Lees-McRae College
Banner Elk, NC · Private · 873 undergrads
- Admit rate: 76.8% (1,787 applicants)
- Undergraduates: 873 (4.9% international)
- Average net price: $28,340 (per year after aid)
- Graduation rate: 42% (within 6 years)
Deadlines
- Early Action: Dec. 15, 2026
- Regular Decision: April 1 (priority date); Common App lists May 1, 2027
Essays
Personal essay (choose one topic) (650)
What do you want us to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option below that best helps you answer that question. - Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. - Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. - Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? - Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you would like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma—anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. - The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to future success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge or setback. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? - Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one completely of your own design.
Editor's notes
- Use the Lees-McRae application to skip the $25 fee, and file by Dec. 15, 2026. Early action carries the highest merit scholarship amounts.
- If you have a 3.75 unweighted GPA, you're in the Honors Program automatically with $2,000 a year. No extra application is needed.
