How to Get Into NYU: Acceptance Rate and Strategies (2024)

NYU has a reputation for world-class academics with an international flair. In fact, the 29,000+ undergraduates situated in Greenwich Village include the highest number of international students of any school in the U.S. as well as the greatest number of students who elect to study abroad as part of the college experience. It’s no wonder that between 1991 and 2000, applications to NYU rose 300% and the acceptance rate declined from 65% to 29%. The Class of 2028 acceptance rate hit an all-time low; NYU is now among the nation’s most selective institutions. Given that the process of gaining acceptance into NYU becomes increasingly challenging with each passing year, this blog is designed to deepen your understanding of the following topics:

• NYU’s acceptance rate for the Class of 2028
• NYU ED acceptance rate
• SAT, ACT, GPA, and class rank of accepted NYU applicants
• Admissions trends
• The demographics of current NYU undergraduates
• Yield rate
• How NYU’s admissions officers evaluate candidates
• Tips for applying to NYU
• How to approach the NYU supplemental essay
• How to assess whether applying to NYU is even worth the $80 application fee (for you)
• Whether NYU is transfer-friendly

Let’s begin with an examination of the most recent admissions data.

NYU Acceptance Rate – Class of 2028

The school received almost 118,000 applications for the Class of 2028. Moreover, the NYU acceptance rate was 8%, an all-time low for the university.

Historical NYU acceptance rates reveal a sharp decline in recent years:

For further perspective, in 2015, the acceptance rate was 31%.

NYU Acceptance Rate by School/College

According to a recent press release regarding the incoming Class of 2028, three of NYU’s undergraduate schools accepted less than 5% of applicants. While it doesn’t specify which schools these are, a similar statement was made in both 2023 and 2022. In 2022, the three schools accepting the fewest applicants were:

• College of Arts and Sciences (7%)
• Stern School of Business (7%)
• Rory Meyers College of Nursing (3%)

NYU Tisch Acceptance Rate:

NYU does not publish an official Tisch acceptance rate. However, it is understood to be fairly consistent with the overall acceptance rate at NYU.

NYU Stern Acceptance Rate:

According to the most recent official statistics, the NYU Stern acceptance rate is 4.8%. Based on statements made by the University, we believe that this held true for the Class of 2028 as well.

NYU ED Acceptance Rate

While the university is rather secretive about ED I and ED II acceptance rates, the most recent available data suggests that those who apply ED have approximately 2-3 times the acceptance rate of those who apply in the regular round.

Notably, this past cycle, NYU received the largest number of ED applications ever: over 22,000. Moreover, there has been a 56% increase in ED applications over the past five years.

What GPA do you need to get into NYU?

Among enrolled 2023-24 first-year students, the average GPA was 3.81.

23% of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or above, while 48% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. Moreover, 23% of students had a GPA between 3.5 and 3.74.

While you’ll want to aim for as high of a GPA as possible, you’ll fare best if your GPA is at least 3.5.

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

For the Class of 2027, “most” students (university’s phrasing) placed in the top 10% of their graduating classes.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for NYU?

According to the most recent statistics available, the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled freshmen was 1470-1570, and the mid-50% ACT range was 33-35.

Admissions Trends & Notes – Class of 2028

• 60% of applications were from students who attended public high schools.
• NYU received 9,000 applications from students who worked with college access nonprofits like OppNet and Bottom Line.
• 20% of those invited to join the 2024-25 freshman class were first-generation students.
• Students from 49 U.S. states (all but North Dakota) and 103 countries were offered a place in the Class of 2028.
• 1,000 students are from NYC public schools.

Demographics

Let’s look at the demographics of current undergraduates:

Geographically, current students include the following:

• 50 U.S. states were represented.
• Freshmen hailed from 86 countries around the globe.

Historically, the following states send the most undergraduates to the University:

1. New York
2. California
3. New Jersey
4. Florida
5. Massachusetts
6. Pennsylvania
7. Texas
8. Illinois
9. Maryland
10. Connecticut

NYU Acceptance Rate — Continued

As with all selective colleges, those from lower-populated, more remote areas of the country (e.g. Wyoming, South Dakota, Idaho) enjoy a boost to their admissions prospects.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the students is as follows:

• Asian American: 19%
• Hispanic: 22%
• African American: 12%
• International: 22%
• White: 22%

A look at the breakdown by gender of all current undergraduate students reveals an equal percentage of men and women:

• Male: 50%
• Female: 50%

Yield Rate

NYU’s yield rate was 54% last year, five points higher than the previous year. For comparison, schools like Stanford and Harvard are typically over 80%, and the University of Chicago, MIT, and Yale all sport 70%+ yield rates. NYU usually finishes in the company of schools like Vanderbilt, Rice, and Carnegie Mellon.

How NYU Rates Applicants

There are five factors that NYU ranks as being “very important” to their admissions process: 1) rigor of secondary school record, 2) GPA, 3) recommendations, 4) essays, and 5) character/personal qualities. The sole factor rated as “important” is standardized test scores. NYU merely “considers”: extracurricular activities, talent/ability, first-generation status, geographical residence, volunteer experience, work experience, and the level of an applicant’s interest.

NYU Acceptance Rate — Continued

As for what NYU is looking for in its future students, the admissions office states that “NYU students are future Oscar winners, budding entrepreneurs, and ground-breaking scientists.” If you aren’t destined for worldwide fame, fear not—NYU is looking to put together a genuinely diverse class with a wide array of skills and experiences. In their own words: “There are no formulas to making admissions decisions; NYU seeks a mix of students who have a variety of interests, talents, and goals.”

Tips for Applying

If you plan on joining the 120,000 NYU hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• NYU only offers interviews for applicants to the Tisch School of the Arts. These interviews are held in person, in New York. For advice on what types of questions you should be prepared to answer/ask, visit our blog—College Interview Tips.
• NYU does consider “demonstrated interest” so it is important to make contact with the admissions office, connect through social media, and visit campus or meet NYU reps at college fairs near you.
• Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essay required by NYU. In the 2023-24 cycle, there was only one (brand-new) prompt, but it’s an important one!

The Supplemental essay prompt is as follows:

We are looking for peacemakers, changemakers, global citizens, boundary breakers, creatives and innovators – Choose one quote from the following and let us know why it inspires you; or share a short quote and person not on our list who inspires you, and include why. (250 words)

• “We’re used to people telling us there are no solutions, and then creating our own. So we did what we do best. We reached out to each other, and to our allies, and we mobilized across communities to make change, to benefit and include everyone in society.” Judith Heuman, 2022 NYU Commencement Address
• “I encourage your discomfort, that you must contribute, that you must make your voice heard. That is the essence of good citizenship.” Sherilynn Ifill, 2015 NYU Commencement Address
• “If you know how to fly but you never knew how to walk, wouldn’t that be sad?” Lang Lang, 2015 NYU Honorary Degree Recipient
• “You have the right to want things and to want things to change.” Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister of Finland, 2023 NYU Commencement Address
• “It’s hard to fight when the fight ain’t fair.” Taylor Swift, Change, Released 2008, 2022 NYU Commencement Speaker
• Share a short quote and person not on this list, and why the quote inspires you.

For a detailed look at how to tackle this essay, visit our blog entitled:NYU Supplemental Essay Prompt and Tips.

Should I Apply to NYU?

While the university grows more competitive each year, it continues to seek a highly diverse student body with a healthy percentage of first-generation, underrepresented minority, and low-income students. If none of these categories apply to you, you will likely need to possess SAT scores and grades closer to the 75th percentile of all enrolled students. Applying early decision (ED I or ED II) can definitely give you an edge if you find yourself “on the cusp” from an admissions standpoint. Due to a lower yield rate than the Ivy League and many other elite schools, NYU is happy to lock down stellar applicants via the early rounds.

Do I have a better chance of acceptance as a transfer student?

You do. The NYU acceptance rate for transfers is much higher than it is for freshmen. For students entering the university in 2023, 3,930 students were accepted out of 10,573 applicants, meaning that the transfer acceptance rate is a solid 37%. That said, it does fluctuate. Here is a sampling of past transfer acceptance rates:

Read more about the NYU transfer rate and requirements here.

NYU Acceptance Rate — Final Thoughts

All college-bound teens need to make sure that they formulate anappropriate college list, containing a complement of “target” and “safety” schools. You’ll definitely want to do this in conjunction with an admissions professional (including your own high school counselor).

Looking for additional resources? Try starting with the following:

• 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