Hobart William Smith Colleges Acceptance Rate, Admissions & Graduation

We are going to take a careful look at this college: what it is, whom it serves, how difficult it is to get in, how much it costs on paper, how much it ends up costing in practice, and what happens to students after they enroll. Every figure comes from official reports. None tells you what will happen to your child. Taken together, they help you understand the terrain before your child ever sets foot there.

What kind of school it is, and where it stands

Let’s start with the basics, because the basics here are not trivial. The federal system for classifying colleges in the United States, known as Carnegie, organizes schools according to what they do. It classifies Hobart William Smith as a baccalaureate college focused on arts and sciences: four years, small, and—something worth emphasizing—highly residential. That means that, according to the data used to build this classification, at least half of degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in housing owned by or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time.

In plain terms: this is not a school designed around driving back and forth every day. It is a school designed for students to live there. If your child imagines commuting to class from your home, this fact already tells you that the experience is designed with something else in mind. Living on campus is not the same as paying tuition—we will get to that later—but it is worth keeping in mind from the start.

Carnegie also places Hobart William Smith in its more selective admissions group. That label describes a category, not a percentage. It does not tell you how many out of every hundred applicants get in—you will see that number below, with specific figures—and it also does not mean this should be the only school on your child’s list.

Where is it? In Geneva, New York, within Ontario County. The area around the campus is classified as a town remote from cities, not as part of a large urban area. If your family does not live nearby, this truly matters: calculate separately where your child would live, how your child would get to campus, and how far from home it would feel. The official figure only places the school’s address in an area classified as a town; it does not say where your family lives or how long it takes to travel from one place to the other. You determine that yourself, with a map and with an honest conversation about how far this particular family is willing to send its child.

As for the type of institution: Hobart William Smith is private, offers programs lasting four years or more, and is registered as nonprofit. The highest level it reports offering is a master’s degree, although that institution-level fact does not tell you whether the specific major your child is interested in is available there or whether there is a clear path from undergraduate to graduate study. That must be asked program by program.

And here is something I want to tell you directly, without dressing it up: do not rule it out or choose it based on the sticker price. Being a private school usually means having a high listed price. Ask in writing how much your family would be left paying after scholarships and aid. That is the number that should actually be compared across colleges, not the one that appears on the website.

One last piece of its identity, brief but important: Hobart William Smith is not registered as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges in this federal directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations; this one does not. That does not tell you which students it serves today, how many Latino students are on campus, or how your child will feel walking around there. You find that out by asking which cultural centers and student organizations currently exist and by talking with someone who already studies there.

Who its students are today

Here is a number I want you to look at directly, without hedging: among the undergraduate students Hobart William Smith reported in the fall of 2023, 10 out of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino. That is a small minority. Compared with the 941 selective private four-year schools included in this census that reported the same information, it ranks above the middle of the group but below the highest quartile.

Put plainly: there are few Latino students here. That does not automatically remove the school from your child’s list, but it is information that should carry weight in the family conversation. If this matters to your child, ask during the campus visit what specifically exists: a student group, a cultural center, or someone in the admissions or student-life office who speaks Spanish.

The rest of the demographic profile, in quick figures:

There are almost no adult students—only 1 out of every 100 is between 25 and 64 years old—and the campus is nearly evenly divided between men and women. The residency figure is the one I most want you to notice: fewer than half of first-time students had reported permanent residence in New York. The rest come from other states or other countries, or their residence was not clearly reported; this figure does not separate those three categories. What it does tell you clearly is that most of the students who arrive here come from elsewhere. This figure does not measure actual distance, travel, or transportation costs—those belong elsewhere in the budget, under the “other expenses” category of the cost of attendance—but if your family would also come from elsewhere, build your budget around flights, moves, and visits, not just tuition.

As for size: Hobart William Smith had 1,669 students enrolled in the official fall count. It is a medium-sized school, within the range of 1,000 to 4,999 students, and compared with its 941 selective private peers, its size is among the most common: neither among the large schools nor among the small ones. Of that total, 1,618 are undergraduates and 51 are graduate students. This is primarily a bachelor’s-degree institution, not a campus with a large graduate-school presence.

It is worth saying something that applies to any college, not just this one: being large does not mean having more options, and being small does not mean more attention for your child. What really matters should be asked about the specific major, not inferred from the school’s overall size.

How academics work

The year at Hobart William Smith is organized into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The institution accepts credit for AP exams, but it did not indicate that it accepts credit for life experience, and in 2023 it reported that it does not enroll high school students in college courses for credit.

Here is a practical truth many families overlook: saying that AP credit is accepted does not mean credit is awarded for every exam or every score. The data do not specify what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward your child’s exact major. Before budgeting for any savings in time or money based on AP courses your child has already taken, request the equivalency evaluation in writing.

As for what is studied there: in the most recently reported year, the institution awarded 357 bachelor’s degrees across 18 families of fields of study—what the government calls CIP families. Social sciences awarded the most degrees, with 23 out of every 100 degrees that year—no other field ranked above it, but it did not account for a majority of the total either. No family accounted for 30 out of every 100 degrees. The offerings are distributed across fields; this is not a school built around a single dominant major.

Be careful with an important distinction: 18 families with rows in the report do not mean 18 complete majors or guarantee that all of them have active degree programs—some rows may report zero. Verify the exact program that interests your child, not just the general field.

As for the relationship between students and faculty: the official ratio at Hobart William Smith is 10 students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. Compared with its 941 peers, it ranks below the middle—that is, the ratio is lower than that of most peers but does not fall within the lowest quartile. This is an aggregate figure, and aggregate means exactly this: it does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes or how many faculty members are available to your child in particular. The public file does not explain the exact method the institution used to calculate it.

The paths the institution says it offers

Beyond the traditional classroom, Hobart William Smith reports several structured academic paths: study abroad, cocurricular undergraduate research, a full program that can be completed entirely during evenings or weekends, and several routes related to teacher certification, including state approval for initial certification. The institution’s reporting of these opportunities confirms that they exist as formal structures; it does not yet tell you how students gain access to them, how many spaces are available, or how competitive each path is. Ask admissions directly.

Getting in: what they require and how difficult it is

Let’s turn to the part that probably interests you most: how the admissions process works and how selective it is in practice.

First, the policy. Hobart William Smith does not have open admissions: it reviews specific components before saying yes. Out of nine possible considerations—not counting standardized tests or legacy status, which are handled separately—it marked five as required: the high school record, completion of the college’s required academic program, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. Put directly so there is no confusion: gathering documents is not enough here. The essay is required, so your child has to sit down and write—and write well.

Other components are not required, but the college does consider them if you submit them: the high school GPA, your child’s class rank, work experience, and whether a family member studied there. I want to be honest with you about that last point: it is something your child cannot change. If it does not apply, do not spend energy worrying about it. Spend that energy on what is within your child’s control: the essay, the letters, and the academic record.

The published undergraduate application fee is $0. That is one less barrier.

Now, the actual selectivity figures. In the 2023 cycle, Hobart William Smith received 5,560 first-time applications. Of those, 3,185 received an offer of admission: that is 57 out of every 100. Compared with its 942 selective private peers, it ranks on the lower side—seven out of ten of those schools, or more, accepted a higher percentage of their applicants.

To make it feel real: out of every 100 students who apply, 57 receive a yes. The outcome is nearly split in half. Admission is not assured, but it is not a lottery either. The application is reviewed using judgment.

But here is a distinction many families do not make, and it is extremely valuable: being admitted is not the same as enrolling. Out of every 100 students Hobart William Smith admitted, only 15 ultimately enrolled there that fall. The other 85 had an acceptance in hand and chose somewhere else. Compared with its peers, that 15 out of every 100 is among the most common rates: neither particularly high nor particularly low.

Do not read that as a stain on the school. The fact that most admitted students did not enroll does not mean the institution is bad; the federal record does not explain why each person made the decision they made. What other people decided also does not tell you what your child will be offered. What matters is waiting for your own letter showing the net price—what the year will truly cost you—and deciding with that number in hand whether this school stays on the final list.

As for standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required here. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains active just the same. Among the students who did enroll, 27 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores. Among those students, the middle half scored between 620 and 690 in reading and writing and between 600 and 670 in mathematics. Importantly, those ranges describe only students who submitted scores and enrolled, not all applicants, and they do not prove that a score determined anyone’s admission. That 620 is not a minimum your child must reach, and that 690 does not guarantee anything either.

And as for transfers: among the cohort that entered in 2017 as full-time bachelor’s-degree-seeking students, 14 out of every 100 are recorded as having transferred to another school without completing a degree here. Compared with its peers, that share ranks on the lower side—most similar schools saw more students leave. Separately, in the fall of 2023, 27 undergraduate students entered Hobart William Smith for the first time after having studied at another institution. These two numbers should not be added or compared with each other; they measure different things. And if your child were to transfer into or out of this school, these data say nothing about how many credits would be accepted. Ask for that in writing, with the exact course list in hand, before moving anyone from one school to another.

The sticker price, and what is actually paid

At Hobart William Smith Colleges, among 42 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $10,969. Among 36 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $19,579; among 185 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $41,860. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.

There is a difference of $30,891 between the average for the lowest-income band of 42 students and the average for the highest-income band of 185 students. These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $33,172.

Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same period of coverage, this school ranks in the least expensive quartile for the lowest-income families after grants and scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a fact that carries weight when you build the list of schools to which your child will apply.

Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, identifying yours correctly is the first step. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average after grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The aid letter you receive is what governs your decision.

How it is paid for: grants, loans, and options

First, the good news: 96 out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Hobart William Smith received some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something here is common, not the exception. Among those who received it, the average was $44,528 for the year. That is real money, but the average includes people who received much more and people who received much less—it is not your offer; it is a group average. What truly matters is the amount left after aid, and you must request that school by school.

The federal Pell Grant, which goes to students with demonstrated financial need, was received by 24 out of every 100 degree-seeking students here.

Now for the part that requires closer attention: loans. Out of every 100 undergraduate students at Hobart William Smith, 71 received a federal student loan in the 2022-23 academic year. That is a majority, and compared with its 942 selective private peers, it ranks on the high side—seven out of ten of those schools, or more, had a lower share of students with loans.

The loan averaged $5,242 for the year among those who received one. If your child borrowed a similar amount each year during the four years of the bachelor’s degree, the total would come to around $20,968, not counting interest. I want to say this very clearly: financing with debt is common here. Calculate the full amount before signing anything, and remember that this decision is made before the first signature, not at the end of the process.

This average covers only federal loans in the student’s name from the most recently reported year. It does not include PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt from private banks, or credit cards. It also does not represent the total debt a student has upon graduation—that would require adding all four years, and that specific number is not in this report. The fact that borrowing is common here does not determine whether your child will need it: that depends on the specific aid letter and the difference between the net price and what your family can contribute. If debt appears in the offer, request an estimated monthly payment before accepting anything.

On the practical side, the institution also reports two mechanisms for managing payments: a prepaid tuition plan and an installment payment plan. It is worth asking about both if spreading the expense over time would help your family.

Campus life: housing, athletics, the library, and support

Hobart William Smith does have institutionally controlled housing, and its reported maximum capacity is 1,704 students, on or off campus. Not all first-time, full-time students are required to live there—the institution reported that there is no universal requirement, although that does not rule out the possibility that some specific programs may require it. It also offers meal plans, including a large plan with a fixed number of meals per week. The availability of a room does not guarantee a bed for your child, and the existence of a meal plan does not tell you whether it is included in the price or optional. Request in writing the exact rate for this year, the deadline for applying for housing, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child would be put on a waiting list.

As for ROTC: in its most recent report, Hobart William Smith did not mark any ROTC opportunity, either in the general field or for any specific branch. Of the 1,786 four-year institutions in this guide, 926 did mark at least one opportunity; this one was not among them. If your child’s plan involves ROTC—because of the scholarship or a military career—ask admissions directly before crossing this school off the list. This field reflects what was formally reported, not necessarily everything that exists in practice.

In sports, the institution does compete in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA—the country’s best-known college athletic association. It reports membership for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. This membership belongs to the school, not to your child: if your child is interested in competing, write directly to the coach for the specific sport, ask whether there is a place on the team, which division they compete in, and whether that sport awards athletic scholarships. Ask for the answer in writing.

As for distance education: there is none here. The institution reports that it does not offer a single distance education course, at either the undergraduate or graduate level, and in the fall count, 0 out of every 100 students took all their classes that way. If your child works or cares for someone at home, the entire schedule would have to fit around attending in person. This figure comes from a single year; if it matters to you, ask whether there are plans to change before your child enrolls.

The library operates with paid staff, and its annual expenditure reached the $100,000 threshold the government records as a reference point. It has physical and digital collections and participates in interlibrary lending. What the data do not tell you is the exact schedule, who provides assistance, or how long a book requested from another institution takes to arrive—ask those questions directly.

Finally, the institution reports several support services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for students who complete their programs, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans, and a published web address for disability services. The fact that these services are reported confirms that they formally exist; it does not measure their quality or how well they work in practice. Ask about that during the visit.

What happens after students enroll: retention and graduation

For many families, this is the central question: if my child enrolls here, how likely is it that my child will finish?

Let’s start with year-to-year retention. Of the 437 students who entered a full-time bachelor’s-degree program for the first time in the fall of 2022, 390 were still enrolled or had already completed their degree one year later: that is 89 out of every 100. Compared with its 930 selective private peers, this figure ranks in the upper part of the distribution. It is a solid proportion, and it is important to understand exactly what it measures: it combines students who are still studying there and those who have already graduated into a single figure, without separating the two groups or explaining what happened to everyone else.

Now, completion of the bachelor’s degree. The cohort that began bachelor’s-degree study in 2017—634 first-time, full-time students—was followed for six years. By the end of that period, 461 had earned the degree: 73 out of every 100. By four years, the figure was already 66 out of every 100, only 7 points below the final six-year result. Compared with its 920 peers, Hobart William Smith ranks in the top quartile: three out of four similar schools, or more, fell below this proportion.

Here is the complete accounting for that same cohort of 634 students:

I want to be honest about what this number does not tell you. A high graduation percentage does not mean your child will graduate; it describes what happened to the cohort that entered in 2017, not a promise about anyone else. What is concretely within your control is making sure your child enters with credits in order and knows from the first semester who the academic advisor is and when to register for the courses required for the major.

Finally, a longer-term view: IPEDS followed a cohort of 660 students who entered Hobart William Smith between July 2015 and June 2016, combining first-time students and students with prior postsecondary experience. Eight years later, in August 2023, 73 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this institution. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 75 out of every 100—a difference of only 2 points from those who did not receive one. Compared with its 935 peers, this school also ranks in the top quartile on this eight-year measure.

A high number on any of these measures does not predict one person’s outcome. It describes an earlier cohort under circumstances that may not be repeated. What you can do with this information is ask about current support in your child’s specific program and, if possible, request outcomes for more recent cohorts.

What this article cannot tell you

These reports contain no data about what happens after graduation: there are no employment, salary, or accumulated-debt figures at the time of graduation. That requires other sources, and inventing or suggesting that information here is not authorized.

Putting the pieces together

You now know, through real numbers rather than impressions, what kind of college Hobart William Smith Colleges is: small, highly residential, in a town remote from the large cities of New York State, with genuinely selective admissions—57 out of every 100 applicants receive a yes—and a high sticker price, but with a record of treating low-income families particularly well compared with its peers. It is a school where most students end up with a federal loan, where almost everyone receives some grant or scholarship aid, and where most of those who enroll finish.

This is one piece of the map, not the entire map. You still need to combine it with what your child wants to study and what your child has already built in high school. From that combination—the college, your child, and the reality of your household—comes a plan that makes sense, not only for this school but for the entire list you are building together.

Source note: The information in this article comes from official data reported by the institution to the U.S. Department of Education’s IPEDS system, for the periods indicated throughout the text—primarily admissions and price data from 2023, loans from 2022-23, and graduation cohorts from 2017 and 2015-16. Best College Aid does not represent Hobart William Smith Colleges or the United States government; this article organizes and explains public data to help families understand them.