The combined Early Decision I and II acceptance rate for American University’s Class of 2028 set a new record for selectivity for this Washington, D.C.-based private research university. Once admissions officers finished sifting through applications, 726 hopeful Eagles had applied via Early Decision I or Early Decision II to join the American student body. However, only 579, or 79.75%, of these hopefuls earned a spot in the incoming class. In the elite college admissions space, is this figure anything to be proud of? Not particularly. One usually doesn’t see acceptance rates, ED or otherwise, above the 70th percentile for really any school ranked in the top 100 “Top National Universities” in the US News & World Report annual ranking. 

But this figure was indeed record-setting for AU, as the combined ED acceptance rate had never dipped below 83% theretofore. What’s more, the 2024-2025 admission cycle was the first to implement a non-binding Early Action program. Since Early Action data isn’t available in The Common Data Set, and American has yet to release the EA acceptance rate for the past two cycles, we’re still in the dark regarding how competitive this new program has been for the Class of 2029 or for the ongoing Class of 2030. 

American University Early Decision Admissions Statistics Over 20+ Years

To put the American Class of 2028 admissions figures into perspective, below is a breakdown of combined Early Decision I and II admissions statistics since the Class of 2023 (which is as far back as the data goes):

Admissions Cycle	American University Graduating Class	Combined Early Decision I + II Acceptance Rate
2025-26	Class of 2030	Not Yet Published
2024-25	Class of 2029	Not Yet Published
2023-24	Class of 2028	79.75%
2022-23	Class of 2027	84.69%
2021-22	Class of 2026	85.94%
2020-21	Class of 2025	Not Published
2019-20	Class of 2024	83.47%
2018-19	Class of 2023	84.74%

Breakdown of the American University Class of 2030 Early Decision Admits

Unfortunately, American University admissions officers haven’t been all that forthcoming about the details of the Early Decision admits to the Class of 2030 (or the Class of 2029, for that matter!). Far from knowing the specific ED acceptance rate for the Class of 2029, we hardly even know details about the Class of 2029 as a whole! What we do know is limited to what American admissions officers have chosen to share in a press release:

“The university’s newest Eagles [are] more than 1,700 strong . . . The Class of 2029 includes more than 1,700 students hailing from DC, 49 states, and 42 countries. Eighteen percent of first-year students are the first in their family to attend a four-year institution.”

As we await the Early Decision data for the Class of 2029 (if it ever comes) and the EA data for the first cohort of Eagles admitted through this pilot program, it’s safe to assume that the Class of 2030 was faced with moderate competition and highly beatable admissions odds. Still, it’s better not to rest on your laurels when it comes to securing admission to a school like American University. That’s where Ivy Coach comes in.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance Moving Forward for Deferred or Rejecded American Applicants

If you’re a student who applied in an Early round to American and were deferred or rejected for admission, let’s take stock of your options now that the worst has passed.

Contact Ivy Coach to schedule a complimentary consultation to make some lemonade out of these lemons you’ve been dealt. For deferred candidates, we offer a PostMortem application review and assistance in crafting a powerful Letter of Continued Interest. For rejected candidates, we provide a PostMortem application review. And while we do offer assistance with Regular Decision applications, understanding what went wrong with ED/EA must come first. We’ll review your application with a fine-tooth comb. Ivy Coach’s team of former elite college admissions officers will equip you with a new competitive strategy that optimizes your odds of admission to the school of your dreams.