Princeton Profile

Admission to Princeton is quite competitive. In recent years, Princeton has offered admission to less than 10 percent of those who apply. Successful applicants must demonstrate exceptionally high academic ability and performance. Personal strengths and nonacademic talents and commitment are also highly valued.

Princeton offers two admission programs: single-choice early action — requiring applicants to apply early only to Princeton, though they can defer acceptance of Princeton’s offer until the end of the regular admission process — and regular decision. The postmark or electronic submission deadline for early action is Nov. 1. For regular decision, the deadline is Jan. 1, although regular decision applicants are encouraged to submit their portion of the application by Dec. 15, if possible.

In 2011-12, there were 4,140 candidates for the A.B. degree and 1,033 for the B.S.E. degree. The largest numbers of students came from New Jersey (730), California (633), New York (530), Pennsylvania (302), Maryland (223), Massachusetts (222), and Virginia (196).

Admission Rates, 5-year history

Undergraduate Enrollment, 2010–11*

Approximate Undergraduate Enrollment, 2011–12*

*Note: An exact comparison to previous years is not possible because of changes in federal requirements concerning the collection and reporting of race and ethnicity information. Each student has been counted once.

In recent years, approximately 88 percent of each entering class has graduated from Princeton within four years, and 96 percent of all undergraduates have received a degree from Princeton within six years.

Admission 2012: Class of 2016*
All percentages rounded.

*As of July 31, 2012.

SATs/SAT Subject Tests/ACT
Middle 50 percent of Critical Reasoning SAT, Mathematics SAT, Writing SAT, and two highest SAT Subject Tests. For example, 25 percent of the applicants had Critical Reasoning scores below 640; 50 percent had Critical Reasoning scores between 640 and 750; 25 percent had Critical Reasoning scores above 750.