Legacy Percentage Rises for Class of 2020

The University reported an acceptance rate of 68.5 percent by students offered ADMISSION to the Class of 2020, virtually unchanged from last year’s figure. But sons and daughters of Princetonians will be a larger fraction of the incoming freshman class than in recent years.

Dean of Admission Janet Rapelye said that 14.4 percent of those accepting offers of admission are legacies, the highest since the Class of 2011’s 14.7 percent. Rapelye said the increase in legacy admissions was the result of “a larger group applying and a slightly higher yield,” and not a decision to alter the proportion of legacies, which was 12.6 percent a year ago. 

Rapelye said of the 1,319 students who accepted offers of admission, 51.5 percent are men and 48.5 percent are women. She said 42 percent self-identified as minorities, including those who are multiracial, while 12.3 percent are international students and 17.2 percent are recruited athletes. The numbers may fluctuate over the summer, Rapelye said.