Union College is the second oldest college in New York State, founded in 1795, just forty years shy of Columbia University. The small college, with only about 2,000 undergrads, is located upstate in Schenectady along the Mohawk River. And, if you want to build robots while reading To the Lighthouse, Union was the first liberal arts college in the nation to offer an engineering major. 

This college, though historic, flew under the radar for a while. Not so any more as it’s becoming increasingly competitive with the admissions rate for the Class of 2029 at 43.8%. This makes Union College what we at Ivy Coach would consider a moderately selective college. 

That being said, what kind of GPA do you need to get into Union College? Let’s take a gander at the data over the last three years.

GPA Percentage of Union College Class of 2029

The following is the GPA breakdown of the members of Union College Class of 2029:

GPA	Percentage of Union College Class of 2029
4.0	14%
3.75-3.99	23%
3.5-3.74	21%
3.25-3.49	23%
3.0-3.24	12%
2.5-2.99	5%
2.0-2.49	1%
1.0-1.99	0%

GPA Percentage of Union College Class of 2028

The following is the GPA breakdown of the members of Union College Class of 2028:

GPA	Percentage of Union College Class of 2028
4.0	17.5%
3.75-3.99	25.1%
3.5-3.74	19.5%
3.25-3.49	20.4%
3.0-3.24	11.1%
2.5-2.99	5.8%
2.0-2.49	0.7%
1.0-1.99	0%

GPA Percentage of Union College Class of 2027

The following is the GPA breakdown of the members of Union College Class of 2027:

GPA	Percentage of Union College Class of 2027
4.0	14.09%
3.75-3.99	18.78%
3.5-3.74	24.7%
3.25-3.49	20.52%
3.0-3.24	14.61%
2.5-2.99	6.96%
2.0-2.49	0.35%
1.0-1.99	0%

Further Context on GPAs of Union Students

So, last year, 58% of Union College’s incoming freshman class had a GPA of 3.5 or higher. This is slightly lower than the average GPA of the class just before (the Class of 2028) when 62.1% of enrolled students had a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher. And, for the Class of 2027, 57.57% of enrolled students had a GPA of 3.5 or higher. 

For each of the past three first-year classes, most students fell within the 3.5-3.99 range. 44% of the Union College Class of 2029 fell within this range. For the Union College Class of 2028, that number was 44.6%. And for the Union College Class of 2027, it was 43.48%. Each year, only a small percentage of enrolled students entered Union with a perfect high school GPA, with an average of 15% of matriculated students having a 4.0 the past three years. 

Union accepts some lower GPA earners. 41% of the Class of 2029 came to Union with a GPA below 3.5. For the Class of 2028, that number was 38%. And the Class of 2027 was similar with 42.4% of incoming students below the 3.5 mark. 

But it’s not just a numbers game. Union College also tends to reject some applicants with great grades and test scores. It’s for this very reason that we decline to answer parents who share their child’s GPA during complimentary consultations with Ivy Coach, as though this paints a definitive picture of their child’s chances of getting into Union. Without context, including the high school attended, the rigor of the student’s coursework, their extracurricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation, etc., the answer would be meaningless. 

Union College, like all of America’s selective colleges, has a holistic admissions process. If they assessed students based on GPA alone, the student body would be comprised of dull moving parts. 

Can Students Get into Union with a Low GPA?

The short answer: it’s possible, but it’s not probable. It’s important to remember that many students accepted without exceptional grades have statuses that merit special consideration; they might be recruited athletes or parents who have made huge donations. 

But one thing’s for certain: Union’s acceptance rate has trended downward for the past decade. The Class of 2017’s admissions rate was 67.38%, and then a decade later, for The Class of 2027, it was down almost 20%. Like most other liberal arts colleges in America, Union’s admissions committee has been dialing up the heat. 

How Ivy Coach Can Help Your Child’s Chances at Union College

If you’re interested in discerning if your child has a shot of getting into Union, we recommend setting up Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session. Not only will you find out if your child has a chance of getting into Union, but you’ll receive a game plan of how your child can optimize their admission to the best school possible.  To learn more about Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll contact you.