Princeton University

If you want to apply to Princeton, the deadline for Fall 2022 admissions is January 1 and the fee for the application is $70.

Application fees can add up, but some schools do have free applications and students with financial need may be eligible for an application fee waiver.

Students who submit their applications for Fall should receive an admissions decision no later than April 1.

Princeton Admissions Stats at a Glance

Here's an overiew of some of Princeton's admissions stats.

Princeton 2021	Admissions Statistics
Mean Unweighted GPA	3.9
Admissions Test Policy	Not optional and are considered
Applicants Who Submit SATs	71%
Applicants Who Submit ACTs	45%
Waitlist	Yes

Continue reading for more information on Princeton's admissions stats.

Considering Applying Early to Princeton?

Princeton University does not offer early decision but does offer early action.

The Early Action deadline is November 1, which is coming up fast! Princeton will release EA admissions decisions no later than December 15.

Princeton accepts about 15% of early action applicants and 6% all applicants for all deadlines. Last year, Princeton admitted 791 of the 5,386 who applied early action.

Some students apply to college early because they believe it will help their chances. Early deadlines may increase the chance of being admitted, since applying early shows your are very interested in a school, and your application is being considered before all the regular decision applicants apply.

See a list of some selective colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.

How Hard Is It To Get Admitted to Princeton?

It is extremely difficult to get into Princeton. Princeton evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.

In 2021, Princeton accepted 6% of students, around 1,848 of the 32,835 students who applied.

Schools that are extremely difficult to get into, like Princeton, accept fewer than 30% of all applicants. At least 75% of admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1310 on the SAT or over 29 on the ACT.

It is extremely difficult to be admitted as a transfer student.

In 2021, Princeton waitlisted 820 students. Of those, 598 eventually got off the waitlist.

What Does Princeton Look For in an Applicant?

Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college has a different way of determining which factors are are most important in the admissions process. When creating your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and apply to colleges that put the most emphasis the admissions factors where you stand out.

Admissions Factors at Princeton

Admissions Factor	Level
Academic GPA	Very Important
Character/Personal Qualities	Very Important
Class Rank	Very Important
Extracurricular Activities	Very Important
Application Essay	Very Important
Recommendation(s)	Very Important
Rigor of Secondary School Record	Very Important
Talent/Ability	Very Important
Standardized Test Scores	Very Important
Alumni/ae Relations	Considered
Geographical Residence	Considered
Work Experience	Considered
First Generation	Considered
Interview	Considered
Racial/Ethnic Status	Considered
Volunteer Work	Considered

Princeton Application Requirements

To apply, all applicants to Princeton must submit the following items. Double check with Princeton's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.

Area	Required	Recommended	Required for Some	Details (If Any)
Written Essay or Personal Statement		√
Interview		√
Other Requirements	√			Graded Written Paper
Letter(s) of Recommendation	3
Transcript of High School Record	√

What GPA Do I Need To Get Into Princeton?

Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that reflects your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.

An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. 4.0. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.

Students admitted to Princeton have an average unweighted GPA of 3.9

At Princeton University, student GPAs fall in the following ranges
3.75 and 3.99	32.05%
3.50 and 3.74	4.89%
3.25 and 3.49	2.53%
3.00 and 3.24	0.87%
2.50 and 2.9	0.18%
2.00 and 2.49	0%

Princeton does look at standardized tests scores during the admissions process.

Princeton does not have a test optional admissions policy. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.

In 2021, 71% of Princeton's first-year students submitted their SAT scores with their application. 45% of admitted applicants sent ACT scores.

What's a Good SAT Score for Princeton?

To be competitive with other Princeton applicants, you should strive to earn between 1460 and 1560 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Princeton 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1560 and 25% of scored lower than 1460, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.

On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Princeton students scored 800 or higher and 75% of students scored 710 or higher. On the SAT Critical Reading section (formerly called the Verbal section), 25% of Princeton students scored 770 or higher, and 75% scored a 710 or higher.

Want to increase your SAT Score?

Preparing for the SAT can help raise your score, but it doesn't have to take up a lot of time.

Learn how to increase your SAT score 200 points or more in just 10 minutes a day.

What's a Good ACT Score for Princeton?

To be most competitive at Princeton, you should strive to earn between 32 and 35 on the ACT.

An ACT score of 35 means you fall in the 75th percentile for Princeton's admitted students. One out of every four students scored above a 35, and three out of four students scored lower than 35 on the ACT.

A 32 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Princeton students. Only one out of every four students scored below 32.

Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

Transferring to Princeton University

For transfer students, it is extremely difficult to get admitted to Princeton.

For transfer students wishing to start in the Fall, the deadline to apply is March 1. Applicants should hear back by May 15.

Transfer students can enroll in Princeton during the following terms:

• Fall Term

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Princeton Admissions FAQs

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Can I defer my acceptance to Princeton?

✅ Yes, admitted students can defer their admission to Princeton.

Does Princeton accept transfer credits?

Princeton ✅ accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Does Princeton accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?

Princeton accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Do I have to submit test scores to Princeton?

✅ Princeton is not test optional. You must submit test scores as part of the application.

What is Princeton's acceptance rate?

✅ Princeton's acceptance rate is 6%.

What is the early decision acceptance rate at Princeton?

❌ Princeton does not offer early decision.

What is the early action acceptance rate at Princeton?

✅ The early action acceptance rate at Princeton was 15% in 2021.

Want To Learn More About Princeton?

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

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