If you are applying to Princeton, the deadline for Fall 2023 admissions is January 1 and the fee for the application is $70.
Students who submit their applications to Princeton for fall semester should hear back from Princeton by March 31.
The following is an overiew of some of Princeton's admissions stats.
Princeton 2022 | Admissions Statistics |
---|---|
Mean Unweighted GPA | 3.9 |
Mean SAT Score | 1501 |
Admissions Test Policy | Test Optional |
Waitlist | Yes |
These are the application deadlines for Princeton University.
Application Type | Offered | Application Deadline | Notification Deadline |
---|---|---|---|
Early Decision I | No | –– | –– |
Early Decision II | –– | –– | –– |
Early Action | Yes | November 1 | December 15 |
Regular Decision | Yes | January 1 | March 31 |
Princeton does not offer early decision but does offer early action.
🗓️ The Early Action deadline is November 1. Princeton will release EA admissions decisions no later than December 15.
➡️ Explore a list of some competetive colleges that accept significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.
For more information on transferring to Princeton University, contact the school directly.
In 2022, Princeton waitlisted 1,265 students and 1,000 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 150 eventually received an admissions offer.
Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are are most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that put the most emphasis on the admissions factors where you're strong.
Curious about the factors that are considered by Princeton during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.
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 |
Make sure to check with Princeton for more information on admission factors.
To apply to Princeton, all applicants must submit the following items. Check with Princeton's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.
Area | Required | Recommended | Required for Some | Details (If Any) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Interview | ||||
Transcript(S) of College Record | ||||
Standardized Test Scores | ||||
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S) | ||||
Written Essay or Personal Statement | √ | |||
Letter(s) of Recommendation | √ | |||
Transcript of High School Record | √ |
Students admitted to Princeton have an average unweighted GPA of 3.9.
About GPAs
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. 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.
Princeton looks at standardized tests scores during the admissions process.
Princeton is test optional. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.
To be competitive with other Princeton applicants, you should strive to score between 1470 and 1560 (or higher!) on the SAT. At Princeton 25% of admitted students scored higher than 1560 and 25% of scored lower than 1470, but the majority of students scored somewhere in between these two numbers.The mean composite SAT score for a Princeton student is 1501.
On the SAT Math Section, 25% of Princeton students scored 800 or higher and 75% of students scored 720 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 720 or higher.
To be most competitive at Princeton, you should strive to earn between 33 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 33 on the ACT is the 25th percentile for Princeton students. Only one out of every four students scored below 33.
Want To Bring Up Your ACT Score? Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.
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
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?
❌ No, Princeton is test optional, so it's up to you if you want to submit test scores or not. If you have higher than average scores, you may want to send them. If you scored lower than a school's average, you it might make sense to leave them out of your application.
What is Princeton's acceptance rate?
✅ The acceptance rate for Princeton is 4%.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Princeton?
❌ Princeton does not offer early decision.
Choose one of the options below to find out more about about Princeton:
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Admission Difficulty
First-Year Applications are Due
Transfer Applications are Due
The deadline for Fall first-year applications to Princeton is Jan 1.
The deadline for Fall transfer applications to Princeton is Mar 1.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
ACT Range
ACT Score
Estimated Chance
35 and Above
33 to 35
33 and Less
The median ACT score of an admitted student to Princeton is 34. Students with an ACT score of 35 and above have a good chance of getting into Princeton. Students with an ACT score that falls between 33 and 35 have an average chance of getting admitted, and students with an ACT score of 33 or below have a low chance of being offered admission.
Composite SAT Range
Math SAT Range
Reading SAT Range
SAT Score
Estimated Chance
1560 and Above
1470 to 1560
1470 and Less
The median SAT score for Princeton students is 1501. Applicants with SAT scores of 1560 and above have a good chance of being admitted to Princeton, while applicants with SAT scores between 1470 to 1560 have an average chance of admittance, and prospective students with an SAT score below 1470 have a low chance of being offered a spot at Princeton.
Avg. High School GPA (non-weighted)
At Princeton, the average unweighted high-school GPA for admitted students is 3.93. This is the average, which means that some applicants submit GPAs lower than this and some applicants submit GPAs above this level. If your GPA falls below the average, strong test scores or other qualifications may help you make you a more competitive applicant.
Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
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