How To Get Into Yale University: Data & Admissions Strategies

When it comes to getting accepted into Yale, the good news is that the school is enrolling more undergraduate students now than at any previous point in the university’s history. In recent years, the university expanded its undergraduate enrollment target from 5,400 to 6,200 students. The bad news is…well, just about everything else. Such is life when you are aiming to gain acceptance to a school with a sub-5% admit rate that yawns in response to 1600 SAT scores and rejects valedictorians with regularity. Since Yale seems to reach new heights of selectivity every year, you’ll want to do your homework before applying.

The best way to optimize any elite college application is to do extensive research on each school, finding an edge over your competition wherever you can. To accomplish this goal, we will touch on the following topics:

• Yale’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
• Where is Yale University?
• Is Yale an Ivy League school?
• Yale acceptance rate (SCEA) – Class of 2029
• GPA, SAT, ACT, and class rank of accepted Yale applicants
• Admissions trends at Yale
• Why being “well-rounded” won’t help you get into Yale
• How Yale admissions officers evaluate applicants
• A look at the demographics of Yale undergraduates
• The percent of accepted students that attend the university (yield rate)
• Tips for applying to Yale
• How to approach the Yale supplemental essays
• How to assess whether applying to Yale is even worth the $80 application fee (for you)

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Where is Yale University?

Yale is located in New Haven, Connecticut. New Haven is a coastal town known as the “Cultural Capital of Connecticut.” It is also one of the oldest cities in the nation and there are 15 distinct towns within the Greater New Haven area.

Is Yale an Ivy League School?

Yes, Yale is indeed an Ivy League school. It was founded in 1701, making it the third oldest university in the country. Among Ivy League institutions, only Harvard was founded at an earlier date.

Yale University Acceptance Rate – Class of 2029

There were 50,228 applications submitted for a place in the 2025-2026 freshman class. Of these applicants, 2,308 were admitted. This means that for the Class of 2029, the overall acceptance rate was just 4.5%.

A closer look at the numbers reveals an even lower regular decision rate. Though Yale hasn’t yet provided the official applicant numbers, they have revealed that their Class of 2029 regular acceptance rate was 3.65%.

The last time that Yale had a double-digit admit rate was for the Class of 2003. Back in 1995, the acceptance rate was actually 20%.

Historical (overall) Yale acceptance rates are as follows:

Applicants	Admits	Acceptance Rate
Class of 2028	57,491	2,227	3.8%
Class of 2027	51,803	2,332	4.5%
Class of 2026	50,060	2,289	4.6%
Class of 2025	47,240	2,509	5.3%

Yale University Early Action Acceptance Rate – Class of 2029

Though Yale hasn’t released the official data, Yale News reports that 6,754 students applied early action for the Class of 2029. Of those applicants, 728 were accepted, giving Yale a 10% early action acceptance rate.

What GPA do you need to get into Yale?

Yale does not report average GPA. However, based on class rank data and average GPA at comparable institutions, you’ll have the best shot at Yale with a GPA as close to 4.0 as possible.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to Yale?

Among enrolled 2024-25 first-year students, a whopping 96% hailed from the top 10% of their graduating class. 99% placed in the top quarter.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Yale?

According to Class of 2028 statistics, the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled freshmen was 1580-1560. Moreover, the mid-50% ACT scores were 33-35.

Although Yale was test-optional last year (no longer the case—more on that below), over 3/4 of enrolled students submitted test scores alongside their applications.

Admissions Trends & Notes — Class of 2028 & 2029

• Applications for the Class of 2029 decreased by 13% from the previous year.
• The Class of 2029 comes from all 50 U.S. States and 65 countries.
• Class of 2029 members attended more than 1,500 different secondary schools.
• 38 students in the Class of 2029 will be students admitted the previous year who deferred their enrollment.
• Yale’s Class of 2028 included 21% first-generation students and 25% Pell Grant recipients.
• 11% of those enrolled in the 2024-25 freshman cohort were legacies.

Be Great at One Thing, Not “Well-Rounded”

Like Princeton and Harvard, Yale University is looking for the next generation of luminaries in a variety of areas. One look at the list of notable Yale alumni and you’ll get a sense of what the university is looking for: the next wave of politicians (the Bush dynasty, Hillary Clinton), award-winning writers (Naomi Wolf, David McCullough, Tom Wolfe,), journalists (Anderson Cooper, Bob Woodward), business leaders (Stephen Schwarzman, Indra Nooyi) and actors and actresses (Claire Danes, Jodie Foster, James Franco).

Being spread thin across ten activities, even if they are all impressive, simply isn’t going to blow away the Yale admissions committee. Shining in one or two areas is key. For advice about how to stand out on the extracurricular front, check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?

How Yale Evaluates Applicants

In the words of one former Yale University President: “selecting future Yale students was a combination of looking for those who would make the most of the extraordinary resources assembled here, those with a zest to stretch the limits of their talents, and those with an outstanding public motivation.” Some elite schools tend to favor pre-professional candidates but Yale is known for placing great value on intellectual curiosity and demonstrated passion for a given pursuit. The school’s own admissions website encourages applicants to, “pursue what you love and tell us about that. Be yourself. Ask the teachers who really know you to recommend you. Apply and relax.”

Yale ranks the following categories as being “very important” to the admissions process: application essay, recommendations, extracurricular activities, rigor of secondary school record, class rank, GPA, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. No factors are rated as “important,” and interviews, standardized test scores, first-generation status, legacy status, geographic residence, state residency, volunteer work, and paid work experience are all “considered.”

In terms of extracurricular activities, it is vitally important to have some type of “hook” when applying to Yale. For example, there are 34 Division I sports teams at the university and 800+ varsity athletes. If you are a star player being heavily recruited by a coach at Yale, your chances of admission rise exponentially, particularly if you are “in range” academically. If you are less athletically inclined, perhaps you are a star orator and future member of the Yale Debate Association or possess talents as a writer, researcher, violinist, actress, activist, or entrepreneur.

Who Actually Gets Into Yale?

Let’s look at the demographics of the Class of 2028 (the latest data available).

Geographically, the Class of 2028 was comprised of students from the following areas:

• Northeast: 31%
• Mid-Atlantic: 9%
• South: 12%
• West: 16%
• Midwest: 9%
• Southwest: 7%
• Other (incl. international): 16%

Yale, like most elite schools, likes to achieve a level of geographic diversity that allows them to say they have a class member from every state. Therefore, if you hail from the Deep South or a less-populated state like Montana or Idaho, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances than if you live in New England or New York. Keep this in mind when considering Yale’s acceptance rate.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the Class of 2028 was as follows (percentages do not add up to 100% as applicants can list multiple races):

• White: 42%
• Asian American: 30%
• Hispanic: 18%
• African American: 14%
• Native American: 3%
• International: 12%

Looking at the type of high school Class of 2028 members hailed from shows the following:

• Public: 63%
• Independent Day: 20%
• Boarding: 10%
• Religious: 7%

The gender breakdown was a pretty even split:

• Male: 48%
• Female: 51%
• Nonbinary: 1%

For the Class of 2028, the top 15 intended majors were (in alphabetical order):

• Astrophysics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Computer Science
• Economics
• English
• Environmental Studies
• Ethics, Politics, & Economics
• Global Affairs
• History
• History of Science, Medicine, & Public Health
• Mechanical Engineering
• Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology
• Neuroscience
• Political Science
• Psychology

Yale’s Yield Rate

Yale’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted was 70% for the Class of 2028.  This yield rate is still one of the very highest in the country. For comparison, elite schools such as Emory, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, and Georgetown all have yield rates around (or under) 50%. Keep this in mind when considering Yale’s acceptance rate.

Tips for Applying to Yale

The 50,000+ Yale applicants should all be aware of the following:

• Yale instated a “test-flexible” requirement starting with the 2024-25 application cycle. This means that Class of 2029 hopefuls will need to submit at least one of the following: SAT, ACT, AP, or IB scores.
• An interview is not a mandatory part of the admissions process, but all applicants are encouraged to connect with an alumni interviewer whenever possible. Interviews are intended to be both informational and evaluative. SCEA interviews are scheduled prior to those for the regular round. Not everyone will receive an interview; Yale prioritizes interviews for applicants from whom they would like more information.
• For advice on what types of questions you should be prepared to answer/ask, visit our blog—College Interview Tips.
• Yale does not consider “demonstrated interest” due to their aforementioned sky-high yield rate. Therefore, you do not need to make contact with the university just for this purpose. Keep this in mind when considering Yale’s acceptance rate.
• Do everything you can to bring your application to life. This means seeking out recommenders who can speak to your passion and help your unique personality and attributes pop off the page. Essays will also be key…
• Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essays and short answers required by Yale.

Essays

1) Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above (*Note: students select up to three academic areas of interest on the application). Why are you drawn to it? (200 words)

2) Reflect on how your interests, values, and/or experiences have drawn you to Yale. (125 words)

3)  Respond to one of the following prompts (400 words):

• Reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. Why did you find the experience meaningful?
• Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like.
• Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you?

“Short Takes” (200 characters or fewer)

• What inspires you? 
• Other than a family member, who is someone who has had a significant influence on you? What has been the impact of their influence? 
• If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be?
• What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application?

For a detailed look at how to tackle these essays, visit our blog entitled: Yale University Supplemental Essay Prompts and Tips.

Should I apply to Yale?

If you are at the top of your high school class and sport exceptional standardized test scores, it is definitely worth adding Yale to your college list. Yet, no matter how bright and accomplished you are, this is one university that is a “reach” school for every single applicant. To increase your chances, you might consider applying in the Early Action round, which has an acceptance rate of about 4x that of the regular round.

Yale University Acceptance Rate — Final Thoughts

Unless you are a star athletic recruit of the progeny of a U.S. President, it’s hard to give anyone a better than 50/50 chance at earning a place in the Yale freshman class. For more information on constructing a properly balanced list of prospective colleges, consult our blog—How to Create the Perfect College List.

Ready to begin crafting your applications? Check out the following resources:

• Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
• What is Demonstrated Interest?
• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• College Fair Advice for High School Students
• How to Complete the Common App Activities List
• Common App Essay Prompts
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topic Ideas