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Undergraduate Admission and Enrollment

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 November 1. For Regular Decision, the deadline is January 1, although Regular Decision applicants are encouraged to submit their portion of the application by December 15, if possible.

In 2010–11, there were 4,223 candidates for the A.B. degree and 926 for the B.S.E. degree. The largest numbers of students came from New Jersey (754), California (639), New York (522), Pennsylvania (295), Massachusetts (227), Maryland (215), and Virginia (203).  

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 Rates, 5-year history

Academic year Applications Admitted %
2011–12 27,189 2,300 8.5
2010–11 26,247 2,311 8.8
2009–10 21,963 2,209 10.1
2008–09 21,370 2,122 9.9
2007–08 18,942 1,838 9.7

Undergraduate Enrollment, 2010–11*

  Number %
Total 5,149  
    Men 2,618 51
    Women 2,531 49
American minorities 1,923 37
    African American 388 8
    American Indian 14 0.2
    Asian American 868 17
    Latino/Hispanic 398 8
    Multiracial (non-Hispanic) 249 5
    Pacific Islander 6 0.1
Alumni children 716 14
International students 542 11

Approximate Undergraduate Enrollment, 2011–12*

  Number %
Total 5,159  
    Men 2,610 51
    Women 2,549 49
American minorities 1,908 37
    African American 412 8
    American Indian 15 0.3
    Asian American 877 17
    Latino/Hispanic 464 9
    Multiracial (non-Hispanic) 206 4
    Pacific Islander 6 0.1
Alumni children 671 13
International students 567 11

*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.

Admission 2011: Class of 2015*
All percentages rounded.

    Applicants   Admitted   Enrolled  
  No. % of Total No. % of Applicants No. % of Admits % of Class
Total 27,189 — 2,300 8.5 1,304 56.7 —
Men 14,027 51.6 1,168 8.3 666 57.0 51.0
Women 13,162 48.4 1,132 8.6 639 56.4 49.0
Alumni children 643 2.4 209 32.5 160 76.6 12.3
Minority students 10,399 38.2 1,061 10.2 496 46.7 38.0
International students 4,648 17.1 239 5.1 143 59.8 11.0

*As of July 18, 2011.

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.

Test Applicants Admits Enrollees
Critical Reasoning 640–750 710–800 690–790
Mathematics 670–770 720–800 710–790
Writing 640–760 720–800 700–790
SAT II 680–790 740–800 730–800
ACT 29–34 32–35 31–34