Princeton admits record-low 8.18 percent of applicants to Class of 2014

The University has admitted a record-low 8.18 percent of the 26,247 applicants to the Class of 2014, making this year’s admission process the most selective in University history.

Only 2,148 students were offered admission, as the University experienced a 19.5 percent increase in applicants from the 21,963 students who applied for the Class of 2013.

Last year, the University admitted 9.94 percent of applicants to the Class of 2013, while a previous record-low 9.25 percent of applicants were admitted to the Class of 2012.

The University placed 1,451 students on its wait list, though Dean of Admission Janet Rapelye said in an interview that she expects only roughly half to choose to stay on the list.

Rapelye attributed this year’s record-low admission rate to the University’s more aggressive marketing strategies.

“We did more outreach through [the] College Board’s Search program,” she said. “We also decreased the number of [required] SAT subject test from three to two and allowed students to use College Board’s score choice.”

For the second consecutive year, the target size for this year’s class will be 1,300 students, the “steady state” the University has instituted after a five-year plan to increase class size.

"The expansion of the freshman class has allowed us to offer this splendid education to more students," Rapelye said in the release.

Students admitted to the Class of 2014, half of whom are male and half of whom are female, hail from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and 64 countries. More than 9,280 applicants had GPAs of 4.0, while roughly 13,650 had a combined score of 2100 or higher on the three sections of the SAT.

Of the accepted students, 9.4 percent self-identify as African-American, 21.5 percent as Asian American, 10 percent as Hispanic or Latino and 4.4 percent as multi-ethnic.

The University expects that roughly 60 percent of the class will receive need-based financial aid. The average grant is expected to be more than $36,000. The scholarship budget will increase nine percent this year, from $103 million to $112 million, to accommodate the increased need.

"We're mindful that many families are still struggling, even with the recent signs of economic recovery," Rapelye said in the press release. "The fact that we can help support families and students in their aspirations for higher education with our financial aid program is something we value at the highest levels.”

Rapelye said that this year’s pool of B.S.E. students was “particularly strong.” Students planning to pursue B.S.E. degrees rose to 19 percent from 17 percent last year.

Twenty students will defer admission for a year to participate in the Bridge Year Program, a nine-month study abroad and community service program that began last year.

Acceptance letters were mailed on Thursday and were available online beginning at 5 pm.

“We were pleasantly surprised with what an amazing pool we had this year," Rapelye said. "We didn’t expect the pool to grow so much but we had a really staggering volume of applications. This year’s class was large, deep, broad, and strong.”

The University’s admission results follow this year’s trend in decreasing admission rates at the nation’s most selective schools, which have admitted applicants at either a lower or constant rate. Harvard reported a 6.91 percent admit rate, down from 7 percent last year, while Stanford’s admission rate dropped from 7.5 to 7.2 percent. Yale retained a 7.5 percent admit rate.