former LA Dodgers first baseman Wes Parker, and Google’s Senior Vice President of Products Jonathan Rosenberg.
How diverse is Claremont McKenna?
As of the 2023-2024 school year, CMC is home to 1,379 undergraduate students. This student body represents 48 U.S. states and territories and 45 countries; 50% of students identify as women and 50% identify as men. 15% of students are Hispanic, 16% are Asian, 8% two or more races, 5% are of unknown race, 5% are Black, and 44% are students of color.
Can I afford Claremont McKenna?
The average estimated cost of attendance, combining tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, supplies, and miscellaneous expenses for Claremont McKenna will be $86,500 for the 2024-25 school year. CMC invites students to gain a more accurate understanding of the financial commitment by utilizing the Cost Estimator.
CMC has a need-blind admissions policy, and students who apply by December 1 will be eligible for merit-based and need-based scholarship opportunities. CMC is committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
As aid eligibility differs among new students, transfer students, and international students, not all students graduate debt-free. According to their 2023-2024 fact sheet, 48% of full-time students received a financial aid package. The average debt per student after graduation is $20,978, and the average need based package is $58,735. While a limited amount of funding is available for international students, undocumented students are eligible for government aid through the Dream Act.
How do I apply to Claremont McKenna?
Claremont McKenna doesn’t have strict requirements for high school courses, but it does have recommended courses. Keep in mind that when a college recommends something, you should always take it as seriously as you would a requirement. By the time you apply, you should have taken 4 years of English, 4 years of math, 3 years of a foreign language, 2 years of science, and 1 year of history. You can apply to CMC through the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or the Questbridge Application.
If you apply through the Common App or Coalition app, you’ll also need to submit two supplemental essays. The first prompt is: “Why do you want to attend Claremont McKenna College?” and the second asks you to choose a course from a list of Freshman Writing Seminars and Freshman Humanities Seminars and elaborate on your interest in the topic. Two other recommended prompts are interviews and video supplements. The interview is conducted virtually through fall 2022, and is typically about 30 minutes long, while the video is a two-minute video you submit with your application. Both the interview and video allow you to demonstrate your uniqueness and offer an authentic glimpse of your personality. If you were unable to schedule an interview, CMC strongly recommends that you submit a video.
Key Application dates and deadlines:
- Early Decision 1: November 1
- Early Decision 2: January 10
- Regular Decision: January 10
An application to CMC requires the following:
- Common Application or Coalition Application
- $70 application fee or fee waiver. Fee waivers are available through the Coalition Application and Common Application systems.
- Additional academic credentials:
- School report and counselor recommendation
- One teacher recommendation
- Official high school transcript(s) from all secondary schools attended
- FAFSA and CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE (if applying for financial aid)
- Early Decision Agreement (required for ED1 and ED2 applicants only)
Does Claremont McKenna have a good athletic department?
Claremont McKenna offers a thriving Division III athletics program that shares teams, resources, and facilities with both Harvey Mudd and Scripps College. Curiously enough, CMC’s biggest rivals actually share a campus with them: matches between the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags (Athenas for women) and the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens are known to get quite intense.
What are Claremont McKenna’s academic curriculum and programs?
Thanks to the Five College Consortium, when you enroll in CMC, you might as well be enrolling in four other colleges, too. Not only can you cross-register at each of the schools, bringing the total number of courses available to you over 2,000, you can also study a “5-College Major”—5 distinct majors, one from each college, interwoven through intercollegiate departments. In these unique majors, you’ll work with faculty from all five colleges and study a broad range of cross-disciplinary academic fields. CMC itself offers over 30 majors across 12 departments as well as 11 sequences. Sequences can be compared to what most colleges call “minors,” but there are some notable differences. Sequences are interdisciplinary fields of study that you can pursue in conjunction with your major, such as ethics and scientific modeling.
CMC has a guiding philosophy of “learning to do and doing to learn,” which is the foundation of all of their courses. They focus on educating students in “applied liberal arts” so that when you graduate you are ready to contribute to your community or industry.
There are also several accelerated programs to choose from, through which you can earn two Bachelor’s degrees or a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in just four to five years. These accelerated programs are much more rigorous than a typical course of study, but are a good option for students who are certain of what they want to study and want to get a head start on their graduate degree. During the summers, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in study abroad programs or funded internships.
Updated 2024
