Claremont McKenna College is among the top 6 National Liberal Arts Colleges. It is a private, non-profit college in Claremont, California. The college considers a holistic application and has a screening process for the selection of students who are not just academically well, but also incredibly motivated and career-driven. So, you get a highly competitive environment that keeps you encouraged and motivated to achieve your goals. Before you start applying, read this guide on how to apply to Claremont McKenna College (CMC) as an international student for an undergraduate degree:

English Proficiency Test Requirements

English proficiency test is a must for applicants from countries where English is not the primary language. Claremont accepts the following English Proficiency tests and the minimum scores required for each of these tests are:

• 100 and above on the TOEFL iBT
• 120 and above on the Duolingo English Test
• 7.5 and above on the IELTS Academic

ACT/SAT Requirements

SAT and ACT are the two standardized tests that the universities require to review the application. Although this college asks for the scores of either of the two tests, for the students applying for Fall 2021 and 2022 intakes, these are not required. If you plan on applying for an intake later than Fall 2022, these are the average score ranges of ACT and SAT scores that can increase your chances of admission:

Tuition Fee and Cost of Living

Claremont McKenna is among the top colleges globally. So, it is expected that this college will be a bit more expensive to attend than other average colleges in the US. But what’s the harm in spending slightly more when you get to study in a prestigious college? Below are the estimated figures for tuition fees and other expenses:

The conversion from USD to INR has been made as 1 USD = 70 INR.

The estimates given above are just for reference and you should always confirm on the university’s official website before you apply.

Application Portal

Claremont McKenna College accepts applications from the following three application portals: Common Application, Coalition Application, and QuestBridge. The university considers all applications equally without any preference no matter which portal you use to submit your application.

Essay Prompts

Claremont McKenna needs you to submit essays besides the ones you write on the application portal you choose to submit your application. These are the two essay prompts that the college asks you to answer to assess you better: 

Essay Prompt 1:

Word Limit: 250 words

“Why do you want to attend CMC?”

Essay Prompt 2:

Word Limit: 250 words

“One of the hallmarks of a CMC education is the first-year humanities program that all students take in their first year at the College. The program has two components: the Freshman Humanities Seminar (FHS) and the Freshman Writing Seminar (FWS). While each FHS and FWS seminar has a distinctive approach in terms of texts and topics, their pairing gives first-year students a shared academic experience in small, writing-intensive courses that foster critical thinking about a wide range of important issues.

FHS introduces first-year students to some of the crucial questions that human beings face with relation to society and the world. Individual sections are taught by faculty from a range of departments. Past and current topics include:

• Democracy and Leadership

• Women in Science

• Unconventional Thinking 

FWS, taught by faculty from the literature department, develops students’ abilities in written and oral communication at the college level. Past and current topics include:

• Art of the Personal Essay

• Blackness in American Cinema

• Post-Apocalyptic Humanity

For the purpose of this essay prompt, pick one FHS or FWS seminar to study at CMC. What part of your personal experience—or your desire to know more about an area outside of your experience—best explains your seminar choice?”

College Application Deadlines

Claremont provides three types of the admission process, i.e. Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision. To ensure that you don’t miss the application, keep a track of application deadlines*. Here is the tentative deadline:

*The Uni Deadlines feature of UniRely is the best and the easiest way to keep a check on deadlines. 

Conclusion

Claremont McKenna is a perfect college with good infrastructure, great opportunities, all in the best location! If you’re ever exhausted, you can go to the number of beaches that are close to the college campus and relax watching the sunset there. 

UniRely’s student mentors are studying at Claremont McKenna and other top colleges in the US. These student mentors can share their experiences, resources, and will advise you on how to make your application impressive and stronger! Visit UniRely now to seek help from student mentors to make your application stand out. Get access to the free resources and talk to the expert advisors for free!