How tough is it to get into a Catholic college?

I'm currently a junior in high school and I'm thinking about applying to Catholic colleges as they align with my religious views. I'm not sure where I stand academically though, so could anybody shed some light on how competitive Catholic colleges usually are?

Competitiveness varies greatly among Catholic institutions due to the wide range they span in terms of size, mission, and academic strength. So, it's hard to generalize overall. However, I can give some insights into the competitive landscape at some of the most popular and academically rigorous Catholic universities.

Starting with University of Notre Dame, a leading Catholic university, the acceptance rate for the class of 2025 was roughly 17%. Typically, admitted students have SAT scores above 1450 or ACT scores above 32. Their high school GPAs usually are in the A range. This makes Notre Dame quite selective.

Moving to the East Coast, Georgetown University, another top-tier Catholic school, also has an acceptance rate around 16%, and similarly expects high test scores and GPA.

But not all Catholic colleges are this competitive. For example, St. Bonaventure University in New York has an acceptance rate closer to 80%. Generally, competitive SAT scores for schools like this are above 1050 and ACT scores are above 25.

To get a better idea of your chances, compare your own academic profile (GPA, test scores, rigor of curriculum, class rank) to the middle 50% range of admitted students at the colleges you're interested in. Understand that these are not strict cut-offs and colleges intersect a broad range of student abilities. Apart from academics, your extracurricular activities, essays, letters of recommendation, and (in some cases) demonstrated interest can also significantly impact your chances.

Just remember, you should not simply choose a college because of an easier admission process. Instead, find one that aligns with your academic and career goals, offers a campus environment that you feel comfortable in, and provides the religious and community aspects that you are seeking.