Application & Admissions

Application Statistics

While the graduate program has no set requirements for GRE scores and GPA, as a general rule those admitted to the program are among the highest achievers in both categories. In order to offer some guidance, the median scores of those admitted are provided below. It is emphasized that these are median scores, not minimum scores. In other words, half of those admitted stood below these numbers and half stood above. 

The GRE and GPA, while critical, are not determinative; an applicant’s letters of recommendation also weigh heavily, as do the personal statement, writing sample, and other relevant history. While the entire GRE score is considered, the verbal portion of the GRE is given, by far, the greatest weight. Other tests (GMAT, LSAT, etc.) may not be substituted for the GRE and the GRE requirement cannot be waived. 

Application Requirements & Process

Admission to the School of Statesmanship requires the completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, or proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution of higher learning.

Applicants for admission are required to submit the following:

1. Official transcripts from all institutions where undergraduate and graduate work has been undertaken. These should be sent directly from the undergraduate and graduate institutions; secure electronic copies accepted.
2. Official score report from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), taken within the last five years and sent directly from the testing agency. The code for Hillsdale College is 1295. Other tests (GMAT, LSAT, etc.) may not be substituted for the GRE and the GRE requirement cannot be waived. We accept scores from both the old, longer, GRE and the new shorter version of the exam.
3. Three letters of recommendation. These should be requested from within our online application to enable verifiable, electronic submission.
4. A sample of written work – academic writing preferred.
5. A concise statement of interest which should include a short intellectual autobiography—a statement of the applicant’s intellectual development and how it influenced the applicant’s desire to study in Hillsdale’s graduate program—and how the degree fits into the applicant’s career plans. This statement should not exceed 500 words.
6. A completed application, submitted online.
7. Application fee of $25.