NYU Admits its Most Diverse Freshman Class

In a year in which NYU broke the 100,000 applications barrier for its campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai (an increase of some 15,000 applicants from the prior year), NYU today notified applicants to NYU's Class of 2025 of their admission decision. At its New York campus 12.8% of applicants were admitted—a record for NYU.

The New York campus’ admittees are notable for their record levels of diversity: 29% of admittees were under-represented students; 20% of admittees are first generation college-goers; 20% of admittees are Pell-eligible; and 19% of admittees are international students. Those admitted to NYU’s Class of 2025 come from 102 countries, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia.

NYU President Andrew Hamilton said, “In the most unusual year in higher education in living memory, one in which all the traditions of the admissions process—standardized tests, campus visits, get-togethers at high schools around the country—were turned on their head, we have nonetheless had an exceptional outcome: an unprecedentedly diverse class of outstandingly talented young people. We couldn’t be more proud to offer them admission to NYU. And, barring something unforeseen, the arrival of these freshmen will be accompanied by the full restoration of in-person classes and what we hope will be the reestablishment of the full range of campus activities. Given the challenges these students faced during their junior and senior years in high school, we are pleased that they will join our University community on a very much more positive footing. Amidst the recovery of the normal rhythms of campus life that will occur next fall, we shall be very glad to welcome the Class of 2025.

“And while these wonderful students are certainly the stars of today’s happy announcement, I cannot let the opportunity pass without noting the exceptional efforts of our Enrollment Management and Admissions teams, who not only had to turn on a dime and find entirely new ways to recruit a freshman class, but who also found a superb class for us among more than 100,000 applications from high school seniors from around the world, each of whom they sought to treat with well-deserved dignity and seriousness. It was an enormous undertaking.”

The acceptance rate for the Class of 2025—12.8%—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: 1540. The acceptance rate for three of NYU’s undergraduate colleges was 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 2021 across all NYU campuses.