Admissions Factors
What Clemson Looks For
Clemson rates 4 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, class rank and state residency.
How Clemson rates each factor
Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.
Important
Considered
The numbers behind the class
Overall admit rate
42.4%
27,498 of 64,805 applicants
Early decision admit rate
No early decision
Admitted from the waitlist
40%
1,801 of 4,506 who stayed on it
54.6% of those who reported a class rank were in the top tenth of their class.
Frequently asked questions
What does Clemson look for in applicants?
Clemson rates 4 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses, academic GPA, class rank and state residency.
Does Clemson consider legacy status?
Clemson rates alumni relation as "considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
Does Clemson track demonstrated interest?
Clemson rates the level of an applicant's interest as "not considered".
What is Clemson's waitlist acceptance rate?
4,506 students stayed on the waitlist and 1,801 were admitted, a rate of 40%. The number changes a lot from year to year because it depends on how many admitted students enroll.
Source: Clemson’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.
