Princeton University
Princeton publishes 4.6% (Fall 2024). Out-of-state applicants got in at 5.5%; international at 2.1%.
Acceptance rate
What Princeton's 4.6% is made of
The published rate averages groups with very different odds. These are the splits Princeton reports itself.
Part of Real Acceptance Rates, our series decomposing published rates from each school's own Common Data Set.
Testing
Test-Optional for 2026-27
- Policy
Princeton remains test-optional for the CURRENT 2026-27 cycle (fall 2027 entry): 'Students who opt to apply to Princeton in the 2026-27 cycle without an ACT or SAT score will not be at a disadvantage.' Princeton will require SAT/ACT scores beginning with the 2027-28 admission cycle (fall 2028 entry).
Announced change: required from 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry)
- SAT middle 50%
- 1510–1580sum of section 25th–75th percentiles
- ACT middle 50%
- 34–35
- Average HS GPA
- Not published by the school
Applying
Deadlines, essays and AI policy
- Early deadlines
- Nov 1, 2026 (SCEA)
- Regular decision
- Jan 1, 2027Source
- Supplemental essays
- 6 required
6 required written responses: 2 essays of ≤250 words (academic-interest essay, which varies by A.B. vs B.S.E. track, plus a community/service essay), 1 essay of ≤500 words ('Your Voice'), and 3 short responses (≤50 words each).
- AI use in essays
Guidance Only — applies to Application essays for first-year applicants
“AI is not inherently 'bad', but I caution against it in your college application. [An AI-assisted essay is] not going to be nearly as good or authentic as one that an applicant composes on their own... you are asked to sign off on your application verifying that the work is yours alone.”
Full cycle calendar: Application Deadlines.
At a glance
Size and cost
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 5,709
- Tuition (out-of-state)
- $62,688
- Category
- Ivy League
- Admissions site
- www.princeton.edu
Dewey Smart
Dewey students who got into Princeton
Mentors who got into Princeton
Our mentors who go to Princeton, or just graduated from it.
What should this school mean for your list?
A published rate is one input. Working out what it means alongside the rest of your list is the part that actually changes an application. Free 25-minute call, no commitment.
Sources
- Princeton test policy (2026-27)
- Princeton deadlines
- Princeton AI-use policy
- Princeton admissions pages
- Princeton admissions pages
- Acceptance rate, test-score percentiles, enrollment and tuition: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, pulled 2026-08-19.
Test policy and deadlines last verified 2026-08-17.
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