How to Get into the University of Richmond: Acceptance Rate and Strategies

August 21, 2025

With about 3,000 undergraduates, the University of Richmond is fairly large in size for a liberal arts college. Unlike many comparable schools, it offers a stellar undergraduate business program. The sub-25% acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 places the University of Richmond in the highly selective category, a status that is nothing new to this institution. Admit rates have hovered in a similar range for the past decade and those admitted generally sport A/A- averages in a rigorous selection of courses as well as average standardized test scores in the 95th percentile or above.

To help prepare aspiring Spiders for the challenging process ahead, we will touch on the following topics:

University of Richmond’s Class of 2028 acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
University of Richmond’s Class of 2028 ED acceptance rate
SAT, ACT, GPA, and class rank of accepted University of Richmond applicants
Admissions trends from the most recent admissions cycle
The demographics of current University of Richmond undergraduates
The University of Richmond’s yield rate
How U of R’s admissions officers evaluate candidates
Tips for applying to the University of Richmond
How to assess whether applying to the University of Richmond is even worth the $50 application fee (for you)

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University of Richmond Overall Acceptance Rate – Class of 2028

For the Class of 2028, the University of Richmond received 16,152 applications. Of these Spider-hopefuls, they admitted 3,585 for an acceptance rate of 22%.

Historical acceptance rates are as follows:

	Applicants	Admits	Acceptance Rate
Class of 2027	15,121	3,525	23%
Class of 2026	14,634	3,501	23%
Class of 2025	13,955	4,015	29%
Class of 2024	12,060	3,727	31%

University of Richmond Early Decision Acceptance Rate – Class of 2028

Those who are serious about attending the University of Richmond should definitely consider applying via binding early decision. This school offers two rounds of early decision—ED I on November 1 and ED II on January 1. The acceptance rate for ED applicants for the Class of 2028 was 33%, roughly ten points higher than the regular round.

What GPA do you need to get into the University of Richmond?

Those enrolled in the Class of 2028 sported an average unweighted GPA of 3.81. Moreover, 22% of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or above, while 48% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to the University of Richmond?

70% of Class of 2028 freshmen were in the top 10% of their high school class; 89% were in the top quartile.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for the University of Richmond?

Those who went on to enroll in the university for the start of the 2024-25 school year earned SAT scores with a middle-50% range of 1430-1510; the ACT range was 33-35. That said, note that just a bit over 30% of enrolled students submitted test scores alongside their applications.

Admissions Trends & Notes – Class of 2028

Applications for the Class of 2028 increased almost 7% from the previous year, up 40% from five years ago.
Class of 2028 ED applications increased by 14%.
46% of the Class of 2028 enrolled via ED, 36% via early action, 12% through regular decision. (Note that nearly 8% of the Class of 2028 had been waitlisted.)
11% of the Class of 2028 were first-generation students.
The Class of 2028 includes students from 44 states and 35 countries.
33% of enrolled students identified as students of color.

Who Gets Into the University of Richmond?

Let’s look at the demographics of University of Richmond undergraduates:

In a recent class students came from the following geographic locations:

Virginia: 15%
Mid-Atlantic: 28%
New England: 14%
South: 19%
Midwest: 6%
West: 5%
International: 11%

As at any highly selective university, competition is toughest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). If you hail from a less populated state like Hawaii, the Dakotas, or Montana, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the Class of 2028 was as follows:

Asian American: 6%
Hispanic: 9%
Black or African American: 6%
White: 62%
Two or more races: 5%

The breakdown of the Class of 2028 was notably split in favor of women:

Male: 45%
Female: 55%

In a recent class, the following number of students participated in various types of high school activities:

Founded an organization, club, or business: 162
Participated in community service: 576
Worked part-time or completed internships: 435
Held a leadership position: 470
Were involved in the arts: 266
Made meaningful sustainability-related contributions: 131

Yield Rate

The University of Richmond’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted—was relatively low 23% last year. This is due, in part, to the fact that Richmond is often used as a backup plan for those applying to even more selective universities.

How the University of Richmond Rates Applicants

There are a mere two factors that the University of Richmond ranks as being “very important” to their admissions process: rigor of secondary school record and GPA. The seven factors rated as “important” are: talent/ability, character/personal qualities, standardized test scores, the essays, recommendations, class rank, and extracurricular activities.

The admissions process at the University of Richmond is a holistic one. In the admissions office’s own words:

“The University of Richmond reviews each and every application individually. In our holistic, selective admission process — there is no typical applicant and no simple formula to guarantee acceptance.
“Alongside traditional measures of academic success — grades, rigor of curriculum, test scores, and recommendations — admission officers comprehensively evaluate each application, assessing essays, involvement, special talents, creativity, independence, potential for contribution to our community, and life experience.”
“If a student chooses not to submit a standardized test score to support their application, we will evaluate their candidacy using the information present in the other components of their application materials. We welcome the submission of standardized tests if you believe these tests will provide additional context and data used in a holistic review process.”

Tips for Applying to the University of Richmond

If you plan on joining the 16,000+ Spider hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

The University of Richmond has extended its test-optional policy for the 2025-26 admissions cycle.
The University of Richmond does not consider interviews in the admissions process, so it is imperative that your personality stands out on your Common App and supplemental essay as well as through your teacher/counselor recommendations.
The University of Richmond states that they do not consider “demonstrated interest” in the admissions process. However, given their low yield rate and reliance on ED applicants, it would be a good idea to visit campus, contact an admissions officer, follow them on social media, etc.
Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essay(s) required by the University of Richmond. In the 2025-26 cycle, students will need to respond to one of the three prompts below in 650 words or less:

- You have a platform to create change. What is an action or policy you might propose to address an issue of social injustice in your school or local community, or on a national or global scale?
- Tell us about a time you learned something unexpected. What did you learn, and what happened next?
- Richmond welcomes students from various backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. What is at least one way you will contribute to our community that is not already mentioned in your application?

Should I Apply to the University of Richmond?

With acceptance rates of under 25%, the University of Richmond is primarily seeking candidates who possess standardized test scores in the 99th percentile and have earned mostly A’s in a highly rigorous high school curriculum. If your academic profile fits that description, the University of Richmond could be within your reach.

University of Richmond Acceptance Rate — Final Thoughts

If the University of Richmond is among your top-choice schools, make sure to also have a rock-solid backup plan. All students need to make sure that they formulate an appropriate college list, containing a complement of “target” and “safety” schools. You’ll definitely want to do this in conjunction with your high school counselor or other admissions professional.

Ready to start crafting your college applications? Consider checking out the following resources:

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College Admissions

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).