Requirements
For High School Seniors
We cannot begin reviewing your application until we have received all of the required parts:
- Common Application
- Common Application Personal Essay
- Supplement to the Common Application
- School Report
- High School Transcript
- Results of either the SAT or ACT with writing score (SAT II subject tests are optional)
- Guidance Counselor Recommendation
- Teacher Evaluations (2)
For Homeschooled Students
A campus visit and interview are required for homeschooled students applying for admission. You may schedule an on-campus interview through the end of January.
When evaluating applications for admission to Oberlin College, we seek evidence of academic preparation and proficiency comparable to:
- 4 years of English
- 4 years of mathematics
- 3 years of the same foreign language
- 3 years of laboratory sciences
- 3 years of social studies, including history
We cannot begin reviewing your application until we have received all of the required parts:
- Common Application
- Common Application Personal Essay
- Supplement to the Common Application
- Academic portfolio (in place of transcript) with detailed syllabi listing the subjects studied each year, a description of each course of study, major texts used or literature read, and evidence of science lab experiences
- Test scores from either the SAT I and two SAT II subject exams, or the ACT with writing exam
- Recommendations from two adults other than a parent (in place of teacher evaluations), although a parent may submit a teacher recommendation if s/he was the primary instructor
- Recent academic paper or scientific laboratory report
Applying as a High School Junior
You must present valid reasons for wanting to enter college early and demonstrate that you have taken full advantage of your high school curriculum (including courses comparable to those completed by graduating seniors). Oberlin College will give careful consideration to the recommendations of your teachers and counselors concerning your readiness for college.
We cannot begin reviewing your application until we have received all of the required parts:
- Common Application
- Common Application Personal Essay
- Supplement to the Common Application
- School Report
- High School Transcript
- Results of either the SAT or ACT with writing score (SAT II subject tests are optional)
- Guidance Counselor Recommendation
- Teacher Evaluations (2)
An on-campus interview is required for applicants completing high school in less than four years, as well as those applying for admission with no diploma. High school juniors applying for early admission may schedule an on-campus interview through the end of January.
Oberlin admissions counselors engage in a holistic review process when reading and evaluating each application. This means many factors are considered, with no one component of the application singled out as most important.
- We seek an incoming class that represents a variety of talents, viewpoints, and achievements.
- We prefer a high school record demonstrating proficiency equivalent to four years of English, four years of mathematics, three years of the same foreign language, three years of laboratory science, and three years of social studies. These are recommended but not required.
- For your teacher evaluations, we strongly recommend they be written by teachers you recently had for academic courses—the people most familiar with your writing, analytical, and quantitative abilities.
- Although we require you to provide standardized test scores, no applicant is ever granted or denied admission to Oberlin solely on the basis of test scores.
- Recommendations from private instructors, coaches, clergy, mentors, extracurricular activity advisors, or employers that show evidence of your writing, analytical, and quantitative abilities.
