New Haven, CT
Yale University was founded in 1701, making it one of the nation's oldest research universities. Its residential college system, in place for more than 70 years, is designed to give students what the university calls the "cohesiveness and intimacy of a small school" alongside a research university's resources; campus landmarks include Sterling Memorial Library and the 216-foot Harkness Tower. Yale describes its core mission as creating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge through research and teaching.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from Yale University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 67% submitted SAT scores, 25% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Single-Choice Early Action: Nov 1, 2026Non-binding, but you can't apply Early Action or Early Decision anywhere else, with narrow exceptions (e.g. non-binding public universities).
- Regular Decision: Jan 2, 2027
Confirm on Yale University's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against Yale University's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow Yale University weighs your application
From Yale University's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What applicants who posted their results listed
156 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 26 admitted, 130 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.
Most common activities
Most common awards among admits
Who posted
The full breakdown, with what stood out: Yale Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not Yale University's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what Yale University weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does Yale University look for in applicants?
Per Yale University's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates character/personal qualities, recommendations, extracurricular activities, talent/ability, rigor of secondary school record, class rank, academic GPA, application essay as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is Yale University's acceptance rate?
Yale University in New Haven, CT admits approximately 4% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for Yale University?
Per Yale University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1480–1560 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for Yale University?
Per Yale University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 33–35 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does Yale University cost?
Yale University's total cost of attendance is reported at $88,300 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
When is the application deadline for Yale University?
Yale University's deadlines are Single-Choice Early Action Nov 1, 2026; Regular Decision Jan 2, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does Yale University require students to live on campus?
Yes -- Yale University requires students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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