This guide explains how to get into Yale University, its selectivity, deadlines, academic benchmarks, and strategic tips to stand out as an applicant.
If you’re just here for the requirements, click here.
Yale University has an acceptance rate of 3.87%. The Common Data Set (CDS), a standardized report sharing admissions details, reports that 57,517 students applied to the most recent admissions cycle, and only 2,227 applicants were admitted.
Here’s a closer look at Yale’s acceptance rates over the past five years:
| Year | Number of Applicants | Number of Accepted Students | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025 | 57,517 | 2,227 | 3.87% |
| 2023-2024 | 51,803 | 2,332 | 4.50% |
| 2022-2023 | 50,060 | 2,289 | 4.57% |
| 2021-2022 | 47,240 | 2,509 | 5.31% |
Over the past five years, Yale’s acceptance rate dropped from 5.31% in 2021 to 3.87% in 2025. During the same period, the number of applicants increased by about 21%, rising from 47,240 to 57,517.
On average, Yale admitted 4.36% of applicants across these five years. In other words, roughly 96 out of every 100 applicants were denied.
Together, these trends highlight a sharp increase in competition for a spot at Yale, with both application numbers rising and acceptance rates falling.
Yale’s Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA) program has an acceptance rate of 10.8%. Out of 6,729 SCEA applicants, 728 were admitted to the Class of 2029. The SCEA program is non-binding but exclusive, meaning you can’t apply early to other private institutions.
If Yale is your clear top choice and you have a strong academic record early in your senior year, applying SCEA can slightly increase your chances of admission.
Yale is very difficult to get into. With an acceptance rate of 3.87%, Yale turns away more than 96% of its applicants. For every 100 students who apply, fewer than 4 are admitted.
Take our data-driven quiz to get a clearer understanding of your chances of getting into Yale!
Here are the GPA and SAT/ACT scores to aim for to get into Yale.
The recommended GPA to get into Yale University is a 4.0. While Yale doesn’t share any GPA data from its admitted students, aiming for a perfect GPA will ensure you’re considered a competitive applicant.
Yale’s median SAT score is 1530. According to the CDS, students admitted to the 2024-2025 admissions cycle had a middle 50% SAT range of 1480 to 1560. To stand out, you should aim for a 1560 or higher.
If you score 1560 or higher, you place at or above the 75th percentile of admitted students. Statistically, this means your score would be higher than at least 75% of students Yale admitted, positioning you among the most competitive applicants in terms of standardized testing.
The median ACT score of the 2024 first-year class was 34. The CDS states that 50% of admitted students had scores as low as 34 and as high as 35. Scoring a 35-36 will place you within Yale’s most competitive ACT range.
For context, the national average ACT score is 19.4. This means you’ll need to score 15.6 points above the national average to be within Yale’s most competitive range. Only about 1% of all ACT test-takers score a 35 or higher, which highlights just how exceptional Yale’s applicant pool is.
Yale University looks for applicants who demonstrate academic excellence, personal authenticity, and demonstrated impact.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the factors Yale evaluates:
As stated in the CDS, Yale marks Rigor of Secondary School Record, Class Rank, Academic GPA, the Application Essay, and Recommendation(s) as ‘Very Important’ in the admissions process. Standardized Test Scores are also ‘Considered’ by the admissions committee.
| Academic Factors | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of Secondary School Record | x | |||
| Class Rank | x | |||
| Academic GPA | x | |||
| Standardized Test Scores | x | |||
| Application Essay | x | |||
| Recommendation(s) | x |
At Yale University, nearly 79% of grades earned by current students fall within the A range. This means that once students are admitted, they are expected to perform at a consistently high academic level in a demanding environment.
Because Yale looks for students who can meet these high standards, the admissions committee places significant emphasis on your academic record. According to Yale’s Common Data Set, Rigor of Secondary School Record, Academic GPA, and Class Rank are all rated as ‘Very Important’ factors in the admissions process.
The committee closely reviews the difficulty of your coursework, your grades, and how you performed compared to your classmates. Class rank is a particularly telling metric. Among Yale’s Class of 2028, 96% were in the top 10% of their high school class, 99% were in the top 25%, and 100% were in the top 50%.
These numbers prove that Yale admits students who are already performing like the high achievers currently attending the university. Yale is looking for applicants who have not only challenged themselves with the most rigorous courses available but have also earned top grades compared to their peers.
If you want to stand out in Yale’s admissions process, your academic record should reflect both a demanding course load and performance near the top of your class.
The CDS marks Extracurricular Activities, Talent/Ability, and Character/Personal Qualities as ‘Very Important’ to the Yale admissions committee. The Interview, First-Generation status, Alumni/ae Relations, Geographic Residence, State Residency, Volunteer Work, and Work Experience are maked as ‘Considered’ in the evaluation process.
Religious Affiliation/Commitment and the Level of an Applicant’s Interest are ‘Not Considered’ in the admissions process.
| Non-Academic Factors | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interview | x | |||
| Extracurricular Activities | x | |||
| Talent/Ability | x | |||
| Character/Personal Qualities | x | |||
| First Generation | x | |||
| Alumni/ae Relation | x | |||
| Geographical Residence | x | |||
| State Residency | x | |||
| Religious Affiliation/Commitment | x | |||
| Volunteer Work | x | |||
| Work Experience | x | |||
| Level of Applicant’s Interest | x |
Since Yale considers extracurriculars to be ‘Very Important’, here’s some advice from Associate Director of Yale University’s Admissions Moira Poe, as shared in her Admissions Advice video:
“There’s no one right answer or list... You should pursue the activities that bring you the most joy... If that activity isn't meaningful to you, including it will only add clutter... Try to identify the activities where you will have the greatest impact... We will place more weight on the contributions you've made to your activities than just your simple participation in them or particular awards that you may have won.”
Poe makes it clear that Yale isn't looking for a resume packed with generic or trendy activities. Instead, they want to see where you chose to invest your time and why.
For applicants, this means showing depth over breadth and highlighting a few significant commitments where you made a difference rather than showing a long list of casual involvement. You should worry less about how many extracurriculars you have on your application and more about what impact you had in them.
Whether you’ve led a school initiative, launched a project, or committed years to an organization you care about, Yale values the impact you've made and how that experience has shaped you.
As mentioned in the CDS, Character/Personal Qualities are ‘Very Important’ in the application review process. In particular, admissions officers are looking for evidence of initiative, leadership, and genuine passion.
Also, don’t overlook real-life responsibilities outside of school. As Poe explains:
“If you have spent a significant amount of time working either during the school year or the summer, be sure to include it... And if you devote a significant amount of time caring for family members, include that too... Context is important when we are reading your activities list... We won’t know something if you don’t tell us.”
Yale understands that not all students have the same access to traditional extracurriculars and values responsibility in all its forms. Jobs, caregiving, and family commitments matter just as much as clubs or sports. In some cases, these obligations matter even more as they show maturity, discipline, and strength of character.
To stand out, use your activities list, essays, and additional information section to highlight how you’ve shown initiative, responsibility, and character. Sharing these experiences gives Yale a fuller picture of who you are and helps show that you not only meet their academic standards but also reflect the personal qualities they look for in students.
The ideal applicant at Yale is ambitious, intellectually curious, service-oriented, and eager to push themselves beyond their comfort zone.
Here’s a closer look at exactly what Yale says they look for in applicants, what it means, and how to show it in your application.
| What Yale Says | What It Means (In Plain Terms) | How to Demonstrate It | Where to Show It |
|---|---|---|---|
| We look for students likely to make the most of Yale’s resources. | Yale wants students who will take advantage of everything on campus: professors, clubs, research, and more, instead of coasting through. | Show you’ve already sought out opportunities in and outside of your own classroom and make specific reference to Yale resources you’re excited about. | Activities section, essays, teacher/counselor recommendations |
| We seek those with a zest to stretch their talents and concern for something larger than themselves. | They want students who try hard, keep improving, and care about helping others. | Talk about how you’ve grown over time, challenged yourself, and made a real difference in your school or community. | Essays, activities, recommendations |
| The single most important document is your high school transcript. | Your grades and course choices matter most, especially how hard your classes were and how well you did in them. | Take tough classes (AP, IB, honors) when available and do well in them. Consistency and upward grade trends help too. | Transcript, school report |
| No score cutoffs—test scores are evaluated in context. | Your SAT or ACT score is looked at alongside everything else, like the courses you took and how good your grades are. A lower score won’t automatically hurt you. | If your test scores reflect your academic strengths, submit them. If not, Yale won’t penalize you if the rest of your application is strong. | Test score report (if submitted), transcript |
| Teacher and counselor recommendations help bring your application to life. | Yale wants to know what you're like in real life: how you think, work, and interact with others. | Choose teachers who know you well and can describe your curiosity, work ethic, and character in detail. | Recommendation letters |
| We encourage you to write honestly, in your own voice. | Don’t try to sound overly polished or write what you think admissions wants to hear. | Write about what truly matters to you, like your interests, values, challenges, and personality. Use your natural tone. | Personal statement, Yale supplemental essays |
| We evaluate how you used the opportunities available to you. | Yale won’t compare you to students from different schools; they’ll compare what you did with what you had access to. | Explain your academic and non-academic offerings and show that you made the most of them, whether that’s taking AP classes, starting a club, or working part-time. | Additional info section, recommendations, activities list |
| We look for future leaders across all fields. | Yale is interested in students who take initiative, influence others, and have long-term goals. | Share moments where you led a group, took responsibility, or created something meaningful, inside or outside of school. | Activities list, essays, recommendations |
| We want applicants with the desire and ability to stretch their limits. | Yale values drive and a growth mindset. They want students who push themselves because they want to grow. | Talk about times you took on something hard, kept at it even when it was tough, and came out stronger. | Essays, activities, interviews |
Here’s a sample profile of a successful Yale applicant interested in majoring in English might look like:
| Quality/Trait Valued by Yale | How the Successful Applicant Shows It |
|---|---|
| Likely to make the most of Yale’s resources | In her essays, she expresses excitement about the Creative Writing Concentration, Directed Studies, and the Yale Literary Magazine |
| Shows a zest to stretch their talents and concern for something larger than themself | Co-founded a reading program for underserved elementary schools |
| Presents a strong high school transcript | Holds a 3.98 GPA with top grades in all honors and AP courses available, including AP English Literature and AP US History. |
| Secured recommendations that help bring the application to life | Submits one letter from her English teacher, who says she “reads like a critic and writes like a poet,” and another from her history teacher, who calls her “one of the most intellectually curious students” he’s taught |
| Writes honestly and authentically | She writes using language that feels natural to her |
| Used the opportunities available to them | Founded her school’s first online literary journal after noticing a lack of creative writing outlets |
| Offers evidence of being a future leader | In her personal statement, she shares that she successfully pushed for contemporary writers of color to be included in the AP English class reading list in her essay |
| Demonstrated desire and ability to stretch her limits | In her personal statement, she explains joining the debate team despite her anxiety around public speaking and her success placing in the regional tournaments |
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of Yale’s admission requirements, deadlines, and other important details.
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| Common Application | Accepted |
| Coalition Application | Accepted |
| Essays and Personal Statement | Required |
| Letters of Recommendation | 3 |
| Interview | Optional |
| Application Fee (2025) | $80 |
| Fee Waiver Available? | Available |
| Other Notes | Students may also apply through QuestBridge |
Yale has no set course requirements for any of its majors. However, they expect students to take a balanced and challenging course load, including English, science, math, social studies, and a foreign language each year if available.
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| SAT or ACT | Not required |
| Scores Due in the Office | November 20, 2024 (early action); March 15, 2025 (regular admission) |
| Requirements | Offered? | Deadline | Notification Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Admission | Yes | January 2, 2025 | April 1, 2025 |
| Early Action | Yes | November 1, 2024 | December 15, 2024 |
| Early Decision | No | N/a | N/a |
Yes, Yale does accept transfer credits in some cases. The Transfer Admissions Committee carefully reviews each applicant’s postsecondary coursework to determine if credits are eligible for transfer. Be sure to review Yale’s full transfer eligibility criteria to see if you qualify.
Yes, you can potentially still get into Yale with a 3.5 GPA. While most admitted students have GPAs closer to 4.0, you may still have a chance with a 3.5 if the rest of your academic profile is strong. A high ACT score (like a 35), a strong SAT (around 1560), excellent letters of recommendation, and well-written essays can help.
Yale also values course rigor; it’s better to have a lower GPA in challenging courses than a perfect GPA in easier ones.
Yes, Yale offers interviews, but they are not required. Due to limited capacity, interviews are prioritized for applicants the admissions committee would like to learn more about. Not being invited to interview will not hurt your admission chances.
If you are offered an interview, you should accept. Interviews are both evaluative and informative, providing more insight into who you are and what you might bring to the Yale community.
Getting into Yale is competitive but not impossible. A thoughtful, intentional application that reflects your true strengths and values can set you apart. Our Yale admissions consultants help students every step of the way, from essay coaching to extracurricular activity review and final application polishing.
Schedule a free consultation today and let us help you craft the strongest Yale application possible.
