What a friend would tell you
What Holy Cross is looking for
Holy Cross values the whole person in a Jesuit framework: service, reflection, and intellectual growth. The application should show you've engaged with your community in a meaningful way and can articulate why a Jesuit liberal arts education (not just any LAC) appeals to you. Writing quality matters; show you can reflect thoughtfully, not just list accomplishments. Demonstrated interest is tracked and carries weight.
What students wish they'd known
Worcester is a working-class city without the charm of a typical New England college town. The campus can feel isolated on its hilltop, especially in winter. No Greek life means the social scene runs through dorms, athletics, and campus organizations, which isn't enough for everyone. The Jesuit identity shapes campus policies (limited substance-free housing options, campus culture). Career pipelines are strong in Boston but thinner nationally. The school is small (2,900) and the dating pool reflects it.
Holy Cross might be a fit if...
- You want a Jesuit liberal arts education with close faculty mentoring and a values-driven community
- You thrive in a sports-oriented culture where Patriot League athletics and school spirit matter
- You're pre-law, pre-med, or headed toward public service and want a school with strong advising in those paths
Holy Cross Admissions Strategy
3.8x (est.)
Early Decision Advantage
Early Decision admits at 3.8x the RD rate. The trade: ED is binding. Apply only if you'd say yes on the spot.
Early Decision: the numbers
Holy Cross's Early Decision acceptance rate is 67.2% (est.) vs 17.6% overall. ED is binding. If you are admitted, you are committing to enroll. This signals strong commitment and gives a meaningful admissions advantage.
Deadlines: ED November 15 · RD January 15
Deadlines: ED November 15 · RD January 15
Test Policy
Test-optional
You choose whether to send scores. A strong score helps your case; a weak one is better left off.
Demonstrated Interest
Yes, Tracked
Tracked. Campus visits, info sessions, and opened emails all register. Show up where you can.
Interview
Optional on campus
Yield Rate
48%
48% of admits enroll, which is typical for a selective school. Waitlists here move every year.
Want to boost your odds at Holy Cross and every reach on your list, so admissions stops feeling like a coin flip?
Join the free one-hour workshop from two Harvard grads who have helped 3,000+ students get in. Parents welcome.
Cost & Financial Aid at Holy Cross
$86,000
Sticker Price
$6,000
Avg Merit Aid
Need-blind admissions. Meets 100% of demonstrated need. 87% receive financial aid.
What you get for it: Holy Cross spends about $60,000 per student per year on instruction and student resources, roughly 4x the $15K national average. You see it in class sizes, faculty access, and research budgets.
What Holy Cross Graduates Get
$55,000
Avg Starting Salary
93%
Employed or in Grad School
83%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (88%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
Holy Cross Campus & Culture
The Campus
Holy Cross sits on 174 acres atop Mount St. James in Worcester, Massachusetts, with panoramic views of the city below. O'Kane Hall's twin limestone towers and Fenwick Hall's Gothic brick facade anchor the historic quad. The Hart Center athletic complex sits at the base of the hill. The campus is steep (students joke about the 'Holy Cross workout'), with stone staircases connecting terraced levels. Worcester (pop. 200,000) is the second-largest city in New England, 45 miles west of Boston.
The Social Scene
Sports-focused, residential colleges, strong traditions
Holy Cross Traditions & Trivia
Midnight Breakfast
During finals week, faculty and administrators serve a full breakfast to students at midnight in the dining hall; you might get your scrambled eggs from the same professor who is grading your exam the next morning.
Stickball at Wheeler
Since around 1940, residents of Wheeler Hall have played stickball, a street-baseball variant, on the pavement outside the dormitory in a tradition that has outlasted generations of students.
Academics at Holy Cross
What Holy Cross is known for
Jesuit education, strong athletics, student loyalty
Most popular majors at Holy Cross
Standout programs
Humanities, social sciences, business foundations
How the curriculum works
Core curriculum with major/minor plus free electives
Recommended high school courses
4 years English, 4 years Math, 4 years Science, 4 years History/Social Studies, 3 years Foreign Language
Notable Holy Cross Alumni
Clarence Thomas
Supreme Court Justice, Holy Cross class of 1971
Bob Cousy
NBA legend and Boston Celtics icon, class of 1950
Chris Matthews
Host of MSNBC's 'Hardball,' class of 1967
Anthony Fauci
Immunologist and public health leader, Holy Cross class of 1962
Bob Costas
Sportscaster, attended Holy Cross before transferring to Syracuse
If you like Holy Cross, also consider
Boston College
Larger Jesuit school with ACC athletics and stronger pre-professional pipelines, suburban Boston
Fairfield University
Similar Jesuit LAC in Connecticut, more suburban, less athletic
Providence College
Dominican (not Jesuit) school in Providence with comparable Catholic identity and size
Fordham University
Jesuit university in New York City, larger, more urban
Loyola University Maryland
Similar Jesuit LAC in Baltimore, comparable size and mission