Princeton Undergraduate Requirements

The acceptance rate at Princeton University is among the lowest of any college in the world, making it one of the most competitive educational institutions in the world. Only 1,498 students out of 37,601 applicants were accepted into the class of 2025, which resulted in an acceptance rate of 3.98 percent, which was a record low. The results of the admissions process for the academic year 2022-2023 are almost ready to be released. Given past trends and the unpredictability of the impact of the pandemic on college admissions, it is likely that acceptance rates will remain low, and there will be some adjustments made to the Princeton undergraduate requirements.

But you shouldn’t let the low acceptance rates discourage you or stop you from pursuing the academic goals that you have set for yourself. Let us know more about Princeton undergraduate requirements.

Princeton Overview

Princeton University is a private institution that spans four years, has a medium-sized student body, and is located in the sizable town of Princeton, New Jersey. The campus of Princeton University encompasses more than 600 acres and features buildings that are designed in a wide range of architectural styles. The US News Best Colleges list for 2022 placed Princeton at the top spot, and the QS World University Rankings 2022 placed Princeton at the number 20 spot.

Princeton University is the fourth-oldest college in the United States, having been established in 1746. It is also one of the most prestigious members of the Ivy League. In 1756, the college moved from its previous locations in Elizabeth and Newark to its current location in Princeton, where it is now housed in the renowned Nassau Hall.

Princeton is dedicated to maintaining the diversity of its undergraduate student body, which numbers 5,300. The vast majority of first-year students live and attend classes on campus, where they have frequent contact with members of the teaching staff and the academic administration.

The University of Princeton provides an abundance of opportunities for individuals to pursue personal interests, participate in activities on campus, and meet new people. Students have convenient access to train services, allowing them to travel to nearby cities such as Philadelphia and New York.

Application Requirements

During the process of applying to Princeton, you will be required to submit a few different documents. If you are not able to provide the Princeton undergraduate requirements, you will not be able to satisfy the requirements set forth by Princeton University. Because of this, your application will not be considered. The following items must be presented in order to be considered for admission to Princeton.

Submit:

• A Completed Application. You are required to submit your application through the Common Application, which can only be done online.
• Princeton’s Supplement. All applicants are required to submit the Princeton Supplement, in addition to the application that is provided by the Common Application. You will need to submit the Princeton Supplement through the Common Application website in order to be considered.
• Application Fee or Waiver of Application Fee. You have two options for submitting a request to waive the associated fees: 1) On the Common Application, select the option to waive the application fee.

Your school counselor needs to give online approval to your request for a fee waiver, or you can send in your fee waiver form via mail or fax. 2) On the Princeton Supplement, you’ll need to choose which of the following fee waiver options you want to use: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board, or NACAC. The Princeton-specific fee waiver is available to financially disadvantaged students of any school, not just Princeton.

In addition, applicants who are currently serving in the United States military or who have served in the military in the past are eligible for a fee waiver specific to Princeton University. You do not need to get permission from your college counselor or academic adviser in order to use the fee waiver that is specific to Princeton if you use it. On the page that explains how to apply for fee waivers, you can get more information.

• Graded Written Paper. As a part of Princeton undergraduate requirements, a piece of writing that you have created, most preferably in the fields of English or history.

Request:

• Transcript. A school counselor or other authorized school representative needs to mail an official transcript.
• Report from School (SR). The Common Application website is where you can find the SR form to fill out. Kindly ask your guidance counselor or another authorized school staff member to complete and turn in the SR form on your behalf.
• A recommendation from your counselor. Please keep in mind that the Supplementary Essay and the Counselor Recommendation are two separate items if you are submitting your Common Application online. Make sure that your school counselor or academic adviser is “invited” to complete both of these items.
• Recommendations from two (2) different teachers. Request that two of your instructors who have taught you in higher-level classes (such as AP, IB Higher/Standard Level, A-levels, etc.) in a variety of academic fields fill out and submit the teacher recommendation forms that can be found on the website for the Common Application. These forms can be found here. The topics should be drawn from fundamental academic fields, such as mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.
• The Report at the Half-Year Mark When your midyear grades become available, we kindly ask that you ask your guidance counselor or another school official to complete and submit this form on your behalf.

Report:

• 2022-23 application cycle. In light of the limited availability of testing locations, Princeton will not be mandating the submission of standardized test results (SAT or ACT).
• One of the SAT or ACT. If you decide to submit test scores, applicants should take either the SAT or the ACT by the October test date in order to be considered for Single-Choice Early Action and the December test date in order to be considered for Regular Decision. Use the following codes when registering for the SAT or ACT to guarantee that your results will be transmitted to Princeton: SAT score of 2672 and ACT score of 2588
• Exams for the SAT Subjects. Princeton does not require SAT Subject Tests. You have the option to send in your score for a Subject Test even if you opted not to take the test before January/June 2021, when it was discontinued by the College Board. If you did choose to take the test.
• Scores on the TOEFL, IELTS, or the PTE Academic. If English is not your first language and you are planning to attend a school where English is not the language of instruction, then you are required to take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS Academic), or the Pearson Test of English Academic.

One of these tests must be passed in order to continue with your education (PTE Academic). If English is your first language or if you attended a secondary school where English is the primary language of instruction for at least three years, you are exempt from having to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of Academic English (PTE Academic).

How hard is it to get into Princeton Undergraduate Program?

How hard is it to get into Princeton undergraduate program?  Although admission to Princeton University is extremely competitive, it is still possible to study there. The acceptance rate for the class of 2021 was 6.09 percent, while the acceptance rate for the class of 2025 was only 3.98 percent. It is likely that the pandemic as well as the decision to make taking the SAT and ACT optional contributed to the record-high application numbers and the record-low acceptance rates considering the Princeton undergraduate requirements.

Statistics of Admission to Princeton for the Class of 2025

Total Applications	Overall Acceptance Rate	Applications Accepted	Percentage of Accepted Class who are International Citizens
37,601	3.98%	1,498	13%

Even though the admissions process at Princeton takes a more holistic approach, the majority of students must still graduate at the top of their high school classes and earn scores that are very close to perfect on standardized tests in order to be considered.

Because academic performance is the first factor that admissions officers look at, your high school transcript is the component of your application that bears the most weight.

What you have accomplished both inside and outside of the classroom is something that the admissions committee at Princeton will take into consideration. Because of this, your extracurricular activities are very important. They are interested in learning about your skills, accomplishments in your personal life, and academic achievements. If you participate in extracurricular activities that you have a strong interest in, that enthusiasm will come across in your application.

In addition, applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to improving both their high schools and their communities will stand out from the crowd. When you talk about your leadership activities, interests, and skills that set you apart from other applicants, you show the admissions committee how much you care about your commitments and what you’ve accomplished as a result of those commitments.

Last but not least, Princeton is interested in knowing how you intend to contribute to the community of Princeton by making use of the academic and extracurricular opportunities that are available at the school. Your application ought to contain a list of your accomplishments, and your writing ought to highlight your individual voice.

What GPA do you need for Princeton?

What GPA do you need for Princeton? When it comes to shortlisting applications, many schools use a standard grade point average. However, in order to fulfill Princeton’s admission requirements, you will need to achieve the highest possible score. Therefore, rather than focusing on achieving the bare minimum, make it a goal to achieve more so that your name remains on the admission list. In the event that you are curious about the minimum GPA required for admission to Princeton, please read the following:

The minimum grade point average required to get into Princeton is 3.9. Therefore, in order to meet the Princeton University GPA requirements, you will need to have a grade point average of 3.9. What exactly does it mean when your grade point average is 3.9?

A perfect grade point average would be 3.9. To put it another way, in order to get a grade point average of 3.9, you need to be the best student in your class. In addition, all of your subjects should have earned you an “A” grade, and you should have a degree in either the IB or AP programs.

If you currently have a grade point average that is lower than 3.9, it may be difficult for you to change it or improve it while you are still a high school student. However, you can make up for this low score by working harder on future standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT. It is not necessary to take both the ACT and the SAT exams in order to evaluate your academic potential. You have the option of sitting for either one of the two.

When deciding which students to admit to the college, admissions officers look at both their grade point average and their SAT or ACT score. The college will also take into account how well you performed in activities outside of the classroom. It is possible to make up the difference with your other scores if you don’t meet the minimum grade point average required by Princeton University.

What type of student does Princeton look for?

What type of student does Princeton look for? Students who have an intellectual curiosity and have pursued and achieved academic excellence are ideal candidates for admission to Princeton. Additionally, they are looking for students who have distinguished achievements in their personal lives and in extracurricular activities which is crucial and part of Princeton undergraduate requirements.

In order to be considered for admission to Princeton, candidates are expected to have prior academic experience in the following subject areas: English, mathematics, a foreign language, laboratory science, and history. (Complete information can be found on the page devoted to Academic Preparation.)

In addition to this, they are looking for candidates who have stretched themselves academically by taking advantage of honors, advanced placement (AP), and dual-enrollment opportunities when they were available. We evaluate diplomas such as the International Baccalaureate (IB), A-levels, and any other diplomas that are relevant to the curriculum of the program.

They are looking for students who are leaders in their schools and communities; if you are interested in applying, you should tell them about your interests, special skills, and other extracurricular involvements in addition to your leadership activities.

Please let them know if you have ever held a job or been responsible for something in your home. The vast majority of students at Princeton were already academic stars in their previous schools. The vast majority of them also contributed significantly outside of the classroom with their time, energy, and skills. They want to know what you care about, what commitments you’ve made, and what you’ve done to act on those commitments. Princeton wants to know what you’ve done to act on your commitments.

Princeton University’s application deadline for 2022

What is Princeton University’s application deadline for 2022? You have two options to submit your application to Princeton for first-year admission: early action with a single choice or regular decision. Reviewing Princeton’s policy on standardized testing should be your first order of business before you start working on your application, the university advises.

Single-Choice Early Action

Mid-August

• The Application Is Currently Available

In addition to the Princeton Supplement, the Common Application

Nov. 1

• Deadline for the application and the Princeton Supplement
• Graded Written Paper Due
• The School Report, a Letter from the School Counselor, and the Transcript
• Form 1 of the Teacher Evaluation
• Form No. 2 of the Teacher Evaluation
• Successful completion of the TOEFL, IELTS Academic, or PTE Academic Test (if applicable)

Nov. 9

• The application for financial aid from Princeton must be submitted by

Mid-December

• Notification of the Decision

May 2

• The deadline for the candidate’s response

Regular Decision

Mid-August

• The Application Is Currently Available

In addition to the Princeton Supplement, the Common Application

Jan. 1

• Deadline for the application and the Princeton Supplement
• Graded Written Paper Due
• The School Report, a Letter from the School Counselor, and the Transcript
• Form 1 of the Teacher Evaluation
• Form No. 2 of the Teacher Evaluation
• Successful completion of the TOEFL, IELTS Academic, or PTE Academic Test (if applicable)

Feb. 1

• The application for financial aid from Princeton must be submitted by

March 31

• Notification of the Decision

May 2

• The deadline for the candidate’s response

Princeton Requirements for International Students

What are Princeton requirements for international students? As is the case with applicants from the United States, applicants from outside the United States are evaluated by Princeton with their immediate context and opportunities in mind and with the same Princeton undergraduate requirements.

This consideration includes the education systems of various national and international systems, with the caveat that there is no preference or advantage given to any particular system or country.

In the first-year applicant pool that submits its materials during the 2022–2023 admissions cycle for Princeton’s Class of 2027, the university will continue to maintain its test-optional admissions policy. Those individuals who are still interested in participating in standardized testing should make every effort to do so before the December test date, if at all possible. According to Princeton’s previous experiences, test takers located outside of the United States can expect their scores from the December exam date to be delivered on time.

You are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS Academic), or the Pearson Test of English Academic if English is not the primary language spoken in your home and you attend a school where English is not the language of instruction. However, if English is the primary language spoken in your home, you are exempt from this requirement (PTE Academic).

If you need help putting the finishing touches on your early applications, or want some advice on whether or not applying Early Decision or an Early Action is a good option for you, at AdmissionSight, we have over 10 years of experience guiding students through the competitive admissions process, including our athletic recruitment program.

AdmissionSight can help you put your best foot forward when applying to college this fall. Contact us today for more information on our services.