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T20-30 College Statistics: Common Data Set Research (2024-2025 Cycle)

Source: college-stats.md

T20-30 College Statistics: Common Data Set Research (2024-2025 Cycle)

Executive Summary

Data compiled from Common Data Sets (CDS) and official admissions releases for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle (primarily Class of 2029 admits). Key ranges across all 30 schools:

Metric Range Across All Schools
Overall Acceptance Rate 2.6% (Caltech) - 17% (UVA)
SAT Middle 50% 1350-1530 (Michigan) to 1510-1580 (Harvard)
Average Unweighted GPA 3.84 (Emory) - 3.95 (JHU)
Yield Rate \~40% (selective publics) - 86% (MIT)
ED Boost Factor 2x-4x higher than RD at most schools

Key Findings

School-by-School Data

HYPSM Tier

Harvard University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 3.65%
Total Applicants 54,008
Total Admitted 1,970
Enrolled \~1,675
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1580
ACT Middle 50% 34-36
Average GPA 3.9-4.0 (72.4% had 4.0+)
Top 10% of HS Class \~96%
Yield Rate 83.6%
Early Round REA (Restrictive Early Action)
REA Acceptance Rate \~8.7% (est. from prior cycle)
RD Acceptance Rate \~2.7% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional (2024-2025)
% Submitting SAT \~55%
Target Class Size \~1,675
Trend Acceptance rate declining; no longer publishing early stats

Notes: Harvard stopped publishing early action statistics starting with Class of 2029. REA offered (non-binding, restricts other private EA apps). No ED.

Yale University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 3.87%
Total Applicants 57,517
Total Admitted 2,227
Enrolled \~1,570
SAT Middle 50% 1480-1560
ACT Middle 50% 34-36
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~97%
Yield Rate 67.7%
Early Round REA (Restrictive Early Action)
REA Acceptance Rate \~9-10% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate \~2.8% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional (2024-2025)
% Submitting SAT \~54%
Target Class Size \~1,570
Trend Acceptance rate declining; massive applicant pool growth

Notes: Yale offers REA (non-binding). Also offers QuestBridge match. No ED.

Princeton University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 4.62%
Total Applicants 40,468
Total Admitted 1,868
Enrolled 1,410
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1570
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~95%
Yield Rate 78.3%
Early Round REA (Restrictive Early Action)
REA Acceptance Rate \~13-15% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate \~3.2% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional (77% submitted scores)
% Submitting SAT 77%
Target Class Size 1,425
Trend Acceptance rate declining; high yield

Notes: Princeton offers REA (non-binding). No ED. One of the highest yield rates outside Harvard/MIT/Stanford.

Stanford University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 3.61%
Total Applicants 57,326
Total Admitted 2,067
Enrolled \~1,866
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1570
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~96%
Yield Rate 81.9%
Early Round REA (Restrictive Early Action)
REA Acceptance Rate Not published (since 2018)
RD Acceptance Rate Not published
Test Policy Test-optional (50.3% submitted SAT); returning to test-required for Class of 2030
% Submitting SAT 50.3%
Target Class Size \~1,870
Trend Lowest acceptance rate of any university; reinstating test requirement

Notes: Stanford has not published disaggregated early/RD data since 2018. Offers REA (non-binding). No ED. Expanding class size.

MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 4.55%
Total Applicants \~26,000 (est.)
Total Admitted \~1,350 (est.)
Enrolled 1,155
SAT Middle 50% 1520-1580
ACT Middle 50% 34-36
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~97%
Yield Rate 85.8%
Early Round EA (Early Action - non-restrictive)
EA Acceptance Rate 5.98% (721/12,053 for Class of 2029)
RD Acceptance Rate \~3.5% (est.)
Test Policy Test-required (reinstated)
% Submitting SAT \~95%+ (required)
Target Class Size \~1,155
Trend Requires testing; highest yield rate among all schools

Notes: MIT uniquely offers non-restrictive EA (students can apply EA to other schools). MIT requires SAT/ACT. Smallest class of the HYPSM tier.

Ivy+ Tier

Columbia University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 4.9%
Total Applicants 59,616
Total Admitted 2,946
Enrolled \~1,800 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1560
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+ (weighted \~4.15)
Top 10% of HS Class \~95%
Yield Rate 61.3%
Early Round ED (Early Decision - binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 13.2% (795/6,007)
RD Acceptance Rate \~3.8% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT \~50%
Target Class Size \~1,800
Trend Lowest Ivy yield rate; largest-ever incoming class for 2029

Notes: Columbia offers binding ED. Lowest yield rate in Ivy League. Has been expanding class size.

University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 3.7% (RD) / \~5.4% (overall est.)
Total Applicants \~65,000 (est.)
Total Admitted \~3,500 (est.)
Enrolled \~2,400 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1500-1570
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9
Top 10% of HS Class \~96%
Yield Rate 67.9%
Early Round ED (Early Decision - binding)
ED Acceptance Rate \~15-18% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate 3.7%
Test Policy Test-optional (2024-2025)
% Submitting SAT \~55%
Target Class Size \~2,400
Trend RD rate now sub-4%; massive applicant pool

Notes: UPenn offers binding ED. Wharton School is even more selective within UPenn.

Brown University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 5.39%
Total Applicants 48,904
Total Admitted 2,638
Enrolled \~1,720 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1560
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~95%
Yield Rate 67.3%
Early Round ED (Early Decision - binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 14.4%
RD Acceptance Rate \~3.8% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT \~53%
Target Class Size \~1,720
Trend Acceptance rate steadily declining

Notes: Brown offers binding ED. Open Curriculum is a distinctive draw.

Dartmouth College

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 5.4%
Total Applicants 31,656
Total Admitted 1,710
Enrolled \~1,150 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1480-1560
ACT Middle 50% 33-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class 93%
Yield Rate 63.7%
Early Round ED (Early Decision - binding)
ED Acceptance Rate \~19-22% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate \~3.5% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional (2024-2025); returning to test-required for Fall 2025
% Submitting SAT \~60%
Target Class Size \~1,150
Trend Record-low acceptance rate; reinstating test requirement

Notes: Dartmouth offers binding ED. Smallest Ivy League school. D-Plan (quarter system) is distinctive. First Ivy to reinstate testing.

Cornell University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 8.4%
Total Applicants \~67,000 (est.)
Total Admitted \~5,600 (est.)
Enrolled \~3,600 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1560
ACT Middle 50% 33-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class 85.6%
Yield Rate 68.4%
Early Round ED (Early Decision - binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 11.6%
RD Acceptance Rate \~7.2% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional (2024-2025); moving to test-required
% Submitting SAT 45%
Target Class Size \~3,600
Trend Highest Ivy acceptance rate; largest Ivy class

Notes: Cornell is the largest Ivy League school. Acceptance rate varies significantly by college (e.g., Arts & Sciences vs. Engineering vs. Hotel School). Offers binding ED.

Elite Non-Ivy Tier

Duke University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 5.71%
Total Applicants 51,795
Total Admitted 2,957
Enrolled 1,750
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1560
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~94%
Yield Rate 58.8%
Early Round ED (Early Decision - binding)
ED Acceptance Rate \~17-21% (varies by year)
RD Acceptance Rate \~4% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT \~55%
Target Class Size 1,750
Trend Acceptance rate declining; strong yield for non-Ivy

Notes: Duke offers binding ED. Robertson Scholars program with UNC is notable. Strong athletics (ACC).

Northwestern University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 7.69%
Total Applicants \~50,000
Total Admitted \~3,800
Enrolled \~2,100
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1560
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~93%
Yield Rate \~55% (est.)
Early Round ED (Early Decision - binding)
ED Acceptance Rate \~25% (est. from prior cycles)
RD Acceptance Rate \~5.5% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT \~50%
Target Class Size \~2,100
Trend Acceptance rate declining from 34% in 2000 to 7.7%

Notes: Northwestern offers binding ED. Medill School of Journalism and Kellogg (undergrad) are distinctive draws.

University of Chicago (UChicago)

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 4.48%
Total Applicants 43,612
Total Admitted 1,955
Enrolled \~1,730 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1570
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~95%
Yield Rate \~80% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (both binding)
ED Acceptance Rate \~7-10% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate \~2.5% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 49%
Target Class Size \~1,730
Trend Dramatic acceptance rate drop over past decade; very high yield through ED strategy

Notes: UChicago offers both ED I and ED II (binding). Known for quirky supplemental essays. Core Curriculum is distinctive. ED I + ED II together fill large % of class.

Caltech (California Institute of Technology)

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 2.57%
Total Applicants 13,856
Total Admitted 356
Enrolled \~235 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1530-1570
ACT Middle 50% 35-36
Average GPA 3.95+
Top 10% of HS Class 86%
Yield Rate \~66% (est.)
Early Round EA (Early Action - non-restrictive)
EA Acceptance Rate \~6-8% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate \~2% (est.)
Test Policy Was test-blind; reinstating test-required for Class of 2030
% Submitting SAT N/A (was test-blind)
Target Class Size \~235
Trend Lowest acceptance rate of any school; tiny class size

Notes: Caltech has the smallest class and lowest acceptance rate. Was previously test-blind, now reinstating tests. Purely STEM-focused. EA is non-restrictive.

Johns Hopkins University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 6.44%
Total Applicants 45,895
Total Admitted 2,954
Enrolled \~1,350 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1530-1570
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.95
Top 10% of HS Class 99%
Yield Rate \~45% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (both binding)
ED Acceptance Rate \~17-20% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate \~4.5% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 50%
Target Class Size \~1,350
Trend Acceptance rate declining; 99% top decile is remarkable

Notes: JHU offers ED I and ED II. Known for pre-med and biomedical engineering. Bloomberg gift significantly boosted financial aid.

Near-Ivy Tier

Vanderbilt University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 4.7%
Total Applicants 48,000+
Total Admitted \~2,250 (est.)
Enrolled \~1,700 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1560
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~94%
Yield Rate \~75% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (both binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 13.2%
RD Acceptance Rate 3.3%
Test Policy Test-optional (only 27% submitted SAT, 25% submitted ACT)
% Submitting SAT 27.4%
Target Class Size \~1,700
Trend Record-low acceptance rate; RD rate (3.3%) rivals HYPSM

Notes: Vanderbilt's 3.3% RD rate is now comparable to Harvard's. Offers ED I and ED II. Strong Greek life culture. Massive yield improvement in recent years.

Rice University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 7.8%
Total Applicants 36,777
Total Admitted 2,852
Enrolled \~1,100 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1500-1570
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~90%
Yield Rate \~38% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (new for 2024-2025)
ED Acceptance Rate \~16% ED I / \~6% ED II (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate 7.4%
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 48%
Target Class Size \~1,100
Trend Introduced ED II this year; acceptance rate declining

Notes: Rice newly introduced ED II. Residential college system is distinctive. Houston location is a factor in lower yield. Smallest class among research universities in this tier.

University of Notre Dame

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 11.27%
Total Applicants 29,942
Total Admitted 3,374
Enrolled \~2,050 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1470-1540
ACT Middle 50% 33-35
Average GPA 3.85+
Top 10% of HS Class \~88%
Yield Rate \~60% (est.)
Early Round REA (Restrictive Early Action - non-binding)
REA Acceptance Rate 12.9%
RD Acceptance Rate 6.7%
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT \~55%
Target Class Size \~2,050
Trend Steady; strong legacy/Catholic community pipeline

Notes: Notre Dame is one of very few schools offering REA (Restrictive Early Action, non-binding). Legacy admission is particularly strong. Catholic identity is a significant institutional priority.

Georgetown University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 12.91%
Total Applicants 26,131
Total Admitted 3,374
Enrolled \~1,600 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1400-1540
ACT Middle 50% 31-35
Average GPA 3.85+
Top 10% of HS Class 85%
Yield Rate \~47% (est.)
Early Round EA (Early Action - non-binding)
EA Acceptance Rate 9.6%
RD Acceptance Rate \~14% (est.)
Test Policy Test-required (one of few remaining)
% Submitting SAT \~90%+ (required)
Target Class Size \~1,600
Trend Steady; uniquely requires testing

Notes: Georgetown is one of the few elite schools that still requires SAT/ACT. Offers non-binding EA. School of Foreign Service is particularly selective within Georgetown. EA acceptance rate (9.6%) is actually lower than overall rate due to EA deferrals being re-evaluated in RD.

Carnegie Mellon University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 11.6%
Total Applicants 33,941
Total Admitted 3,959
Enrolled \~1,700 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1510-1560
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.89 (47% had 4.0+)
Top 10% of HS Class \~88%
Yield Rate \~43% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (both binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 13.8%
RD Acceptance Rate \~9% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional (School of CS requiring tests for 2025-2026)
% Submitting SAT 52.6%
Target Class Size \~1,700
Trend CS school moving to test-required; acceptance rate varies wildly by school

Notes: CMU acceptance rate varies dramatically by school (CS \~3-5%, Drama \~5%, CIT \~10%, Dietrich \~20%). School of Computer Science is reinstating test requirements. ED I and ED II offered.

Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 12%
Total Applicants 32,754
Total Admitted 3,951
Enrolled \~1,750 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1500-1570
ACT Middle 50% 33-35
Average GPA 4.19 (weighted; 65% had 4.0+)
Top 10% of HS Class \~90%
Yield Rate \~44% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (both binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 26%
RD Acceptance Rate \~8% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 29%
Target Class Size \~1,750
Trend Acceptance rate declining; ED rate notably high at 26%

Notes: WashU has one of the highest ED acceptance rates among elite schools (26%). Offers ED I and ED II. Known for strong pre-med and business programs.

Selective Tier

Emory University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 10.65%
Total Applicants 33,450
Total Admitted 3,562
Enrolled \~1,900 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1480-1540
ACT Middle 50% 33-35
Average GPA 3.84 (76% had 3.75+)
Top 10% of HS Class \~88%
Yield Rate \~53% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (both binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 23.2% (974/4,193)
RD Acceptance Rate \~7% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 43%
Target Class Size \~1,900
Trend Acceptance rate declining; ED provides significant advantage

Notes: Emory offers ED I and ED II. Also has Oxford College (smaller liberal arts campus) which is slightly less selective. Atlanta location is a draw.

Tufts University

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 11.49%
Total Applicants 34,432
Total Admitted 3,957
Enrolled \~1,400 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1480-1540
ACT Middle 50% 33-35
Average GPA 3.85+
Top 10% of HS Class \~88%
Yield Rate \~35% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (both binding)
ED Acceptance Rate Not disclosed (6+ years)
RD Acceptance Rate \~8% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 38%
Target Class Size \~1,400
Trend Acceptance rate declining; Tufts notably secretive about ED rates

Notes: Tufts has not released ED acceptance rate data for 6+ years. Known for "Tufts Syndrome" (yield protection). Offers ED I and ED II.

Boston College

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 16%
Total Applicants 34,779
Total Admitted 5,632
Enrolled \~2,400 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1460-1520
ACT Middle 50% 33-34
Average GPA 3.85+
Top 10% of HS Class 90%
Yield Rate \~43% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (both binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 34% (1,434/4,288)
RD Acceptance Rate \~12% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 75%
Target Class Size \~2,400
Trend Steady; high test submission rate despite being test-optional

Notes: BC has the highest ED acceptance rate in this group (34%). Also one of the highest test submission rates (75%). Jesuit institution. Strong alumni network in Northeast.

University of Virginia (UVA)

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 17%
Total Applicants 58,951
Total Admitted 9,909
Enrolled \~3,800 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1410-1520
ACT Middle 50% 32-35
Average GPA 3.85+
Top 10% of HS Class 84%
Yield Rate \~38% (est.)
Early Round ED (binding) + EA (non-binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 29% (1,295/4,461)
EA Acceptance Rate \~20% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate \~12% (est.)
In-State Acceptance Rate 26%
Out-of-State Acceptance Rate 14%
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 46%
Target Class Size \~3,800
Trend Massive applicant pool; strong in-state preference

Notes: UVA is a public university with significant in-state/out-of-state split. Offers both binding ED and non-binding EA. One of the "Public Ivies."

UCLA

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 8.9%
Total Applicants \~146,000
Total Admitted \~13,000
Enrolled \~6,500 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% N/A (test-free)
ACT Middle 50% N/A (test-free)
Average GPA (unweighted) 3.93 (56% had 4.0+)
Average GPA (weighted) 4.20-4.34
Top 10% of HS Class \~97%
Yield Rate \~50% (est.)
Early Round None (UC system has no early rounds)
Test Policy Test-free (SAT/ACT not considered at all)
% Submitting SAT N/A
Target Class Size \~6,500
Trend Completely test-free; enormous applicant pool

Notes: UCLA (and all UC schools) are completely test-free -- they do not consider SAT/ACT at all, unlike test-optional. No early decision/action rounds. Largest applicant pool of any US university. Public university with in-state preference.

University of Michigan

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 15.6%
Total Applicants \~109,000
Total Admitted \~17,000 (est.)
Enrolled \~7,200 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1350-1530
ACT Middle 50% 32-35
Average GPA 3.9 (39% had 4.0)
Top 10% of HS Class \~85%
Yield Rate \~42% (est.)
Early Round EA (Early Action - non-binding)
EA Acceptance Rate \~20-25% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate \~12% (est.)
In-State Acceptance Rate \~39%
Out-of-State Acceptance Rate \~18%
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 54%
Target Class Size \~7,200
Trend Record applicant pool (109K); massive out-of-state interest

Notes: Michigan is a public university with strong in-state preference. Offers non-binding EA. Defers 25-30% of EA applicants to RD (only 10-15% of deferred students admitted). Largest class in this group.

Top LAC (Liberal Arts College) Tier

Williams College

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 8%
Total Applicants \~15,000 (est.)
Total Admitted \~1,200
Enrolled \~560 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1490-1570
ACT Middle 50% 34-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class \~90%
Yield Rate \~47% (est.)
Early Round ED (Early Decision - binding)
ED Acceptance Rate 23-27% (varies by year)
RD Acceptance Rate \~5% (est.)
% of Class from ED 46%
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT \~50%
Target Class Size \~560
Trend Steady; #1 LAC; ED fills nearly half the class

Notes: Williams is consistently ranked #1 among LACs. ED fills 46% of the class. Tutorial system (Oxford-style) is distinctive. Strong athletic recruitment (NESCAC).

Amherst College

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 9.01%
Total Applicants 13,743
Total Admitted 1,238
Enrolled \~480 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1500-1560
ACT Middle 50% 33-35
Average GPA 3.9+
Top 10% of HS Class 93%
Yield Rate \~39% (est.)
Early Round ED (Early Decision - binding)
ED Acceptance Rate \~20-25% (est.)
RD Acceptance Rate \~6% (est.)
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT \~45%
Target Class Size \~480
Trend Acceptance rate declining; open curriculum (like Brown)

Notes: Amherst has an open curriculum with no distribution requirements (similar to Brown). Strong consortium with other Five College institutions. ED provides significant advantage.

Middlebury College

Metric Value
Overall Acceptance Rate 10.75%
Total Applicants 12,540
Total Admitted 1,348
Enrolled \~600 (est.)
SAT Middle 50% 1440-1550
ACT Middle 50% 33-35
Average GPA 3.85+
Top 10% of HS Class \~85%
Yield Rate \~45% (est.)
Early Round ED I + ED II (both binding)
ED Acceptance Rate \~30% (combined ED I + ED II)
RD Acceptance Rate \~5% (est.)
% of Class from ED 68%
Test Policy Test-optional
% Submitting SAT 25%
Target Class Size \~600
Trend ED dominates admissions (68% of class); very low test submission

Notes: Middlebury fills 68% of its class through ED -- the highest ED fill rate of any school in this group. Known for language programs and environmental studies. Vermont location is distinctive. Only 25% submit SAT scores.

Analysis

Pattern 1: Acceptance Rate Clusters

Cluster Schools Rate Range
Ultra-Selective (<5%) Caltech (2.6%), Stanford (3.6%), Harvard (3.7%), UPenn RD (3.7%), Yale (3.9%), Vanderbilt RD (3.3%), UChicago (4.5%), MIT (4.6%), Princeton (4.6%), Columbia (4.9%) 2.6-5.0%
Highly Selective (5-9%) Brown (5.4%), Dartmouth (5.4%), Duke (5.7%), JHU (6.4%), Northwestern (7.7%), Rice (7.8%), Williams (8.0%), Cornell (8.4%), UCLA (8.9%), Amherst (9.0%) 5.4-9.0%
Very Selective (10-13%) Emory (10.7%), Middlebury (10.8%), Notre Dame (11.3%), Tufts (11.5%), CMU (11.6%), WashU (12%), Georgetown (12.9%) 10.7-12.9%
Selective (14-17%) Michigan (15.6%), BC (16%), UVA (17%) 15.6-17%

Pattern 2: ED Multiplier Effect

The ratio of ED acceptance rate to RD acceptance rate reveals the "ED boost":

School ED Rate RD Rate (est.) Multiplier
Boston College 34% 12% 2.8x
Middlebury 30% 5% 6.0x
WashU 26% 8% 3.3x
Northwestern 25% 5.5% 4.5x
Williams 25% 5% 5.0x
Emory 23.2% 7% 3.3x
Amherst 22% 6% 3.7x
Duke 19% 4% 4.8x
JHU 18% 4.5% 4.0x
UPenn 16% 3.7% 4.3x
Brown 14.4% 3.8% 3.8x
CMU 13.8% 9% 1.5x
Columbia 13.2% 3.8% 3.5x
Vanderbilt 13.2% 3.3% 4.0x
Cornell 11.6% 7.2% 1.6x

Pattern 3: Testing Policy Landscape (2024-2025)

Policy Schools
Test-Required Georgetown, MIT (reinstated)
Test-Optional Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, UPenn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Northwestern, UChicago, JHU, Vanderbilt, Rice, Notre Dame, CMU, WashU, Emory, Tufts, BC, UVA, Michigan, Williams, Amherst, Middlebury
Test-Free (not considered) UCLA, Caltech (was test-blind, reinstating requirement)
Returning to Required (2025-2026) Dartmouth, Stanford, Caltech, CMU (CS school)

Pattern 4: Yield Rate Stratification

Tier Schools Yield Range
Elite Yield (>80%) MIT (86%), Harvard (84%), Stanford (82%) 82-86%
Strong Yield (65-80%) UChicago (\~80%), Princeton (78%), Vanderbilt (\~75%), Cornell (68%), UPenn (68%), Yale (68%), Brown (67%), Dartmouth (64%), Caltech (\~66%) 64-80%
Moderate Yield (45-65%) Duke (59%), Northwestern (\~55%), Notre Dame (\~60%), Emory (\~53%), UCLA (\~50%), Williams (\~47%), Georgetown (\~47%), Middlebury (\~45%) 45-60%
Lower Yield (35-45%) JHU (\~45%), WashU (\~44%), BC (\~43%), CMU (\~43%), Michigan (\~42%), Amherst (\~39%), Rice (\~38%), UVA (\~38%), Tufts (\~35%) 35-45%

Pattern 5: SAT Score Clustering

SAT Range (Middle 50%) Schools
1520-1580 Harvard, MIT
1510-1570 Princeton, Stanford, Caltech, UChicago, JHU
1500-1560 Yale, Columbia, UPenn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Rice, CMU, WashU, Amherst
1480-1540 Emory, Tufts, Williams
1460-1520 BC, Notre Dame
1440-1550 Middlebury
1410-1520 UVA
1400-1540 Georgetown
1350-1530 Michigan
N/A (test-free) UCLA

Simulation Parameter Recommendations

Based on this research, here are recommendations for configuring each school in the simulation JSON:

Acceptance Rate Configuration

Use the overall acceptance rate as the base, with modifiers for ED/EA rounds:

{
  "acceptance_rate": 0.037,
  "ed_multiplier": 2.5,
  "ea_multiplier": 1.5
}
School Base Rate ED Multiplier EA/REA Multiplier
Harvard 0.037 N/A (REA) 2.4 (REA)
Yale 0.039 N/A (REA) 2.5 (REA)
Princeton 0.046 N/A (REA) 3.0 (REA)
Stanford 0.036 N/A (REA) 2.5 (REA, est.)
MIT 0.046 N/A (EA) 1.3 (EA)
Columbia 0.049 2.7 N/A
UPenn 0.054 3.0 N/A
Brown 0.054 2.7 N/A
Dartmouth 0.054 3.7 N/A
Cornell 0.084 1.4 N/A
Duke 0.057 3.3 N/A
Northwestern 0.077 3.2 N/A
UChicago 0.045 1.8 N/A
Caltech 0.026 N/A (EA) 2.5 (EA)
JHU 0.064 2.8 N/A
Vanderbilt 0.047 2.8 N/A
Rice 0.078 2.0 N/A
Notre Dame 0.113 N/A (REA) 1.1 (REA)
Georgetown 0.129 N/A (EA) 0.74 (EA lower than overall)
CMU 0.116 1.2 N/A
WashU 0.120 2.2 N/A
Emory 0.107 2.2 N/A
Tufts 0.115 2.0 (est.) N/A
BC 0.160 2.1 N/A
UVA 0.170 1.7 1.2 (EA)
UCLA 0.089 N/A N/A
Michigan 0.156 N/A (EA) 1.4 (EA)
Williams 0.080 3.1 N/A
Amherst 0.090 2.5 N/A
Middlebury 0.108 2.8 N/A

SAT Ranges for Scoring

Configure each school with SAT 25th/75th percentile for the academic index sigmoid:

School SAT 25th SAT 75th Median
Harvard 1510 1580 1550
Yale 1480 1560 1540
Princeton 1510 1570 1550
Stanford 1510 1570 1550
MIT 1520 1580 1550
Columbia 1510 1560 1540
UPenn 1500 1570 1540
Brown 1510 1560 1540
Dartmouth 1480 1560 1520
Cornell 1510 1560 1530
Duke 1510 1560 1540
Northwestern 1510 1560 1540
UChicago 1510 1570 1550
Caltech 1530 1570 1545
JHU 1530 1570 1550
Vanderbilt 1510 1560 1540
Rice 1500 1570 1550
Notre Dame 1470 1540 1520
Georgetown 1400 1540 1490
CMU 1510 1560 1540
WashU 1500 1570 1540
Emory 1480 1540 1510
Tufts 1480 1540 1510
BC 1460 1520 1490
UVA 1410 1520 1470
UCLA 1350 1530 1440
Michigan 1350 1530 1470
Williams 1490 1570 1530
Amherst 1500 1560 1540
Middlebury 1440 1550 1500

Target Class Size for Capacity Constraints

School Target Freshman Size
Caltech 235
Amherst 480
Williams 560
Middlebury 600
Rice 1,100
MIT 1,155
Dartmouth 1,150
JHU 1,350
Princeton 1,410
Tufts 1,400
Yale 1,570
Georgetown 1,600
Harvard 1,675
CMU 1,700
Vanderbilt 1,700
Brown 1,720
Duke 1,750
WashU 1,750
UChicago 1,730
Columbia 1,800
Stanford 1,870
Emory 1,900
Notre Dame 2,050
Northwestern 2,100
UPenn 2,400
BC 2,400
Cornell 3,600
UVA 3,800
UCLA 6,500
Michigan 7,200

Yield Rate for Student Decision Modeling

School Yield Rate
MIT 0.86
Harvard 0.84
Stanford 0.82
UChicago 0.80
Princeton 0.78
Vanderbilt 0.75
Cornell 0.68
UPenn 0.68
Yale 0.68
Brown 0.67
Caltech 0.66
Dartmouth 0.64
Columbia 0.61
Notre Dame 0.60
Duke 0.59
Northwestern 0.55
Emory 0.53
UCLA 0.50
Williams 0.47
Georgetown 0.47
Middlebury 0.45
JHU 0.45
WashU 0.44
BC 0.43
CMU 0.43
Michigan 0.42
Amherst 0.39
Rice 0.38
UVA 0.38
Tufts 0.35

Early Round Type Configuration

Round Type Schools
REA (Restrictive Early Action) Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Notre Dame
EA (Non-Restrictive Early Action) MIT, Caltech, Georgetown, UVA (also has ED), Michigan
ED I Only Columbia, UPenn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Duke, Northwestern
ED I + ED II UChicago, JHU, Vanderbilt, Rice, CMU, WashU, Emory, Tufts, BC, Williams, Amherst, Middlebury
No Early Round UCLA

Data Sources and Caveats

Sources

Caveats

  1. Estimated values: Where exact figures were not publicly available, estimates are marked with "(est.)" and derived from related published data points
  2. Test-optional distortion: SAT middle 50% ranges may be inflated during the test-optional era, as weaker test-takers self-select out of reporting
  3. ED rate complexity: ED acceptance rates include athletes, legacies, and other hooked applicants who disproportionately apply ED, so the "ED boost" for unhooked applicants is smaller than raw numbers suggest
  4. Yield rate calculation: Some yield rates are estimated from total admitted / enrolled figures and may not match official institutional yield figures exactly
  5. Year-to-year variation: These are single-cycle snapshots; actual simulation should build in +/- variance
  6. UCLA test-free status: UCLA does not consider test scores at all, making SAT-based comparisons inapplicable; simulation should use GPA-only scoring for UCLA
  7. Public university residency: UVA, UCLA, and Michigan have significant in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rate differences that a simulation should model