Princeton acceptance rate 2023
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Tom Cruise’s iconic Princeton University interview in the ‘80’s classic Risky Business leads his character, Joel Goodson, to receive an against-all-odds letter of acceptance. Back in 1983 when the film debuted, the acceptance rate into the New Jersey Ivy was a comparatively unintimidating 20%. Today, the acceptance rate is roughly one-fifth that figure, rendering brash, profanity-laced alumni interviews in the middle of a high school party even less likely to lead to a real-life Princeton acceptance letter. The matter of how to get into Princeton does not hold a simple answer. Show
In 2022-23, every wanna-be Tiger boasts amazing academic credentials (candidates with a perfect unweighted 4.0 are historically only accepted at an 8.0% clip) and often equally impressive achievements outside of the classroom. So, what separates those that get in versus those that get rejected? The intent of this article is to give those considering applying to Princeton University: 1) An understanding of what you are up against. 2) More data on which to accurately assess your chances of admission. 3) Advice for how to get your application to Princeton stand out, even against other superb applicants. To accomplish these goals we will touch on the following topics:
Many students applying to Princeton may also find the following blogs to be of interest:How to Get Into:
Let’s begin with an examination of the most recent admissions data. Princeton: Early Action Acceptance Rate – Class of 2026Princeton canceled its SCEA round for the Class of 2026. It will be activated again as an option for the Class of 2027 (those applying in 2022-23). 791 of those applying single-choice early action (SCEA) to the Tiger Class of 2024 were accepted. The school has yet to release the total number of SCEA applicants, so the acceptance rate cannot yet be calculated. However, looking at SCEA results for the Class of 2023, we can see that fewer total students—743—were accepted in that cycle. The Class of 2023 saw an early acceptance rate of 13.9%. For comparison, those admitted early into the Class of 2011 were accepted at a far more favorable 21.1% clip. This paints a clear picture of the increasingly difficult odds of being admitted via SCEA into Princeton. Princeton Acceptance Rate – Class of 2026Princeton has decided to withhold admissions data at this time. They have yet to even publicly state the total number of applicants. However, based on past data, we believe a reasonable estimate would be higher than 3% and lower than 4%. There were 37,601 applications submitted for a place in the 2021-22 freshman class; just 1,498 were accepted. This acceptance rate of 3.98% was the lowest in the school’s history, beating out the Class of 2022 admit rate of 5.5%. The last time that Princeton’s acceptance rate was in the double-digits was for the Class of 2009 (10.9%). Princeton Admissions – SAT, GPA, and Class RankAccording to the most recent statistics available (Class of 2024), the mid-50% SAT range for admitted freshman was 1470-1560; on the ACT the range was 33-35. For the Class of 2024, the average unweighted GPA was 3.91. An impressive 89% of successful applicants possessed a GPA of 3.75 or higher and 91% placed in the top decile of their graduating high school class. Admissions Trends & Notes
How to stand out on my Princeton applicationIn effect, Princeton is looking for young people who are among the best, or, have the potential to be among the very best at something in the world. They also place a great emphasis on diversity across ethic and socioeconomic lines. In their own words, the admissions staff is seeking a “variety of talents, personal qualities, experiences and points of view in each incoming class. There are some qualities we hope all Princeton students share: integrity, a deep interest in learning and a devotion to both academic and non-academic pursuits. Many students also bring distinctive academic and extracurricular talents and achievements.” Just look at the list of notable Tiger alumni and you’ll get a sense of what the university is looking for: the next generation of politicians (Ralph Nadar, Woodrow Wilson—a subject of current controversy on campus), award-winning writers (Michael Lewis, Jennifer Weiner) entrepreneurs (Jeff Bezos, Steve Forbes) actors/actresses/filmmakers (Jimmy Stewart, Ethan Cohen, Brooke Shields) whose contributions greatly influence the world in which we live. Additionally, recruited athletes enjoy a huge edge. This is because Princeton takes great pride in their 38 NCAA Division I sports teams and athletes comprise 20% of the student body. For advice about how to stand out on the extracurricular front, check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College? How Princeton Rates ApplicantsPrinceton considers nine factors as “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of high school courseload, class rank. GPA, SAT/ACT scores, essays, recommendation letters, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. Items that are “considered” as part of the admissions process are: interview, first generation, legacy status, geographical location, ethnicity, volunteer work, and paid work experience. Princeton is looking for genuine excellence in one or more activities. For example, you won a well-regarded physics, chemistry, or math competition, you are one of the top cellists in the United States, you conducted original scientific research with a university professor, or you started a charitable organization that made a significant local, national, or global impact. Who Actually Gets Into Princeton?Geographically, the Class of 2025 was comprised of the greatest numbers of students from the following U.S. states:
The fewest number of students came from the following U.S. states:
Competition is stiffest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). Additionally if you hail from the Deep South like Alabama or Mississippi or a less-populated state like Wyoming or North Dakota, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances at Princeton. Looking next at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the Class of 2025 was as follows:
Looking at the type of school attended, the majority of 2021-22 freshmen at Princeton hailed from public high schools. The breakdown was as follows:
Princeton’s “yield rate”Princeton’s yield rate is an astoundingly high 82%. They are similar only to schools like MIT, Harvard, and Stanford in this regard. For comparison, elite schools such as Georgetown, Pomona, Bowdoin, Barnard, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and Duke all have yield rates under 60%. The bottom line is that Princeton is the first choice of the vast majority who apply. Tips for Applying to PrincetonIf you plan on joining the 37,000+ Princeton hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:
Princeton Essay Prompts1) Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences that was particularly meaningful to you. (Response required in about 150 words.) 2) At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future? (About 250 words). 3) Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals. (About 250 words). 4) What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (50 words or fewer). 5) What brings you joy? 6) What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (50 words or fewer). 7) Princeton requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application. You may submit this material now or any time before the application deadline. If you choose not to upload the required paper at this time, you may mail, e-mail, or upload your paper through the applicant portal. For a detailed look at how to tackle these essays, visit our blog entitled: Princeton Supplemental Essay Prompts and Tips. Should I Apply to Princeton?Those with SAT/ACT scores within the mid-50% mark for Princeton who are also at the very top of their respective high school class are absolutely viable candidates to Princeton. As such, it is worth any star student’s time and $70 to submit an application. Whether or not you will be among the less than 4% who are offered admission will come down to many of the factors mentioned throughout this blog. Of course, it goes without saying that all teens applying to this or any other Ivy need to also have a proper mix of “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here. A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew’s experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans more than one decade. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid. Does Princeton need SAT for 2023?Are standardized tests (SAT/ACT) required? The impact of COVID-19 has caused the cancellation of many test administrations. As a result, we will not require the submission of standardized test scores in order for an application to be complete for the 2022-23 application cycles; this includes transfer applicants.
What is the hardest Ivy League school to get into 2022?1. Harvard University — 3.19% With a record-low admission rate of just 3.19% for the class of 2026, Harvard currently ranks as the most difficult school to get into. This rate reflects admission into Harvard College, the Ivy League university's undergraduate school.
What is the acceptance rate for Princeton 2022?Princeton Acceptance Rate – Class of 2026
There were 37,601 applications submitted for a place in the 2021-22 freshman class; just 1,498 were accepted. This acceptance rate of 3.98% was the lowest in the school's history, beating out the Class of 2022 admit rate of 5.5%.
What is the lowest GPA Princeton will accept?You should also have a 3.9 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Princeton, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application. We'll cover those details next.
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