To help first-year students, we have moved our admissions processes online and made it easier than ever to connect with us when you have questions. We are accepting and processing online admission applications, and we strongly encourage the electronic submission of transcripts and letters of recommendation. If the issuing institution or your recommender emails materials directly to us at admission@mills.edu, we will consider them to be official. Materials submitted by regular mail will be subject to delayed processing times.
As part of our commitment to making a Mills education accessible to as many students as possible, we have been a test-optional institution since 2016. If you feel that a standardized test score (SAT or ACT) reflects your academic ability, you can choose to have it sent to Mills. We do not, however, give preference to applications that include test scores. In fact, only 51% of our 2019 incoming class choose to provide their standardized test scores. You can visit our test-optional policy and FAQs web page for more information.
Whether you’re a recent high school graduate or forging your path to college later in life, there’s a home for you at Mills. Here’s everything you need to apply to Mills as a first-year student.
Apply to Mills as a first-year student if all of the following statements are true:
If this doesn’t sound like you, see our application instructions for transfer, resuming, and international students.
You have several different options for applying to Mills, including early action and spring admission. Here are the most important dates to remember:
Fall Early Action
This is a nonbinding option for first-year students who want to receive an admission
decision as early as possible. If you meet the early action deadline, you will hear
back from us by December.
Fall Regular Decision
The regular decision option gives you additional time to prepare a strong admission
application. You will receive an admission decision by March.
Financial Aid Forms
More than 80 percent of Mills students receive some form of financial aid. To be considered
for need-based aid, all applicants should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). California residents also should submit a Cal Grant GPA Verification form to be considered for state aid.
Spring Admission
Spring classes start in mid-January. If that’s a better time for you to start at Mills,
this is your application deadline. You’ll hear back from us by December.
The Mills admission process is selective, yet holistic, designed to let you share a full picture of who you are now and how you want to grow at Mills. If you have any questions about the following application requirements, please reach out to us at 800.87.MILLS, 510.430.2135, or admission@mills.edu.
This is the heart of the Mills admission process. In addition to submitting standard information, you’ll also share a personal statement and/or response to our supplemental question. There is a $50 application fee, but we do offer fee waivers to qualifying students. Apply today using one of the following:
An official transcript from your high school or secondary school provides the clearest record of your academic experience to date. Your transcript needs to include all of your course work from the start of ninth grade to the present and your cumulative grade point average. If you’ve taken college courses that don’t appear on your high school records, please have the college send us that transcript, too. Note that non-English transcripts need to be accompanied by a certified translation.
Many school counselors can upload your transcript directly if you use the Mills Application or the Common Application. If your counselor cannot upload your transcript, please ask your school to email it directly to admission@mills.edu. Your third option is to have your school send it to:
Office of Admissions
Mills College
5000 MacArthur Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94613
Q: What if I didn’t graduate from high school?
If you didn’t graduate from high school, we ask that you send us official results
of the GED or the California High School Proficiency Examination. Homeschooled students
should submit the same test results plus two SAT subject tests (Mills SAT code: 4485).
This form is different than an official transcript and helps Mills understand how your high school or secondary school handles grades, class rank, honors courses, etc. Your counselor will need to submit the school report using one of two options:
OR
Instructor recommendations offer another window into understanding your academic ability and personal story. Ask a teacher of an academic subject who knows you well to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf. We offer three options for your teacher to submit a letter of recommendation:
OR
OR
If your professor or employer cannot upload or email the letter, they can send it through regular mail to:
Office of Admissions
Mills College
5000 MacArthur Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94613
If you feel that your SAT or ACT score is a strong indication of your academic ability, we’d love to see it. If not, you don’t have to submit your score. As a test-optional college, we consider all students for admission and merit scholarships, with or without standardized test scores.
Note that homeschooled students and students who graduate from schools without traditional grades are required to submit a standardized test score.
Mills is closely monitoring county and state health orders and higher education guidelines as the coronavirus situation continues to evolve. Visit our COVID-19 website for detailed information on the preventative measures we're taking as a community and the most current information on the fall academic experience and student life.
To be a strong applicant for admission, you should enroll in college preparatory classes all four years leading up to college. We give positive consideration to students who follow the academic curriculum below:
| English | 4 years |
| Social sciences | 2-4 years |
| Foreign languages | 2-4 years |
| Mathematics | 3-4 years |
| Laboratory science | 2-4 years |
In a recent entering class, the average GPA was a 3.63. The middle 50 percent test scores ranged from 1450 to 1850 (math + critical reading + writing) on the SAT and from 21 to 29 (composite) on the ACT.
By applying under our nonbinding early action admission plan, you can receive a decision from our Admissions Committee in December, but you have until May 1 to make your decision to attend Mills. When you submit your application just indicate that you are applying under the early action plan and provide all of your remaining documents by November 15.
Websites can’t always cover everything you want to know, but Mills admission counselors are here to help you through every step of the first-year application journey. Use the live chat button on this page to ask us a question in real time or or send us a message. To speak one-on-one with a Mills admission counselor, you can book a phone or video consultation using our easy online reservation form. For additional questions, email us at admission@mills.edu or use our form to connect with your admission counselor and send a message to them directly. We'll respond to your email or message in 1–2 business days and look forward to answering your questions.
Mills College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, marital status, age, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, or disability in our admission policies, in our scholarship and loan programs, or in the educational programs, cocurricular activities, and residential facilities which we operate. Students of all genders are eligible for admission to our graduate programs. Self-identified women and people assigned female sex at birth who do not identify with the gender binary are eligible for admission to our undergraduate programs.