What a friend would tell you
What St. John's is looking for
St. John's wants evidence that you've wrestled with big ideas on your own, not for a grade, and weighs that far more heavily than GPA or test scores. Be ready to talk and write about a book, argument, or problem that changed how you think. Listing AP scores or extracurricular leadership will not help you here.
What students wish they'd known
There are no majors, no electives, and no choice in what you study. Every student reads the same books in the same sequence for four years. Career services are minimal, and employers outside academia often don't know what to make of the degree. The schools are tiny (under 500 per campus), so if you clash with the community, there's nowhere to hide.
St. John's might be a fit if...
- You've read Plato, Euclid, or Dostoevsky voluntarily and wanted someone to argue about them with
- You're comfortable with a transcript that says 'Liberal Arts' and nothing else
- You'd rather spend four years in seminar discussion than ever sit in a lecture hall
St. John's Admissions Strategy
Application Info
Plans: ED, EA, RD
Deadlines: ED November 1 · EA November 15 · RD January 15
Deadlines: ED November 1 · EA 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
Not Tracked
Not tracked. Skip the info-session circuit and put those hours into the application itself.
Interview
Required on campus
Yield Rate
42%
42% of admits enroll, which is typical for a selective school. Waitlists here move every year.
Want the strongest possible application to St. John's, plus better odds and merit offers everywhere else you apply?
Join the free one-hour workshop from two Harvard grads who have helped 3,000+ students get in. Parents welcome.
Cost & Financial Aid at St. John's
$85,000
Sticker Price
$4,000
Avg Merit Aid
Need-blind admissions. Meets 100% of demonstrated need. 85% receive financial aid.
What you get for it: St. John's spends about $58,000 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 St. John's Graduates Get
$48,000
Avg Starting Salary
86%
Employed or in Grad School
75%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (82%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
St. John's Campus & Culture
The Campus
The Annapolis campus occupies 36 acres on the Chesapeake Bay waterfront, with colonial-era brick buildings and a croquet pitch overlooking the harbor. The Santa Fe campus sits on 250 acres in the high desert foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with adobe-style buildings and panoramic views. Both are compact enough that every student knows every faculty member by name.
The Social Scene
Intellectual, discussion-focused, Annapolis maritime charm or Santa Fe arts culture
St. John's Traditions & Trivia
Annapolis Cup Croquet
Each spring the Johnnies host a croquet match against the neighboring Naval Academy, a tradition since the 1980s; the St. John's team keeps its costume a secret until introductions, and thousands of spectators line the front lawn to watch philosophy students face off against midshipmen with mallets.
Waltz Parties
Both campuses have active Waltz Committees that teach swing, polka, and lindy hop, then host themed dance parties throughout the year; the Annapolis Cotillion follows the croquet match each spring.
Academics at St. John's
What St. John's is known for
Great Books curriculum, Socratic method, intellectual intensity
Most popular majors at St. John's
Standout programs
Philosophy, classics, mathematics, literature, political theory
How the curriculum works
Great Books curriculum (same for all students); Seminar method
Recommended high school courses
Strong writing, analytical thinking, interest in classical texts; SAT/ACT scores matter
Notable St. John's Alumni
Francis Scott Key
Wrote 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' attended in the 1790s (predecessor institution)
Hodding Carter III
Assistant Secretary of State and journalist
Christopher Nelson
Former president of St. John's who shaped its modern Great Books identity
If you like St. John's, also consider
Reed College
Similarly intense intellectual culture with more curricular freedom in Portland
Deep Springs College
Even more radical educational model, two-year program on a cattle ranch
Hampshire College
Design-your-own-education ethos with no grades and no required courses
University of Chicago
Great Books tradition inside a major research university
Bennington College
Self-directed academics and Plan Process for students who want to chart their own path