NYU Admits Most Selective Class, Matches Record for Diversity

Bucking trends among many major universities, NYU had more applicants and a lower acceptance rate than last year. After evaluating more than 85,000 admissions applications for its campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai (an increase of more than 1,000 applicants over last year), NYU has as of today notified approximately 13,000 prospective students of their acceptance to NYU's Class of 2024 at its New York campus for an accept rate of 15% - a record for NYU.

The New York campus’ admitted class maintains last year’s record levels of diversity: 9 percent are African American and 18 percent are Latinx. No ethnic group makes up more than 20 percent of the total students admitted to the New York campus. First generation college students comprise 15 percent of the accepted class.

Those admitted to NYU’s Class of 2024 come from 133 countries and from 49 states.

NYU President Andrew Hamilton said, “We are thrilled by the exceptional group of students to whom we have offered admission to NYU’s Class of 2024. We hope that these acceptances are a bright moment for what has been, for many applicants, a challenging spring for high school seniors. Today’s news reminds us that as even as we necessarily grapple day-to-day with the unprecedented effects of COVID-19 throughout the education sector, it is important that we look forward: to the day when we can reassemble on campus in person, to re-establishing the normal rhythms of campus life, and to welcoming the wonderful members of the Class of 2024 to NYU. There are still many hurdles and difficult days ahead of us, no doubt, but this is a well-deserved bit of good news.”

The acceptance rate for the Class of 2024—15%—reflects steady increases in the selectivity of NYU’s first-year class. As recently as 2013, the acceptance rate was 35%. This year’s group of admitted students also had a record high median SAT score: 1500. The acceptance rate for three of NYU’s undergraduate colleges were in the single digits.

Applications increased at NYU’s Abu Dhabi and Shanghai campuses, as well as New York’s. The enrolled freshman class will number approximately 6,700 for fall 2020 across all NYU campuses—similar to last year’s.