Applying to college can be overwhelming. But don’t worry — our Admission team is always available to offer personalized support to prospective students, guiding your way from applying to financial aid and more.
These items are required for our team to process your application — so double-check before you submit.
- Common Application or Coalition Application for Access, Affordability and Success (choose one)
- High school transcript
- Two letters of recommendation, one from a school counselor and one from a teacher
- Application fee of $60
These items are not required for applying to Holy Cross, but they can be helpful and insightful for the admission team as they make their decision.
- A personal interview (not required, but highly encouraged).
- Standardized test scores (SAT I, SAT II, ACT).
- Submitting these scores is entirely optional, and if you choose not to submit them, you will not be at any disadvantage. In addition, Holy Cross will accept self-reported ACT or SAT score results. You may list ACT or SAT results on your Common Application or Coalition Application to be considered during your application’s review.
- Supplementary materials that showcase your special talents or achievement, such as artwork, recorded performances, original writing, research, and additional recommendations.
Deadlines
Jot these deadlines down to make sure we receive all your necessary materials in time to consider you for admission to Holy Cross. Keep in mind: Early Decision and Regular Decision candidates have different deadlines and requirements.
Required
| Application Item | Early Decision I | Early Decision II | Regular Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
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Nov. 15
Applicants will be notified of their decision by the middle of December. |
Jan. 15 Applicants will be notified of their decision by the middle of February
|
Jan. 15
Applicants will be notified of their decision by the middle of March.
|
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Senior Year Grades
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First marking period: As soon as they are available
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Mid-year grades: As soon as they are available
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Optional
| Application Item | Early Decision I | Early Decision II | Regular Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
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Interviews (highly recommended)
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An interview is strongly recommended and must be completed by Nov. 15. Please schedule your interview here.
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An interview is strongly recommended and must be completed by Dec. 11. Please schedule your interview here.
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Schedule an interview here, which must be completed by Dec. 11. Off-campus alumni interview requests must be submitted online by Dec. 11. |
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Nov. 15
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Jan. 15 |
Jan. 15
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Nov. 15
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Jan. 15 |
Jan. 15
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Financial Aid
| Application Item | Early Decision I & II | Regular Decision |
|---|---|---|
|
Financial Aid: CSS Profile® (College Scholarship Service)
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Nov. 15
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Jan. 15
|
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Financial Aid: FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
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Nov. 15
|
Jan. 15 |
Early Decision Application
Here’s everything you need to submit your Early Decision application and the guidelines Holy Cross uses to make an admission decision.
Application
To apply for admission to Holy Cross, you must submit the Common Application or the Coalition Application for Access, Affordability and Success.
Tips to make sure we can process your application successfully:
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Make sure you have answered all questions thoroughly and precisely.
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You are your best advocate, so take some time when completing each section of the application.
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If the forms don’t provide enough space, feel free to use additional sheets.
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In cases where our application fee would cause undue hardship, speak up. Holy Cross honors many fee waivers, including the College Board fee waiver request, initiated by your high school counselor. If you aren’t sure whether you qualify, feel free to contact us.
Application Fee
The application, along with your $60 application fee, must be sent electronically.
Teacher Recommendation
One teacher recommendation is required. Additional letters of support from coaches, parents or guardians, or mentors are welcome.
Counselor Recommendation
One counselor recommendation is required.
Early Decision Agreement Form
If you’re an Early Decision candidate, you should choose Early Decision as your Admission Plan on either the Holy Cross Member Screen (Common Application) or the Holy Cross Application Question Section (Coalition Application). Then, you, your school counselor, and your parent or guardian will be prompted to agree to the Early Decision commitment and submit an electronic signature.
Interview
Early Decision I
Interviews are strongly recommended and must be completed by Nov. 15. Interview appointments are offered every day that the Admission Office is open, but must be scheduled in advance. Please schedule your interview.
Off-campus alumni interviews are not available for Early Decision applicants.
Early Decision II
Interviews are available from May 4 to Dec. 11 by appointment, on any day that the Admission Office is open. Please schedule your interview.
Off-campus alumni interviews are not available for Early Decision applicants.
Regular Decision
Interviews are available from May 4 to Dec. 11 by appointment, on any day that the Admission Office is open. Please schedule your interview.
Standardized Testing
The submission of standardized test scores is optional, but we do accept self-reported test scores on the Common Application or Coalition Application. Holy Cross superscores both the SAT and ACT. If you opt not to submit scores, you will not be at any disadvantage in the application process.
Though they are not required, you can also request that your scores be sent to the College. The College Board code number is 3282. The American College Testing Program code is 1810.
Supplementary Materials
If you’re a student with strong extracurricular interests, we invite you to submit samples of your talent. The most common submissions are musical, theatrical or artistic. These materials may be sent as images (jpg, png, gif), videos (mov, wmv, flv, mp4), PDFs or MP3s. You should submit them through the Member Screen (Slideroom) of the Common Application, or through the student's locker on the Coalition Application.
CSS Profile
Regular Decision
Holy Cross meets 100% of demonstrated financial need, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile.
If you complete the CSS profile by Nov. 1, you will generally receive your financial aid notification within one week of receiving your admission decision.
For questions regarding financial aid, please call 508-793-2265 or email financialaid@holycross.edu.
Early Decision
If you are an Early Decision candidate and you wish to be considered for financial assistance, you should file a College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile form — available beginning in October.
The Non-Custodial Parent Statement and the Business/Farm Supplement are forms that you may have to complete based on the information you provide in your CSS Profile registration. If applicable, you should send copies of these forms directly to the Financial Aid Office.
For questions regarding financial aid, please call 508-793-2265 or email financialaid@holycross.edu.
A Note on COVID-19
COVID-19 has complicated most parts of life, including college admission. We're here to help.