2011 Ivy League Admissions Statistics

Ivy League Colleges	Overall Accept. Rate	Regular Decision Accept. Rate	Regular Decision Apps Accepted	Regular Decision Apps Received	Early Decision / Action Accept. Rate	Percent of Class Filled by Early Apps	Early Decision / Action Apps Received	Early Decision / Action Apps Accepted	Expected Number of Students to Enroll	Total Apps Received	Total Apps Accepted
Brown	13.5%	12.3%	2,054	16,737	22.7%	35.2%	2,307	523	1,485	19,044	2,577
Columbia	10.4%	8.5%	1,616	18,914	24.5%	44%	2,429	594	1,350	21,343	2,210
Cornell	20.5%	18.7%	5,126	27,365	36.6%	36.2%	3,017	1,103	3,050	30,382	6,229
Dartmouth	15.3%	13.8%	1,785	12,891	29.6%	35.2%	1,285	380	1,080	14,176	2,165
Harvard	9%	6.2%	1,183	18,947	21.8%	n/a*	4,008	875	1,675	22,955	2,058
Penn	15.9%	13.1%	2,450	18,633	29%	48.3%	4,001	1,160	2,400	22,634	3,610
Princeton	9.5%	7.2%	1,194	16,605	25.5%	48%	2,337	597	1,245	18,942	1,791
Yale	9.6%	7.3%	1,151	15,729	19.7%	n/a*	3,594	709	1,340	19,323	1,860

* n/a = not applicable since an Early Action policy was in place

The graph below of the 2011 Ivy League admissions statistics shows a comparison between the Early Decision / Early Action acceptance rates and the Regular Decision acceptance rates:

Brown University

For the Class of 2011, Brown University received 19,044, a record number of applications. In the Early Decision round, 2,307 candidates applied, and 523 were admitted for an admit rate of 22.7%. In the Regular Decision round, 16,737 candidates applied and 2,054 were admitted at a 12.3% admissions rate. The overall admissions rate was 13.5%. For a targeted freshmen class of 1,485, Brown filled its class by 35.2% with Early Decision applicants.

Of the admitted students, 53 percent of the class is female and 47 percent is male. Students of color made up a 41 percent of the admitted class. In terms of geographic diversity, admitted students hail from all 50 states and from 68 countries. The two states that had the most admitted students were California and New York. International students comprise 11 percent of the admitted class with the largest number of students coming from China and Hong Kong, followed by Korea, Canada, the United Kingdom and Singapore. While most high schools did not rank students, for the high schools that did report rank in class, 95% of the admitted students were in the top 10%, and 20% of the admitted class were valedictorians and salutatorians.

Shapiro, James.Brown Daily Herald. “Admission rate drops to record low of 13.5 percent.” April 3, 2007.

Columbia University

While the overall admissions rate for Columbia University was 10.4%, the overall admissions rate for Columbia College was 8.9% and the admissions rate for The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) was 18.1%. Out of 1,616 applicants who were accepted during the Regular Decision cycle at Columbia University, 1,164 were accepted to Columbia College out of a total applicant pool of 16,070, and 452 students were accepted to SEAS out of a pool of 2,844. For Regular Decision, the admissions rate was 8.5%.

During the Early Decision cycle, 44% of the Class of 2011 was accepted to both CC and SEAS. Out of the 2,429 Early Decision applications submitted, 594 students were accepted: 454 candidates were accepted to Columbia College and 140 students were accepted to SEAS. This total group of 21,343 students that applied to both Columbia’s undergraduate schools (CC and SEAS) represents an increase of 6.7% from the Class of 2010.

Students admitted to the class of 2011 represent 49 of the 50 states. The only state that is not represented is North Dakota. International students hail from 54 countries.

Roy, Niyati. Columbia Spectator. “Admissions Stats Break School Records.” March 29, 2007.

Cornell University

Cornell University’s acceptance rate for the Class of 2011 reached a record low of 20.5 percent. Cornell received a total of 30,382 applications and accepted 6,229 freshmen. An additional 3,223 candidates were waitlisted and 18,419 were denied admission. Another 2,511 applications were either incomplete or unaccounted for.

With an overall admissions rate of 20.4%, a rate of 18.7% in the Regular Decision round, and a rate of 36.6% in the Early Decision round, the admissions rate for the Class of 2011 is 4.2% lower than the Class of 2010 and 5.7% lower than the Class of 2009.

Of the admitted students, 48.2% are females and 51.8% are male. The mean SAT Critical Reading Score is 700 and the mean Math score is 720. For the high schools that reported rank in class, 92% are ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class.

Eisen, Ben. The Cornell Daily Sun. “C.U. Admissions Rate Drops by 4.2 Percent.” April 9, 2007.

Dartmouth College

This was a record year for Dartmouth College in the total number of applications received and the lowest percentage of applicants accepted. A total of 14,176 applications were received for the Class of 2011 and 2,165 applicants were admitted, a 15.3% admit rate. In the Early Decision round, 380 students were accepted out of an applicant pool of 1,285. For a projected class of 1,080, the Early Decision applicants who were accepted filled the class by 35.2%.

This was the first year that women outnumbered men in the applicant pool. Of the 14,176 applications received, 7,131, or 50.3 percent of the applicant pool, are women.

Of the 886 students of color (41% of the applicant pool), 210 are African American, 385 are Asian American, 189 are Latino, 77 are Native American, and 25 are multiracial. The 191 applicants admitted as international students hail from 72 countries and make up 9% of the admitted class. For the high schools that use rank in class, 94.4% of the admitted students are in the top 10% of their graduating class. In addition, 37.2% are valedictorians and 11% are salutatorians. The mean SAT scores are as follows: Critical Reading – 723, Math – 726, and Writing – 718.

Bailey, Rebecca. VOX of Dartmouth. “Class of 2011 Application, Acceptance Rates Break Records.” April 16, 2007.

Harvard University

For the Class of 2011, Harvard received a record number of 22,955 applications and accepted 2,058, a 9% admissions rate. For the Class of 2010, the admissions rate was 9.3%. In the Early Action round, applicants were accepted at a 21.8% admissions rate – 875 students were accepted out of an applicant pool of 4,008. For Regular Decision, 18,947 students applied and 1,183 were accepted at an admissions rate of 6.2%. Harvard expects to matriculate 1,675 freshmen this year.

Students of color represent the following groups: 19.6% Asian American, 10.7% African American, 10.1% Latino, and 1.5% Native American. Of the admitted students, 50.5% are female, and 49.5% are male.

International students who are not American citizens, students who are American citizens (but also hold dual citizenship), and U.S. permanent residents constitute about 19% of the Class of 2011.

Balakrishna, Aditi. The Harvard Crimson. “Class of 2011 Admits Beat Lowest Odds.” April 2, 2007.

University of Pennsylvania

In a record-setting 15.9% admissions rate for the Class of 2011, the University of Pennsylvania received 22,634 applications and accepted 3,610 applicants. For the Class of 2010, Penn received 20,479 applications. This increase in applications is partly due to Penn joining the Common Application this year. In the Early Decision round, Penn received 4,001 applications and accepted 1,160 candidates at a 29% acceptance rate.

Of the 3,610 students admitted to Penn this year, 2,257 were admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences, 762 were admitted to Engineering, 471 were admitted to Wharton, and 120 were admitted to The School of Nursing.

While the admitted students hail from all 50 states, students from the North Atlantic coast make up 54% of the class. A total of 454 international students were accepted from 79 countries. Students of color comprise 42% of the accepted students.

For the high schools that report rank in class, the average admitted student was in the top 2% of his or her graduating class. The average SAT score is 2137 out of 2400.

Meza, Jon. The Daily Pennsylvanian. “Admission rate drops to record low 15.9%.” April 2, 2007.

Princeton University

For the 2007 to 2008 admissions year, Princeton University accepted an all time low 9.5% of its applicants. Out of the 18,942 applications received, Princeton admitted 1,791 candidates. In the Early Decision round, 2,337 applications were submitted and 597 applicants were accepted. This marked a 25.5% admit rate. With a targeted number of 1,245 freshman seats, the students who were accepted Early Decision make up 48% of the Class of 2011. In the Regular Decision round, Princeton received 16,605 applications and accepted 1,194 students, a 7.2% acceptance rate.

Several hundred students were waitlisted, but for the Class of 2010 and the Class of 2009, no students were taken off the waitlist.

Eshleman, Doug. Daily Princetonian. “CLASS OF 2011- Acceptance rate dips to all-time low.” April 3, 2007.

Yale University

While other Ivy League colleges saw record low admissions rates, for the Class of 2011, Yale College’s admit rate rose. The overall admit rate was 9.6%, and the Regular Decision admissions rate was 7.3%. For the Class of 2010, Yale had an overall admit rate of 8.6% and a Regular Decision admissions rate of 6.5%. Yale’s Dean of Admissions Jeff Brenzel attributes the decline in applications to potential applicants being discouraged to apply because of the highly competitive 2006-2007 admissions cycle.

With a total applicant pool of 19,323, Yale accepted 1,860 freshmen. In the Early Action pool, 3,594 students applied and 709 were accepted at a 19.7% admit rate. An additional 2,208 applicants were deferred. For Regular Decision, 15,729 students applied and 1,151 were accepted. Another 859 students were offered places on the waiting list. Yale expects to matriculate a class of 1,340 incoming freshmen.

Chow, Kimberly. Yale Daily News. “Admission rate rises – Univ. accepts 9.6 percent of 19,323 apps.” March 30, 2007.