What Does It Take To Get Into Davidson College?

Davidson College In Davidson, North Carolina Prides Themselves On Being Set Apart From Other Liberal Arts Schools...

In addition to being the first liberal arts college in the U.S. to eliminate student loans from their financial aid offerings, Davidson College offers their students a diverse education, exciting experiences, and one of the most beautiful campuses in the country.

If your student is interested in applying for Davidson College, keep reading to find out how they can tailor their application to fit Davidson College admissions’ ideal student profile and be one step closer to going to their dream school.

What You’ll Find In This College Guide:

• Davidson College’s Ideal Student
• What You Need To Get Accepted Into Davidson College
• Davidson College’s Campus Life
• From Application to Career: What You’ll Experience at Davidson College
• Your Future at Davidson College

Davidson College's Ideal Student

The average GPA and standardized test scores of incoming Davidson College freshmen are:

• GPA: 3.9
• SAT: 1370
• ACT: 31

Davidson College ranks #2 in North Carolina for lowest acceptance rate, and their data of first year students reflects the high caliber of their academic program. Students who are interested in going to Davidson College should be on track to graduate in the top ten percent of their class.

Being a liberal arts school, Davidson College wants to know who applicants are underneath their top notch scores, too! They look for a wide range of qualities that show leadership, initiative, creativity, and a desire to give back to their community.

DIVERSITY IN ACADEMICS

Having a well-rounded academic history is very important to Davidson College admissions. An  appreciation for liberal arts education is the backbone of Davidson College’s ideal student profile, so the more students can draw attention to their wide range of classes, the better!

Students should make sure that they’re highlighting any AP, IB, or honors courses that they have taken. They should even include college credits or extra classes outside of school that challenged them in unique ways.

• How did you expand your horizons in high school?
• What were some challenges you faced in upper level courses and how did you overcome them?
• How do you plan on continuing your education at Davidson?

DIVERSITY IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Davidson College’s ideal students will also have a wide range of extracurricular activities under their belt. Ultimately, it should be evident on their application that they aren’t afraid to try new things! For example, if a student excels in sports, they should also try their hand at the fine arts, and vice versa.

• How did you expand your list of extracurricular activities?
• How did you find a balance between commitment and trying new clubs, sports, or hobbies at the same time?
• Did you find an activity or new hobby that you never would have found had you not tried a new club?

DIVERSITY IN GOALS

Davidson College admissions understands that students are attending college to get a degree, and with this degree, they hope to accomplish their dreams and goals for the future. Students should be prepared to explain why they want a degree from Davidson College and how they plan on using it in the future.

Honesty is encouraged in this area because if a student isn’t quite sure what they’d like to do yet, they’re perfect for a liberal arts college like Davidson! Liberal arts is all about exploring different areas of study to find a student’s niche. When an applicant is open to new possibilities for their future and willing to try a class they never thought of trying before, they will be presenting themselves as Davidson College’s ideal student.

• How do you want to use your Davidson College degree?
• Are you open to new perspectives and ideas about your future?

DIVERSITY IN COMMUNITY SERVICE

Lastly, Davidson College is big on giving back to their community. They have one of the largest followings for cultural diversity in the U.S., and their commitment to certain social and political issues like racism, injustice, and exclusion has fostered some of the country’s foremost young activists. The ideal student for Davidson College will want to use their talents and passions to give back to the less fortunate, and they should consider joining a community service team upon arriving on campus.

• How have you contributed to your community in the past?
• How do you plan on joining the community service environment at Davidson?

WHAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE: DAVIDSON COLLEGE’S PROGRAMS

Davidson College is ranked #13 for best liberal arts colleges in the U.S., and for its size, this is a pretty impressive ranking. Their top-notch curriculum, approachable professors, and explorative classroom setting back up Davidson College’s best academic programs.

• Political Science (#26 in the U.S.)
• English (#27 in the U.S.)
• Psychology (#29 in the U.S.)
• Chemistry (#29 in the U.S.)

IN SUMMARY: DAVIDSON COLLEGE’S IDEAL STUDENT

Davidson College’s ideal student has a deep appreciation for the liberal arts educational structure as well as a community-oriented mindset. This student is open to new ideas and perspectives, and simply wants to use their gifts to give back to their communities and make their little corner of the world as great as it can be.

Davidson College has one of the best commitments to diversity and inclusion out of many U.S. liberal arts colleges, and they hope that each incoming freshman carries this same passion for change in their hearts and minds. Students who are interested in applying to Davidson College should strive to highlight these key areas in their high school experience.

What You Need To Get Accepted Into Davidson College

Students interested in applying to Davidson College should take note of all their requirements. Davidson College admissions designed these requirements to help students’ strengths shine through and to help them find their ideal student body every year.

THE APPLICATION

Davidson College gives students one of four ways to apply:

• The Common App
• The Coalition App
• The online Davidson App
• The paper Davidson App*

How you decide to apply to Davidson College is completely up to you. Some admission officers have found that students prefer to fill out their applications the traditional way and physically mail in all required documents. On the other hand, high school seniors are unbelievably busy these days, and online application platforms make it possible for students to quickly send in all necessary materials. Choose whichever style of application suits your situation best.

Note: There are two parts for both the online Davidson App and the paper Davidson App. Students need to be sure that they’re referencing Davidson College’s application page to download their application checklist and fill out every required form.

RECOMMENDED ACADEMIC PLAN

The curriculum at Davidson College is primarily liberal arts, so they encourage students to think outside the box when it comes to choosing high school courses. They recommend that students apply with these courses under their belts:

• English (4 years/credits)
• Mathematics (3 credits)
• Foreign Language (2 required, 3-4 recommended)
• Science (2 required, 3-4 recommended)
• History/Social Studies (2 required, 3 recommended)

Like most colleges, Davidson College admissions will be looking for any AP, IB, or honors courses in a student’s academic history. They want to see a student challenge themselves, so applicants should include all upper level courses at the very top of their academic course list to grab the admission officer’s attention.

STANDARDIZED TESTING SCORES

Davidson College admissions does not require students to send in any standardized testing scores from the SAT or ACT for consideration of admission. Students always have the option to send them in, though!

ESSAYS

The writing supplement that a student sends in to Davidson College depends on the platform they choose to use. For students who decide to use the Davidson-specific applications, they will have the opportunity to write a personal essay that focuses on why they chose Davidson and how this choice will help them achieve their goals.

Students who decide to use the Common App or the Coalition App will simply use the writing supplement that’s automatically included in the application platform.

THE APPLICATION FEE AND DEADLINES

Applicants must submit a $50 fee along with their application in order to be considered for admission. They must also take note of the following deadlines and choose the right one for them and their schedule:

• Early Decision I: November 15
• Early Decision II: January 4
• Regular Decision: January 11

CAN I GET INTO DAVIDSON COLLEGE?

As long as students take note of important deadlines, reference Davidson’s application checklist, and submit all required documents, they have as good of a chance as anyone of getting into Davidson. The best way for an applicant to shine through on their application is to highlight their personal experiences in high school, draw attention to their plans for the future and tie in why they chose to apply to Davidson over all other colleges.

Davidson College's Campus Life

To match their top-notch curriculum, Davidson College’s campus culture matches it in quality with  plenty of clubs for students to join, a stellar athletic program, and a living experience that’s one-of-a-kind.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Davidson College offers its students over 200 extracurricular activities that cover a range of focuses, activities, and purposes. Whether students like to get involved in politics or play board games, there’s something for every student at Davidson.

ATHLETICS

The Davidson Wildcats have 21 NCAA Division I teams for men and women. Of course, if competitive sports aren’t the student’s niche, they have access to Davidson’s intramural and club sports program, which has 16 sports teams that operate seasonally.

Davidson College also has numerous programs focused on the health and wellness of their students. On campus, students will find recreational facilities for workouts, yoga classes, outdoor adventure trips, and extra health classes on topics like nutrition and fitness.

HOUSING AND DINING

First year Davidson students live in Davidson’s on-campus residence halls and they’re placed with other freshmen through a personality assessment. Once students progress to their sophomore year, they’re free to look around for other housing arrangements or stay on campus - it’s up to them!

At Davidson, students can eat any time, any day at three main dining locations. Whether they have dietary restrictions or want to try a new type of cuisine, Davidson’s dining program is versatile and super accessible to its busy students.

THE CAKE RACE

In the 1930s, track and field coach Pete Whittle created a nearly 2-mile race around Davidson, North Carolina to find new talent for his team every year. The winner was rewarded with a homemade cake of their choice, which gave many students an incentive to participate in the race.

Almost a century later, this tradition is no longer mandatory, but the race still occurs every year and the winner still receives their cake!

From Application To Career: What You'll Experience At Davidson College

Davidson College takes good care of their students. Whether they’re applying or graduating, the Davidson administration is there to help students discover their own potential in their academic goals and put their gifts to good use, for them and their community.

YOUR APPLICATION

Davidson College prizes diversity and inclusion in all aspects, so when a prospective student is filling out their Davidson College application, they should highlight their diverse choice of classes, extracurricular activities, and any community service efforts.

Students should remember that providing a wide range of history doesn’t mean they have to fill up every blank space. Instead of quantity, they should focus on highlighting the parts of their school history that’s good quality. They should choose two or three activities and classes for each category and always include any AP or honors courses and leadership roles.

YOUR ESSAY

Depending on the application platform the student chooses, their required essays may vary in topic. Regardless of what their essay prompt is, students should aim to explain why they chose Davidson College and how they think obtaining a degree from Davidson will help them achieve their goals.

YOUR COLLEGE YEARS

While attending Davidson College, students should immerse themselves in the campus culture by joining a club, going to hall dinners, and exploring Davidson with their new peers. They shouldn’t hesitate to take a chance on certain activities, even the ones that they normally would never pick first. College is all about growth, and the best way for students to do it is by trying new things and having some fun while they’re at it!

YOUR CAREER

Davidson College’s career center works in tandem with the curriculum to help students find opportunities by way of internships, summer jobs, and apprenticeships. A student’s goals may change over time, and the career center exists to help students adapt to their new majors and career choices, all in an attempt to help them secure post-graduation opportunities.

In 2019:

• 76% of students had a job secured in the six months after graduating
• 18% were enrolled in grad school
• 97% went immediately into working with education, community service and nonprofit organizations

Your Future At Davidson College

Davidson College is an excellent school for students who are looking for a liberal arts education combined with values of diversity and inclusion. Regardless of what your child wants to study in college, Davidson has a program that will help them realize their own potential and hone their skills to serve their future communities.

Of course, getting accepted to Davidson is no easy task. If your child is hoping to attend Davidson College and would like a bit of extra help to make their application shine, get in touch with a member of WeAdmit’s college counseling team! We’re here to help them realize their college dreams.