Early application rounds have gained popularity in recent years, with both colleges and applicants. Many top colleges have released their early decision and early action results for the Class of 2027. Here is a snapshot of the Class of 2027 early admission rates at the Ivy and Elite colleges.
Class of 2027 Early Admission Statistics: Summary
[table id=142 /]
Brown University
Brown admitted 13% of early decision applicants to the class of 2027, setting a record low for the fifth straight year. The Ivy League University accepted 879 students to the class of 2027 from a pool of 6,770 early decision applicants.
All early decision applicants indicated that Brown was their first-choice college and agreed to accept an offer of admission if the University extended one.
The top countries represented outside the USA are Brazil, Canada, China, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Turkey, and Ukraine. At present, the University is working toward becoming fully need-blind for international students starting with the graduating Class of 2029.
Columbia University
Columbia received a total of 5,738 applications this year, which is a 9% decrease in applicant numbers from the previous year.
It also marks the second consecutive year of a decline in early decision applicants since a record-breaking 6,435 applications in 2020. The 2020 and 2021 admissions cycles, which offered test-optional admissions for the first time, were both the most selective in Columbia’s history, with 3.9% and 3.73% acceptance rates respectively. Columbia has extended its test-optional policy until 2024.
The decrease in early decision applications comes in the wake of the monthslong U.S. News & World Report rankings scandal. It is the first glimpse into how Columbia’s drop in rank from No. 2 to No. 18, the lowest of all Ivy League universities, could change its admissions landscape.
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth accepted 578 members to the Class of 2027, drawing from a record-breaking pool of 3,009 early-decision applicants. This year’s ED applicant pool saw a 14% increase in the number of applications compared to last year’s class.
Dartmouth announced that the elimination of student loans in student financial aid packages and offering need-blind admissions to international students helped to support a diverse incoming class.
Duke University
Duke admitted 800 applicants from 4,855 early decision applications, an increase of 20% over last year’s total. At Duke, admitted 10% are international students, and 52% identify as students of color. Of the Early Decision admissions, 57.5% are female.
Emory University
Emory welcomed 903 students (overall 1,075 students as 233 applicants admitted to both campuses) out of a pool of 2,414 Early Decision I applicants for the Class of 2027. Emory’s ED-I applications increased roughly 10% over last year.
This year, 38% of the admitted Emory College Early Decision class and 41% of the Early Decision class admitted to Oxford College applied without an ACT or SAT score.
Multiple factors guide the admission committee’s decisions as they consider applicants. Academic records are important, including whether the students made the most of the academic options within the context of their high school and community. Student interests and involvement are also considered, along with letters of recommendation from teachers and school counselors and three short essays from the student.
Georgia Tech
More than 6,400 Georgia students who applied to Georgia Tech in Early Action 1 received their admission decisions on Friday evening. This represents a 6% increase from the state compared to last year.
A total of 2,577 Georgia students were admitted, for an overall admit rate of 40%. Among the admitted students, 81% come from Public Schools and 19% from Private Schools.
GT is planning to enroll a new first-year class of around 3,650, as well as 1,400 new transfer students in 2023 (Class of 2027).
Harvard University
Harvard accepted 722 of 9,553 early-action applicants for the Class of 2027. This accounts for a 7.5% percent acceptance rate, which is slightly lower than last year’s 7.9%.
International students comprised 14.1% — an increase from last year’s 12.6%.
Harvard’s class of 2026 is made up of:
- 27.8% Asian American
- 15.5% African American or Black
- 12.6% Latinx
- 2.9% Native American
- 0.8% Native Hawaiian
- 54.2% identifying as female
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins admitted 533 applicants representing 37 U.S. states, 20 countries, two U.S. territories, and Washington, D.C. in their Early Decision I cohort of the undergraduate Class of 2027.
The cohort includes a writer who published a book of poetry on mental health, the founder of a podcast that highlights the achievements of women of color (and that was featured in The Washington Post), and the leader of a movement to provide more funds for healthy food at city schools.
Students have published research on racial pluralism, the cause of high school dropouts, and the quality-of-life impacts of COVID-19. They’ve also won worldwide competitions, supported family members through illness, tutored younger siblings, and organized national conferences on climate change.
MIT
This year, 11,924 students applied early to the MIT Class of 2027. 685 applicants got admitted, 2,815 students got rejected, and 7,892 applicants got deferred. Also, 532 applicants withdrew from the admission process before MIT issued its decision.
Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame has completed its review of 11,163 Restrictive Early Action (REA) applications for the undergraduate Class of 2027. This represents a 15% increase over the 9,683 REA applications received in the prior year.
A total of 1,701 REA applicants were offered admission.
Notre Dame offers a non-binding application process, allowing students to apply in REA as long as they do not apply early decision to another school with a binding early decision program. Despite no binding agreement, close to 70% of REA-admitted students typically enroll at Notre Dame.
Penn
Last week, the University of Pennsylvania announced early decision admissions results for the Class of 2027, admitting the first-ever group of students who will not have to pay an enrollment deposit.
Over 8,000 students applied to Penn in the early decision applicant pool for the Class of 2027; an increase from last year’s 7,795 applicants and the largest early decision applicant pool in its history. Admitted students hail from 65 countries, 43 states, Washington, D.C., Saipan, Puerto Rico, and the home city of Philadelphia.
Penn did not disclose the acceptance rate, continuing its decision to withhold detailed admissions results immediately. Last year, 15.6% of early decision applicants were admitted to the Class of 2026, but the University opted not to release the acceptance rate for regular decision applicants.
UVA
The University of Virginia accepted 1,038 students in its early decision application cycle, in which candidates agree to attend the University if accepted.
Overall, 4,243 people applied for admission in the early decision cycle, meeting a Nov. 1 application deadline in exchange for early notification of acceptance.
For the class of 2027, the acceptance rates for the in-state and out-of-state students have been 31% and 17% respectively.
Williams College
Williams College admitted 255 students to the Class of 2027 through early decision after record-breaking 943 applications. This year’s early acceptance rate, a six-percent decrease from last year’s, is also the lowest on record.
The College deferred 144 applicants for early decision — 15.2% — for reconsideration during the regular decision process; whereas 544 early applicants were denied admission.
Like Harvard and Cornell, Williams College has also made SAT/ACT optional till the Class of 2030.
Yale University
Yale accepted 776 early action applicants in their Class of 2027 from a pool of 7,744 applicants, the second-largest group in Yale College history.
Among the other early action applicants, 21% were deferred for reconsideration in the spring, 67% were denied admission, and 2% were withdrawn or incomplete.
For all admitted students, Yale College meets 100% of demonstrated financial needs, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.