Lukas Flippo, Photo Editor
Yale College admitted 2,169 students to the class of 2025 from its largest-ever pool of 46,905 applicants, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions announced on Tuesday.
The number of admitted students represents 4.62 percent of applicants for both early action and regular decision. This number is the lowest in recent years — down significantly from the 6.54 percent of students admitted to the class of 2024, 5.91 percent of students admitted to the class of 2023 and 6.31 percent of students admitted to the class of 2022. The record-breaking applicant pool represents a 33 percent increase from the 35,220 students who applied during the 2019-20 admissions cycle.
Students admitted to the class of 2025 represent all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and 72 countries. Their admission marks the culmination of an application cycle that took place entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring a heavy reliance on virtual outreach and Yale’s first-ever test-optional admissions cycle.
“The young people we met through the application process have experienced an unbelievable amount of change, disruption, and hardship this past year,” Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid Jeremiah Quinlan wrote in a press release. “But their resilience, leadership, service to their families and others, and commitment to their academic pursuits have been truly remarkable. Our newest students will bring an extraordinary range of experiences and identities, insights and ambitions, talents and intelligences to Yale.”
Yale also offered a spot on the waiting list to 1,030 applicants this year, according to Mark Dunn, director of outreach and communications at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. 41,599 applicants were denied admission, and 2,107 applications were either incomplete or withdrawn.
Those admitted to the class of 2025 will be joined by an additional 336 students who were originally admitted to the class of 2024 but chose to postpone their matriculation for one year.
Approximately 20 percent of the class of 2024 elected to defer admissions for a year and join the class of 2025 — a significant increase from the 3 to 4 percent of students who typically elect to take a gap year prior to matriculation. Despite this increase, the admissions office did not extend fewer offers of admissions to those who applied during the 2020-21 cycle.
“I am very grateful to the University leaders who approved our plan to offer admission to the same number of students this cycle as in a typical year,” Quinlan said.
In early December, Yale admitted 72 students through QuestBridge National College Match — a nonprofit organization that matches low-income students with selective colleges and universities. In mid-December, Yale offered admission to 837 students out of a record-high 7,939 early action applicants.
In the regular decision round of applications, for which decisions were released Tuesday, Yale admitted 1,332 students out of a pool of 38,966 applicants, marking a 3.42 percent regular acceptance rate.
Despite the significant increase in applications this year, Yale continued to evaluate applications with the same “careful and contextual” manner as in previous years, Quinlan said. To account for the increase, admissions officers devoted more total hours to reading applications. Due to the pandemic, much of the process was conducted online rather than in person: All student interviews were virtual, and the admissions committee met virtually to deliberate application decisions.
Upon admission, students will take part in virtual recruitment activities rather than the typical on-campus Bulldog Days. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will be hosting a “Bulldog Days of April,” which will include video panels, master classes and opportunities for admitted students to connect with one another.
“There is no true substitute for visiting campus, but the spirit and warmth of the Yale community come[s] through loud and clear in every virtual event we host,” said Ashleigh Corvi, director of recruitment and senior assistant director of admissions in the press release.
Students will have until May 3 to reply to Yale’s offer of admission.
Amelia Davidson | amelia.davidson@yale.edu