First off, we hope you are in the right place. This blog is about how to get into Trinity College in Connecticut. There are a lot of schools called Trinity, so if you have questions about the one in Dublin or the University in Texas (or even the evangelical school in Florida- mostly no judgment,) we are happy to help, but you won’t find it here.
This Trinity is in Hartford, CT, and is part of the New England Small College Athletic Conference. They are popular for their significant financial aid, drop-dead gorgeous campus, and political science major. For the class of 2026, Trinity had about a 36% acceptance rate and a 54% acceptance rate for Early Decision applications.
If you hope to go to Trinity, you might ask yourself, “Sounds great, but can I get in?” We are glad you asked; let’s break it down.
What is Trinity looking for in a candidate?
Colleges publish a document called the “Common Data Set” yearly. This is a super helpful document as it contains many admissions data. In this set, they also list what factors they look at in applications.
Pay close attention to the columns marked “very important” and “important.” These are factors you really want to stun in.
Rigor, GPA, (and Class Rank)
Trinity requires students to have 14 academic units to apply. Honestly, most students will hit these requirements easily, so don’t freak out.
But it’s not only about getting the required credits; you should also try to complete them at a high level. This will change between high schools as they offer different programs, but you should try to take courses at an accelerated level. Think IB, AP, Honors, or Dual Enrollment. This speaks to academic rigor. They want to see that you are challenging yourself by taking hard classes.
Trinity also cares about your GPA. They don’t actually track average accepted GPA data, but you should try to get the best GPA you personally can. They don’t track GPA because it's not a great data point. All schools grade differently, so not all GPAs are made the same. A student taking challenging classes at a difficult school having a 3.8 is more impressive than a student’s 4.0 taking no challenging courses at a school that grades leniently.
While they don’t track GPA, they do track class rank, which can be a helpful metric. 48% of admitted students (from schools that rank their classes) were in the top tenth of their graduating class, and 74% were in the top quarter. Even if your school doesn’t rank, you should push yourself to be the kind of student who would be in the top quarter.
Characteristics/Personal Qualities
This is the only other “very important” category. However, you might notice there isn’t a section on their application called “characteristics.” So, how do you show off your personal qualities? Mainly through your writing and maybe a little through your resume. You will notice that your recommendations, essays, and extracurriculars are all marked as “important” as well.
You have more control over some of these factors than others. When it comes to recommendations, we hope you have teachers who know you well and love you. Ask teachers you think will give you a good review and ask them early (we promise they will thank you for it.)
When it comes to essays, you can 100% control the writing you turn in. First step: you need to write a good Common App essay. We have a ton of blogs about writing this essay. We think this one is especially helpful. But if TLDR, good common app essays do a couple of things. They tell a good story, showcase a couple of the positive traits that make you unique, and do all of this in a creative/engaging way. It’s a tall order, and you should give yourself time to brainstorm, draft, and edit this essay.
Trinity also asks for one supplemental essay. We have a whole blog breaking down this essay, but it boils down to talking about a community you are a part of and connecting it to who you will be on campus.
You also should make sure your resume shines. There is no one “perfect” resume, but great ones show commitment, leadership, and passion. No matter what you are interested in, try to commit to doing it. Colleges love students who rise to the top of or take on responsibilities in extracurricular organizations. Think big and see what you can accomplish outside of class.
A quick note on tests
Trinity is test-optional, and when you submit standardized tests, they are only considered. This might lead you to ask, “Should I even submit them?” Well, the easy answer is yes if your scores are really good or in line with the average range of scores they accept.
This means if you get above or in the range (ideally closer to the top end) of 1320-1460 on the SAT or 29-34 on the ACT, you should be good to submit. However, only about 19% of matriculated students submitted scores. So if your scores aren’t in line with their averages, it’s completely cool to skip.
Demonstrated Interest
The last thing we wanted to mention is the “level of applicant’s interest.” This a straightforward box to check. You can show interest by emailing an admissions rep, taking a tour, signing up for an info session, and/or applying early decision (if you are super serious.) Show that the school is at the top of your list by showing up and talking to staff.
Follow these steps, and you will be a great Trinity candidate. If you are still feeling nervous, we can help! Reach out here.