Yale University
IMPORTANT NOTICE
"Yale evaluates each applicant as an individual. Standardized test scores are just one of many factors Yale may consider when reviewing applications."
'All applicants for undergraduate admission for fall 2024 enrollment may apply with or without ACT or SAT scores. The admissions office plans to announce a long-term policy on standardized testing in winter 2024. The decision will be informed by the data and insights generated from the most recent admissions cycles.'
'Applicants who have successfully completed one or more ACT or SAT exams should consider including scores, even if those scores are below the ranges listed below. Yale’s internal research has consistently shown that standardized test scores are a significant predictor of a student’s undergraduate academic performance. When students include scores with their applications, the Yale Admissions Committee evaluates them within each student’s unique context and uses them to augment other academic indicators throughout the application. '
'For applicants without scores, the Admissions Committee places greater weight on other parts of the application, such as high school transcripts, recommendation letters, and essays. Competitive candidates with or without scores are those whose applications clearly demonstrate a high degree of academic preparedness, a consistent record of scholastic success, and genuine intellectual curiosity.
ACT and SAT overview and policies
2023-2024 admissions cycle, applicants to Yale College may opt to report results from the ACT and/or the SAT.
The Common and Coalition Applications will include the following question: “Yale is providing applicants the option to have their applications reviewed with or without ACT or SAT scores. Do you wish to have ACT or SAT scores considered with your application?”
Applicants who respond “Yes” may not change their response. Any official or self-reported ACT or SAT scores included with a student’s application will be considered during the review process.
Applicants who respond “No” may change their response to “Yes” by using the Application Update Form on the Yale Admissions Status Portal to self-report ACT or SAT results at any time after applying.
*Applicants who submit the QuestBridge Application will respond to the above question via the Yale Admissions Status Portal shortly after applications are received.
*Standardized test results, when included, are just one component of a student’s application and are viewed within the context of the student’s entire file. There is no minimum score required for admission, nor is there a score that will guarantee admission.
The middle 50% of test scores (the 25th to the 75th percentiles) for enrolled first-year students in fall 2020 were
SAT-Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 720-780
SAT-Math: 740-800
ACT Composite: 33-35
The middle 80% of test scores (the 10th to the 90th percentiles) for enrolled first-year students in fall 2020
SAT-Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 680-790
SAT-Math: 690-800
ACT Composite: 31-36
ACT and SAT policies
SAT vs ACT
The Yale Admissions Committee does not prefer one test over the other, and students who submit both the SAT and ACT are not at an advantage.
The ACT Writing section is optional. Applicants who opt to complete the Writing section may self-report their Writing subscore on the application.
Self-Reporting Scores
Students who opt to include ACT and/or SAT scores with their application may self-report scores on the application and/or via the “Update Application” form, available on the Yale Admissions Status Portal after an application has been received. Applicants who are offered admission and choose to matriculate at Yale will be required to provide official results of all self-reported scores prior to enrolling. Discrepancies between an applicant’s self-reported scores and official scores may result in the withdrawal of an offer of admission.
Multiple Tests & Test Dates
Applicants who opt to include scores may choose to report scores from one exam date or multiple exam dates, but they must include a complete set of subscores - e.g. Mathematics and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing for the SAT; English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science for the ACT.
Superscoring
When assessing SAT results, admissions officers will focus on the highest individual section scores from all test dates. For example, if an applicant took the SAT twice, the highest Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math scores will be considered individually. When assessing ACT results, admissions officers will focus on the highest ACT Composite from all test dates while also considering individual ACT subscores.
Additional requirements for all first-year applicants:
$80 application fee or fee waiver
Recommendations from two teachers and one counselor
School Report with transcript
Standardized test results (ACT or SAT) – not required for fall 2024 admission.
Mid-Year Report (due when first semester/term senior grades are available at your school)
Admissions decision notification:
Admissions decisions for Single-Choice Early Action candidates will be available online in mid-December. Decisions for Regular Decision candidates will be posted online via the Yale Admissions Status Portal by April 1. Both Early Action and Regular Decision applicants have until May 1 to reply to an offer of admission. Decisions are released exclusively via the Yale Admissions Status Portal.
The QuestBridge National College Match Application:
Yale is a partner with QuestBridge(link is external), a national non-profit program that connects bright, motivated low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the nation’s best colleges.
Single-Choice Early Action 10 Nov:
ACT October
SAT October
TOEFL November
Regular Decision 25th February:
ACT October
SAT October
TOEFL November
QuestBridge National College Match:
ACT
September
SAT
October
TOEFL
FAQs
A: Ask your school counselor or other school official who will be assisting you with your college applications to address any special circumstances in the Counselor Recommendation. You may also write about particular challenges in your personal statement or the Additional Information section of the application, but an explanation from your counselor or another school official is especially valuable. Remember that Yale’s review process is holistic and contextual. If you believe there is important information the Admissions Committee should know when evaluating your application, please share that information with your counselor.
A: When applying to Yale, there is no difference. All candidates submit the same application materials regardless of citizenship or immigration status. The application will prompt you to list your country or countries of citizenship, and this information is used for reporting purposes. Your citizenship or immigration status will not negatively affect your chances of admission or your eligibility for Yale financial aid.
A:Although the Coalition Application, Common Application and QuestBridge National College Match Application limit the number of activities you may report, there is typically more than enough space for most competitive applicants to communicate their most important and relevant commitments. Please note that it is not necessary to report all of the activities you have ever participated in. You should only report your most recent activities, generally from grades 9-12, and you should focus on activities that you have spent the most time on, those that have meant the most to you personally, and those that are most relevant to your college plans and goals. Generally speaking, applicants should not submit additional résumés, except in the case of professional employment experience in the performing arts.
4.Are there different application requirements for students interested in different majors?
A: No. All applicants submit the same materials and are evaluated through the same processes regardless of their intended major. Applicants are not admitted to any specific major or undergraduate program. All matriculating students enroll in Yale College with access to the same 80 undergraduate majors. Yale College students do not declare a major until the end of their sophomore year.
5. Does the Admissions Office audit or verify application material?
A:Yes. Undergraduate admissions office staff conduct random audits of application information from both applicants and admitted students. Audited information includes, but is not limited to, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, awards and distinctions, and academic records. The audit process involves proactive communication with secondary school teachers and counselors, searches of publicly available information sources, and, in some cases, requests for additional verifying records.
6. Will applying for financial aid hurt my chances of admission?
A: Absolutely not. An applicant’s ability to pay for a Yale education is not considered during the admissions process. This policy is called “need-blind admission.” Yale is strongly committed to equality of opportunity, and need-blind admission ensures that the College will be open to students of personal and academic promise from all segments of society and all parts of the world. An application for financial aid has no effect on the Admissions Committee’s decision. This policy applies to all candidates, regardless of their citizenship.
7.What should I do if I have a disability-related question regarding the application process?
A:Please contact Yale’s Student Accessibility Services at sas@yale.edu(link sends e-mail) or 203-432-2324.
8. Can Yale estimate my chances of being admitted before I apply?
A: No. An admissions officer cannot provide an estimate of student’s chances of being admitted to Yale. This is not simply a matter of office policy; Yale’s holistic and contextual review process requires that an applicant’s candidacy be evaluated on the basis of all of the information provided in the application, and within the context of the full applicant pool. When choosing where you will apply to college, remember that admission to Yale is highly selective, even for the most academically accomplished applicants, but no one thing alone determines who is offered admission and who is denied. For more information and advice, review the extensive Advice to Candidates section of this website.
A: No. Yale does not track “demonstrated interest” in any form for the purpose of evaluating applications. Visiting campus or attending an information session can be an excellent way to learn more about Yale, but it will not affect your chances of admission.
10.Does Yale require that applicants complete certain high school courses?
A: No. There are no specific high school courses required for admission. There are also no specific high school courses required for applicants who express interest in any particular major. Please reference our Advice on Selecting High School Courses for more information.
11. Who should write my teacher recommendations?
A: Yale requires two letters of recommendation from teachers who have taught you in credit-bearing classes during the academic year in core academic subjects (English, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies). We recommend, but do not require, that applicants solicit recommendations from 11th and 12th grade teachers, as they are typically able to provide the best insights into your most rigorous academic work. Yale does not require that these recommendations come from teachers of particular academic subjects. Choose teachers who know you well and can give us a sense of your academic and personal strengths.
12. What does Yale look for in essays and short answer responses?
The best writing in an application is thoughtful and reflective, conveying a specific idea related to your personal or intellectual life. We understand that in a mere 200 or 500 words you cannot possibly tell us everything about yourself, and the essays and short answer responses in the application are not meant to create a comprehensive autobiography. Take some time to think about what you want us to know about you. Consider the essay’s brevity to be a challenge: it’s often more difficult to say what you mean with economy. Choose topics that express who you are and allow you to share something important about you. Don’t feel the need to come up with a “gimmick” or an original topic. Many successful candidates write about fairly common topics, such as music, sports, community service projects, jobs, and family relationships. Take the time to carefully review your essays before submitting them. Additional information can be found in our Advice to Candidates section
13. My essay is more than the stated word limit. Is that OK?
14. How does Yale use AP, IB, A-Levels, and Dual Enrollment courses completed in high school?
A: Admissions officers are familiar with various types of advanced coursework, including AP, IB, A-Levels, Dual Enrollment, and others, but have no preference for one advanced curriculum over another. We also understand that the availability of advanced coursework varies significantly from school to school. For matriculating students, top scores on AP or IB exams can, in some cases, be used for the purposes of course placement or acceleration (i.e. completing the requirements for an undergraduate degree in fewer than 8 semesters). Details of the Yale College policies on acceleration are available in the Yale College Programs of Study.
15
15. May I submit a supplementary letter of recommendation?
A: Yes, but please note that supplementary letters are neither recommended nor required. The writer of a supplemental letter should know you personally and/or have mentored you closely in some capacity. For example, if you have engaged in advanced scientific research, you should consider asking your research mentor to write a supplemental letter of recommendation for you. Please ask that person to include the following at the top of their letter: your full, legal name as it appears in your application, the name and location of your high school, and your date of birth. See the guidelines about Supplementary Materials.
16. How does Yale evaluate supplementary materials such as music, art, dance, film, or scientific research?
A:The vast majority of our students are admitted on the basis of required documents alone. For a very small number of exceptionally talented researchers, artists, musicians, dancers, or filmmakers, supplementary material may be useful to communicate information that cannot be conveyed adequately in the rest of the application. See the guidelines about Supplementary Materials for more information.
17. How can I confirm that Yale has received all my required application documents?
A: The Yale Admissions Status Portal will allow you to view an Application Checklist of all required material and, eventually, your admissions decision. You can also use the Status Portal to request a change of address, change of primary email, etc.
18. May I apply to Yale more than once?
Yes, but Yale has a longstanding policy that a student may not apply to the College more than three times. This includes first-year, transfer, Eli Whitney, and non-degree applications.