Southwestern University
Georgetown, Texas · Private · 1,440 undergraduates · southwestern.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
43%
of 5,879 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1170 to 1340
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$84,080Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Southwestern University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
43% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$84,080
a year in 2027-28, from a $84,080 sticker price
What to do with your 1250
Send your score
About 44% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1140, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
- Test-optional applicants must complete a conversational interview in place of scores
Source: Application Checklist | Southwestern University · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov3Early Decision · November 3, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Dec1Early Action · December 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Feb2Regular Decision · February 2, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
43%
of applicants were admitted: 2,556 of 5,879 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 1st Tuesday of December, hear by 1st Tuesday in March.
Early Decision
Binding. 76% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
65 students were offered a spot; 14 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 46% of them sent SAT scores and 13% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1170 to 1340
Reading and Writing 590 to 690
Math 560 to 670
ACT composite 24 to 30
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160014%
- 1200 to 139951%
- 1000 to 119931%
- 800 to 9994%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.50
- 4.011%
- 3.75 to 3.9922%
- 3.50 to 3.7424%
- 3.25 to 3.4916%
- 3.00 to 3.2415%
- 2.50 to 2.9910%
- Below 2.502%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$84,080
a year
- Tuition$62,030
- Fees$780
- Food and housing$18,130
- Books and supplies$1,300
- Transportation and other$1,840
Southwestern University published $80,842 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$21,387
- $30,001 to $48,000$21,786
- $48,001 to $75,000$26,367
- $75,001 to $110,000$27,586
- Over $110,000$36,551
Financial aid
93%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$48,531
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
35%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $33,134 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 3/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
41 of 41
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $6,200Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | ART68-004 Selected Topics in Studio Art |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | ART68-004 Selected Topics in Studio Art |
| African American Studies | 4 | 4 | SOC34-004 Selected Topics in Sociology |
| Art History | 4 | 4 | ARH71-004 Selected Topics in Art History |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIO50-173 Molecular & Cellular Foundations of Biology, and BIO50-171 Inquiries in Biology |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | MAT52-164 Modern Calculus I |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 4 | MAT52-264 Modern Calculus II |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 4 | MAT52-164 Modern Calculus I |
| Chemistry | 4 | 4 | CHE51-103 General Chemistry I, and CHE51-101 Chemical Methods and Techniques Lab I |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | CHI22-164 Chinese III |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | PSC32-144 Comparative Politics |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CSC54-184 Computer Science I |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 4 | CSC54-144 Explorations in Computing |
| Drawing | 4 | 4 | ART68-004 Selected Topics in Studio Art |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 4 | ENG10-114 College Writing |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 4 | ENG10-004 Selected Topics in English |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 4 | ENV49-144 Environmental Science |
| European History | 4 | 4 | HIS16-004 Selected Topics in History |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | FRE11-164 French III |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | GER12-314 Reading German: Texas in Context, or GER12-334 Speak German! |
| Human Geography | 4 | 4 | ENV49-004 Selected Topics in Environmental Studies |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | FLN21-164 Language III |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | FLN21-164 Language III |
| Latin | 4 | 4 | LAT14-164 Latin III |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECO31-004 Selected Topics in Economics |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 4 | ECO31-004 Selected Topics in Economics |
| Music Theory | 4 | 4 | MUT76-101 Aural Skills I, and MUT76-103 Music Theory I: Fundamentals |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 | PHY53-004 Selected Topics in Physics |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 4 | PHY53-004 Selected Topics in Physics |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PHY53-164 Physics II |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHY53-154 Physics I |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 4 | MAT52-004 Selected Topics in Mathematics |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 | PSY33-104 Principles of Psychology |
| Research | 4 | 4 | ELEC-004 Lower Level Elective |
| Seminar | 4 | 4 | ELEC-004 Lower Level Elective |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 4 | SPA15-164 Spanish III |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 4 | SPA15-214 Written and Oral Expression |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 4 | SPA15-334 Conversation Through Hispanic Cinema |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 4 | SPA15-344 Introduction to Literary Studies |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | MAT52-114 Introduction to Statistics |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 4 | PSC32-114 American Politics |
| United States History | 4 | 4 | HIS16-004 Selected Topics in History |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 4 | HIS16-004 Selected Topics in History |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
74%
Come back for a second year
81%
Typical earnings
$63,314
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Southwestern University$87,085
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 9 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Southwestern University. The Southwestern University logo is a trademark of the college.