Friday, March 15, 2024

MIT Admitted 1,275 Students to the Class of 2028

 This year — inclusive of both Early and Regular Action — 28,232 students applied to join the MIT Class of 2028. As of (checks watch) right now, we have offered admission to 1,275 students who will have the chance to collectively climb the mountain that is MIT. They hail from all 50 states, 58 countries, and nearly a thousand different high schools. Though their interests and aptitudes range widely — biomimetics and basketball, metallurgy and merengue, oceanography and orienteering — they are united by a shared standard of rigorous academics, high character, and a strong match with MIT’s mission to use science, technology, and other areas of scholarship to work wisely, creatively, and effectively for the betterment of humankind. We can’t wait to welcome them to our campus to join the outstanding undergraduates who already call MIT home.

There are also students who may be climbing other mountains, with other fellow mountaineers, next fall. Of the students to whom we do not offer admission today, we have placed a modest number on our waitlist and informed the balance that we will not be able to admit them to the Class of 2028. Getting to “meet” so many capable, compassionate students through this process has, as always, left us bleary-eyed and reminded us that what we do is more than a job: it is a privilege and an honor. We are grateful to have walked this short part of your path with you. 

If you are among the many stellar students to whom we are not offering admission, then I want to remind you success is not always a straight line. Your future isn’t something MIT creates for you, it’s something you manifest for yourself. And if you spend the next few years trying to make wherever you are as amazing as you can (as you already are), then someday you’ll look back on this Pi Day and realize it all worked out okay.⁠

I’m closing comments on this blog post to concentrate conversation in the open threads for those admitted, waitlisted, and not admitted, respectively. Answers to frequently asked questions for waitlisted students can be found here, with more information about next steps to come in early April.

Congratulations to the Class of 2028, and best wishes to all of our applicants. No matter where you enroll next fall, please make it a better place. I know you can. I hope you will.

https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/mit-regular-action-decisions-now-available-online-7/

Monday, December 18, 2023

MIT Admitted 661 EA Students to the Class of 2028

 This year, 12,563 students applied early to the MIT Class of 2028, and as of *checks watch* right now, we have offered early admission to 661. Though they are all different in their own way —  foodies and farmhands, raconteurs and Riemannians, gymnasts and geographers — they are united by a shared standard of rigorous academics, high character, and a strong match with MIT’s mission to use science, technology, and the useful arts to make the world a better place. We can’t wait to welcome them to campus to join the 4,576 outstanding undergraduates already enrolled at MIT. 

We deferred 8,052 applicants;⁠01 these students will be reconsidered without prejudice in Regular Action, with decisions released sometime in March. If you are deferred, you are not expected to send us any new information besides the February Updates and Notes (FUN) Form, which will be posted in mid-January to your application portal. We have posted more information for deferred students here; you can also read posts from bloggers who were deferred here, here, here, here, here, here, and most recently here.

Given the competitiveness of our pool, we have also informed 3,251 students that we will not be able to offer them admission this year. This decision has been made with care, and it is final. I know this can be a difficult decision to receive, but trust me: it works out okay in the end. Take a deep breath, shake it off, and go crush the rest of your college applications (or whatever else you choose to do) this year.

The balance of our applicants —  599 —  withdrew from our process before we issued their decision.  

We recognize it’s a lot of effort for all of you to apply to MIT. It’s an honor and a privilege for us to read your applications. Thank you for sharing your story with us. 

Again, congratulations to the newest members of the Class of 2028. I’ll be closing comments on this post to focus the conversations on the open threads for admitted, deferred, and not admitted students.

All best, everyone; wishing you a healthy and happy end of 2023, and bright beginnings to 2024.  

https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/mit-early-action-decisions-now-available-online-5/

Friday, December 15, 2023

Boston University Admitted 1307 ED Students to the Class of 2028

Boston University released decisions for the first round of early decision Thursday evening, admitting 34.1% of applicants to the class of 2028, according to statistics from BU’s admissions office.

BU reported a 4.8% increase in early decision applications from last year. There were 3,832 students who applied to be part of the early decision class, and 1,307 were accepted. For the BU Class of 2027, 57% of the class was admitted through either early decision or early decision two.

“The inaugural members of the BU Class of 2028 are truly extraordinary,” Dean of Admissions Kelly Walter wrote in an email statement. “Not only am I excited to welcome these new Terriers to campus next fall but I am confident that their diverse backgrounds and impressive experiences will add to the richness of our campus community.”

Boston University provides early decision and early decision two as application options. If admitted to BU through either of these options, students must withdraw their applications to all other schools. Prospective students have until Jan. 4 to apply for early decision two and regular decision, according to the admissions website. 

Students were accepted from all 50 states except for Michigan, West Virginia and Wyoming. Forty-seven nationalities beyond the United States were represented. International students made up 20% of the early decision class.

The average GPA for accepted students was 3.87, according to the admissions office. 

BU remained test optional for the fourth year in a row, which will continue at least for students applying during fall 2025 and spring 2026, according to the admissions website.

Of the students accepted, 35% submitted standardized test scores. The average SAT score was 1454 and the average ACT score was 32.

First generation students made up 21% of the early decision class, while 5% of accepted students were legacies. 

BU student government shared in an email on Oct. 26 that admissions does not consider legacy status in admissions decisions. Colin Riley, BU spokesperson, confirmed at the time that BU never considered legacy status in admissions. 

Accepted students came from both public and private schools. Seventy-five percent of the early decision one class came from public high schools, while 25% came from private high schools.

This was the first class accepted early decision following the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 29 to end affirmative action in college admissions. Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, BU’s admissions office told The Daily Free Press they remain committed to enrolling a diverse student population.

Walters wrote in an email that BU’s admission’s office could not provide The Daily Free Press with data on the racial demographics of students admitted early decision because of the Supreme Court ruling.

“Given the Supreme Court’s decision last June banning the use of race in admissions, this demographic data is not available to report at this time,” she wrote. “BU Admissions will release information about the racial composition of the class only after the class is finalized next May.”

https://dailyfreepress.com/2023/12/14/bu-welcomes-early-decision-class-of-2028/ 

Yale Admitted 709 EA Students to the Class of 2028

 Yale College has offered admission to 709 applicants for the Class of 2028 through its early action program, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions announced Dec. 14.

Among all early action applicants, 20% were deferred for reconsideration in the spring, 70% were denied admission, and 1% were withdrawn or incomplete.

The admitted students were selected from among 7,856 applicants, the second-largest group of early applicants in the college’s history, said Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid.

“Members of the admissions committee were delighted to learn about the remarkable range of accomplishments, interests, and lived experiences showcased among this year’s group of early action applicants,” he said. “This group of admitted students demonstrated exceptional academic strength and an especially impressive fit for the liberal arts program in Yale College.”

Earlier this month, Yale College also admitted 72 students through the QuestBridge College Match program. QuestBridge is a national nonprofit organization that connects high-achieving students from lower-income backgrounds with selective colleges and universities. This year, QuestBridge matched a record 2,242 students at 50 partner schools.

At Yale, students admitted through the QuestBridge Match program qualify for the university’s most generous financial aid award — a “zero parent share” award. In addition to covering the full cost of tuition, housing, and meals, Yale will provide hospitalization insurance coverage and a $2,000 start-up grant in each student’s first year. For all admitted students, Yale College meets 100% of demonstrated financial need, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

The admissions office’s whole-person review of candidates during this cycle incorporates new place-based data from Opportunity Atlas, a nation-wide mapping project that measures economic mobility at the census tract level. This data complements dozens of datapoints included in the College Board’s Landscape tool, which Yale has used since 2017. Admissions officers have found that the data improves the committee’s evaluation of applicants from under-resourced areas and has contributed to a rapid increase in enrollments from lower-income students. The first-year class that arrived in New Haven in August 2023 includes more than twice as many first-generation college students and students eligible for Federal Pell Grants for lower-income households compared with the class that arrived in 2013.  

In a September message to the Yale College community, Yale College Dean Pericles Lewis and Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid, outlined the college’s response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling about the consideration of race in admissions, including practical changes to the admissions process and new efforts to expand admissions outreach and build new talent pipelines

“By necessity, our selection process has changed. But in the single most important way, it has remained the same.” said Quinlan. “We continue to consider each applicant as an individual through a whole-person review process designed to reveal the distinctive contributions each student can offer the Yale community.”

Quinlan also shared that the admissions office has hired two full-time staff members who are working to expand engagement with college access organizations and develop new student-focused outreach initiatives. The admissions office is building new programs, publications, and partnerships designed to ensure that Yale’s pool of applicants will include high-achieving students from all backgrounds.

All newly admitted students will be invited to visit campus in April 2024 for Bulldog Days, a three-day immersive experience of life at Yale, or Bulldog Saturday, a one-day program offering campus tours, panels, academic forums, and activities with student groups. The admissions office will also host virtual events and sponsor online communities to help admitted students connect with each other and with the Yale community prior to Bulldog Days.

Quinlan credited last year’s record-setting Bulldog Days program, which welcomed more than 1,400 students and 800 parents and family members, for an historically high “yield rate” on students admitted to the Class of 2027.

Admitted students from lower-income families receive financial support to visit campus during Bulldog Days so that they can experience campus life before replying to their offers of admission. Last year the admissions office’s Yale Travel Program offered grants to more than 550 admitted students.

Beginning in January, the admissions office will turn its attention to the much larger group of applicants who opt to apply through the regular decision program. Those students will receive their admissions decisions on March 28.

https://news.yale.edu/2023/12/14/yale-admits-709-early-action-applicants-matches-72-questbridge-finalists

Duke Admitted 806 ED Students to the Class of 2028

 Duke received a record number of early decision applications in 2023, driven by students from the Carolinas.

In all, the university received 6,240 early decision applications, a 28 percent increase over last year, and Duke’s highest number of early decision applicants by more than 1,000.

“Duke always attracts phenomenally talented students,” Provost Alec Gallimore said. “Our goal in providing more equitable access to a Duke education was to help more academically outstanding students from the Carolinas see Duke as an option. I’m so pleased that we will be admitting more students from the region we call home.”

Duke accepted 806 applicants via early decision, 145 of them from the Carolinas, an increase of 25 percent over last year. Of those, 121 students are from North Carolina and 24 are from South Carolina. They represent 18 percent of all students admitted through early decision this year. In all, 12.9 percent of the early decision applicants were accepted to the Class of 2028.

With the fall 2023 semester, Duke offered full tuition grants for undergraduates admitted to Duke from the Carolinas whose family incomes are $150,000 or less. For students from family incomes of $65,000 or less, Duke will provide full tuition grants, plus financial assistance for housing, meals and some course materials or other campus expenses, without the need for student loans.

Of the early decision applicants, 97 were admitted through the QuestBridge National College Match program, almost twice as many as last year. QuestBridge, a non-profit that helps academically exceptional students with low incomes apply to top universities, has partnered with Duke since 2017.

“That increase is another representation of our commitment to expanding access to a Duke education and strengthening the economic diversity of our student body while maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence,” Gallimore said.

Of the 806 new students, 625 plan to enroll in the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and 181 in the Pratt School of Engineering, said Christoph Guttentag, dean of admissions. International students comprise 8 percent, and 54 percent are female. Besides the Carolinas, the other states most represented among the applicants admitted early are California, New York, Texas and Florida.

“When we looked at the number of first-generation students and the number of students who indicated that they would apply for financial aid, we were struck and pleased not only by the academic quality of the applicants but by the breadth of backgrounds that they represented,” Guttentag said. “There was an astonishing number of very talented students, and this really was as challenging an early decision process as I've experienced.”

https://today.duke.edu/2023/12/duke-sees-record-number-applications-early-admission

Harvard Admitted 692 EA Students to the Class of 2028

 Harvard admitted 8.74 percent of early applicants to the Class of 2028, the first admissions cycle after the Supreme Court declared affirmative action unconstitutional in a landmark ruling against Harvard over the summer.

The University did not release data on the racial demographics of early admits to the Class of 2028, a stark change from previous years which comes as a direct response to the Court’s ruling in late June.

This year’s early admissions cycle marks the first in which race was not considered in Harvard’s admissions process.

William R. Fitzsimmons ’67, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, said he had “no information” about changes in racial demographics to the Class of 2028 in a Thursday interview with The Crimson.

Harvard will still report data on race and ethnicity, but the figures will not be released until the Class of 2028 makes their final decision to accept a spot at the College, according to Fitzsimmons. Admitted students have until May 1 to accept their offer of admission.

Fitzsimmons also said that admissions officers will not have access to data on race and ethnicity during the process of admitting the Class of 2028, another change to Harvard’s admissions practices as the University seeks to comply with the Court’s ruling.

“Based on advice of counsel,” Fitzsimmons said, “admission officers will not have access to data on race or ethnicity until the admissions process is entirely over.”

The College notified 692 early applicants out of a total pool of 7,921 that they were accepted to the Class of 2028 on Thursday at 7 p.m. The acceptance rate increased by more than one percentage point from last year’s 7.56 early action acceptance rate.

This year’s acceptance rate marks the highest since 2019, when the College admitted 13.9 percent of applicants to the Class of 2024 under the restrictive early action cycle. Though the acceptance rate increased this year, it still marks the fourth-lowest early admission acceptance rate in the College’s history.

The acceptance rate for the Class of 2025 — at 7.41 percent — remains the record-low, followed by the 7.56 percent acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 and the 7.87 percent acceptance rate for the Class of 2026.

Fitzsimmons described the early admits to the Class of 2028 as “pretty amazing.”

“I think there are more inspirational stories in the past two or three or four classes at Harvard, and that has not ended,” he said.

Of the total applications received, approximately 83.06 percent were deferred and 7.70 percent were denied admission. Forty applicants withdrew their applications.

Among the applicants who were admitted early, 53.1 percent were women while 46.9 percent were men.

The largest percentage of admitted students came from New England, with the College accepting 22.3 percent of applicants from the region. Students from the mid-Atlantic comprised 20.8 percent of early admits, with 17.2 percent from the West, 14.5 percent from the South, and 8.4 percent from the Midwest.

Following the trend of previous early admission cycles, the percentage of international students admitted continued to climb. International students represent nearly 17 percent of early admits, a significant jump from 14.1 percent in the Class of 2027 and 12.6 in the Class of 2026.

Of those admitted to the Class of 2028, approximately 15.5 percent are first-generation college students.

The deadline to apply for Harvard’s regular decision cycle is January 1. Applicants applying for the regular decision cycle — as well as those deferred from the early round — will receive their decision in late March or early April.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/12/14/early-action-2028/

Friday, March 31, 2023

Cornell Admitted 4994 Students to the Class of 2027

 Members of Cornell’s prospective Class of 2027 breathed a sigh of relief after their college admissions process came to an end, each eager to find their place on the hill this coming fall. 

At 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, the University, along with each of the seven other Ivy League institutions, released its final round of admissions decisions. Students across the world know this long-standing tradition as “Ivy Day.”

“It was like this, almost sacred, type of thing,” Sam Jacobson ’26 said, recalling his emotions from last year’s Ivy Day. “It’s a lot of suspense, nerves [and] pressure… it’s definitely a hyped-up day for something as mundane as checking a portal, which happens probably in the span of thirty minutes.” 

Historically, numerous universities, including the Ivy Leagues, held annual “Ivy Day” ceremonies, which consisted of placing an ivy stone on a university building in honor of academic excellence. At the time, the ceremony was also known as “planting the ivy.” 

Today, Ivy League universities and their students honor this tradition by releasing regular admission decisions simultaneously each year. For current students and prospective applicants of these selective institutions, “Ivy Day” continues to bring waves of anticipation.   

Jacobson recalls the day he awaited his own acceptance letter.

Leaderboard 2

“I came home [from school] that day at around 3:30, and [the rest of the day] was literally my family and I sitting around waiting for the clock to turn 7… we were checking every minute,” Jacobson said.  

Last year, Cornell welcomed a “talented and diverse” Class of 2026, with students hailing from all 50 states and 85 countries. This year, admitted students again represent every U.S. state including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa. The class additionally constitutes 87 countries.

“Students in the Class of 2027 had some time to adjust to pandemic disruption during high school,” said Jonathan Burdick, vice provost for enrollment. “True to Cornell’s founding vision, these extraordinary students will bring a diverse range of ideas and experiences to enrich campus life together.”

For the Class of 2027, 4,994 students were admitted in total, with 3,324 being notified on Ivy Day. An additional 1,670 applicants were admitted during the early-decision round in December.

The Class of 2026, with 71,000 applicants and 4,908 admits, had an all-time low acceptance rate of 6.9 percent. Acceptance rates for the Class of 2027 will not be released until the summer.

Prospective students continue to be drawn to Cornell’s vast number of opportunities. For Lucas Macedo ’27, who is from Brazil, Cornell’s unique agricultural sciences program inspired him to apply to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

“I knew of all the available resources they have for someone who is interested in agriculture and how I would have access to so many opportunities that I would not have in other institutions,” Macedo said.

Reed Robinson ’27, who is from Portland, Maine, intends to major in Environment and Sustainability due to his interest in conservation. He discovered Cornell in high school after developing a passion for studying birds.

“I had already been using several resources from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and had heard so much about all of the work that is done there,” Robinson said. “While I was able to find a few other schools with ornithology programs, none seemed to match Cornell’s.”

Robinson further emphasized the sense of community he felt before applying to Cornell. 

“This past summer I got to visit Cornell and the Lab of Ornithology when I attended [the] Young Birders Event,” Robinson said. “The open and friendly vibe really cemented my dream of Cornell, and from that point on there was no doubt that I would apply early decision to Cornell.”

While the University is known for its unique academic programs and access to vast resources, other prospective students valued Cornell’s balance between rigorous academics and lively student life when choosing where to apply. 

Griffin Fitzpatrick ’27, who is from Chicago, Illinois, saw himself fitting in with Cornell’s campus culture and student body. 

“I am most excited about the work-hard-play-hard vibe Cornell emits,” Fitzpatrick said. “At Cornell, I found a place where I can achieve academic, athletic and social excellence while surrounded by like-minded peers.”

After months of anticipation, stress and hard work, the day each student opened their admissions decision had finally come. With somewhat low expectations, Macedo was surprised to read “Congratulations” on his computer screen.

“After receiving the decision, it felt like a wave washed over me and took all the bad feelings with it — the worry, the stress, the fear, the anxiety,” Macedo said. “It was a relief knowing that all my hard work paid off and that Cornell was able to see this hard work.”

As a recruited athlete, Fitzpatrick plans to join the Men’s Heavyweight Rowing team in the fall. While his application process may have been different than the average prospective student, he still felt a sense of relief and pride upon receiving his acceptance. 

“I realized that my goal of rowing in college and attending a top-tier university was no longer just a goal, but a reality,” Fitzpatrick said. “There is no place I would rather be to realize this goal than at Cornell.”

Admitted students can connect to the Cornell community throughout the month of April through both virtual events and on-campus Cornell Days. Each has until May 1 to accept Cornell’s admission offer. 

As another college admissions cycle wraps up the school year, the incoming Class of 2027 anticipates an exciting college experience. Current students look forward to welcoming them to Ithaca in the fall. 

“Be in the moment, don’t think about college until the summer and just enjoy yourself,” Jacobson said as a recommendation to recently admitted students. “Congratulations, you made it to Cornell.” 

https://cornellsun.com/2023/03/31/nearly-5000-students-admitted-into-cornell-for-class-of-2027/