Updated February 25, 2025

New York University – Acceptance Rate and Statistics

What is attending NYU like?

NYU might be unique in having almost as many fictional alumni as real ones: from Gossip Girl’s Dan Humphrey, Lady Bird’s Christine, and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’s Lara Jean Covey to Lady Gaga, Donald Glover, Jack Dorsey, Maggie Rogers, and Amal Clooney, the list of notable NYU alums is incredibly long.

These alums are accomplished in a variety of diverse fields, from activism to acting. On NYU’s campus, students’ interests and achievements are just as varied. NYU is known for having independent students who know what they want and how to go after it — you’ll be surrounded by peers who are just as ambitious as you, and professors who are there to help you on your academic and life journey.

There are ten undergraduate schools at NYU, including the College of Arts & Science, Gallatin School, Steinhardt School, Stern School of Business, Tandon School of Engineering, and Tisch School of the Arts.

While you might not have a traditional college experience (there’s no game day Saturday in Manhattan), you can connect with students through the over 300 campus clubs — from Breakdance Club to Saxophone Orchestra.

NYU is built right into New York City, without a true campus. As they say on their site, “the city is your campus.” Going to NYU allows you to fully immerse yourself in city life — and in a city like New York, the possibilities are endless: you can go to a Yankees game, immerse yourself in a Broadway show, go shopping in SoHo, or explore the hundreds of years of history in New York’s many museums.

NYU is known for being fully immersed in New York City life.

New York University 2023-2024 Admissions Data

New York University Admissions Statistics

NYU has an increasingly competitive admission process — the acceptance rate was cut in half in the last few years — from 21% for the class of 2024 to just 8% for the class of 2028. If you’d like to apply, you can choose from the Early Decision I, Early Decision II, or Regular Decision deadlines.

Note that NYU’s Early Decision cycle is binding — meaning you’ll be required to attend if you receive an offer of admission.

2023-2024 New York University (Class of 2028) Acceptance Rate

Admission Cycle	Number of applicants	Number admitted	Acceptance rate
All Applicants	118,000	9,440	8%

New York University Acceptance Rate History

Year	Number of applicants	Number admitted	Acceptance rate
2023-2024 (Class of 2028)	118,000	9,440	8%
2022-2023 (Class of 2027)	113,578	10,693	9.4%
2021-2022 (Class of 2026)	100,662	12,539	12.5%
2020-2021 (Class of 2025)	95,517	12,380	13%
2019-2020 (Class of 2024)	80,210	16,918	21.1%

NYU Class of 2028 Middle 50% score range of admitted students (25th and 75th percentiles)*

SAT Composite	1480-1520
SAT Math	760-780
SAT ERW	720-750
ACT Composite	33-34

*What does this mean? The middle 50% score range refers to students from the 25th to the 75th percentile of admitted students. So if 100 students were admitted and we ranked their SAT scores from lowest to highest, we’d be looking at 50 students’ stats (from student 25 through student 75).

What is NYU looking for?

NYU’s admissions site offers step-by-step instructions to applying as a first-year student. While they don’t offer much specific information about what exactly they’re looking for, NYU’s site explains that they consider these attributes:

Academic experiences
Personal experiences
Academic qualifications
Extracurricular accomplishments
Work experience
Letters of recommendation
Essays
Life experiences

You can demonstrate your unique perspective through your essays, academic profile, letters of recommendation, and activities.

Other colleges you may be interested in:

College Name	Number of applicants (Class of 2028)	Number admitted (Class of 2028)	Acceptance rate (Class of 2028)
Columbia University	60,248	2,319	3.9%
Yale University	57,465	2,146	3.7%
Barnard College	11,836	1,045	8.8%

PrepMaven can help you in the admissions process

Wondering how to get into New York University? PrepMaven can help you along the way. Whether you’re looking to boost your test scores, write a killer personal statement, or improve your GPA, we can be a helpful resource. With tutors who are graduates of top universities, valedictorians, National Merit Finalists, and National AP Scholars, we’re here to help you no matter what step you’re at in the admissions process.

Give us a call at 609-945-2264 or fill out our website form to learn how our flexible packages can work for you.

Alexis

Alexis is a tutor, writer, and producer. She graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. As a tutor, she loves to help students explore their unique stories and share their personal journeys through impactful essay writing.

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NYU - Acceptance Rate and Statistics