Emory Common Data Set 2025-2026

Emory University’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set gives applicants a detailed look at how selective Emory has become, what the university values most in admissions, how Early Decision affects the applicant pool, what test-optional means in practice, and how cost and financial aid should shape a family’s strategy.

Below is what the latest data reveals about Emory admissions and what applicants should take away from it.

A Sharper Look at Emory’s Selectivity

For the class entering in Fall 2025, Emory reported:

• Applications received: 37,561

• Students admitted: 3,869

• Students enrolled: 1,443

• Acceptance rate: roughly 10.3 percent

• Yield rate: roughly 37.3 percent

That means Emory admitted about one student out of every ten who applied. This is not a school where strong grades and high test scores are enough by themselves. Most applicants who are academically competitive still need a clear reason to stand out.

Because Emory’s Common Data Set reports university-wide numbers, applicants should not use this document to calculate separate admit rates for Emory College and Oxford College.

Early Decision Matters at Emory

Emory offers Early Decision and does not offer Early Action. The Common Data Set reports:

• Early Decision applications: 4,728

• Early Decision admits: 1,049

• Early Decision acceptance rate: roughly 22.2 percent

• Early Decision I deadline: November 1

• Early Decision I notification: December 15

• Early Decision II deadline: January 1

• Early Decision II notification: February 15

• Early Action: not offered

By comparison, Emory’s overall admit rate was about 10.3 percent. If we subtract Early Decision from the total pool, the remaining pool had about 32,833 applicants and 2,820 admits, an implied admit rate of roughly 8.6 percent.

That does not mean every student should apply Early Decision. ED pools often include students who are more prepared, more committed, and more aligned with institutional priorities. But the data makes clear that Early Decision is a major part of Emory’s class-building strategy.

If Emory is truly a student’s first choice, the application is ready by November, and the family understands the financial commitment of a binding plan, Early Decision deserves serious consideration.

The Academic Profile of Enrolled Students

Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Emory’s testing profile was very strong:

• SAT composite: 1480 to 1540, median 1510

• SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 720 to 760, median 740

• SAT Math: 740 to 790, median 780

• ACT composite: 33 to 35, median 34

• Submitted an SAT: 47 percent

• Submitted an ACT: 21 percent

The score distribution is also important. Among students who submitted SAT scores, 96 percent had a composite score between 1400 and 1600. Among students who submitted ACT scores, 98 percent had a composite score between 30 and 36.

Emory also reports GPA data:

• Average high school GPA: 3.80

• Percent submitting high school GPA: 95 percent

• 4.0 GPA: 14 percent

• 3.75 to 3.99 GPA: 63 percent

• 3.50 to 3.74 GPA: 21 percent

• 3.25 to 3.49 GPA: 2 percent

That means 77 percent of enrolled students with reported GPA data had a GPA of 3.75 or higher. Emory is not admitting only perfect-GPA students, but the academic baseline is still very high.

Emory Is Test-Optional, but Scores Still Matter

Emory reports that SAT or ACT scores are not required for admission, but are considered if submitted. At the same time, Emory rates standardized test scores as Very Important in its admissions factor table.

That combination matters. Emory is not test-blind. It is test-optional, but a strong submitted score can still strengthen the application.

The practical takeaway is straightforward:

• A score near or above Emory’s middle 50 percent range can help.

• A score far below Emory’s range may not help.

• Students applying without scores need the transcript, course rigor, recommendations, essays, and extracurricular profile to carry more weight.

For Emory, test-optional does not mean tests are irrelevant. It means the applicant has some control over whether that piece of evidence enters the file.

Who Makes Up the First-Year Class

Emory’s Fall 2025 first-year class included 1,443 degree-seeking students. By racial and ethnic category, the first-year class was reported as:

• Asian: 29.4 percent

• White: 26.2 percent

• International or nonresident: 13.7 percent

• Hispanic or Latino: 10.9 percent

• Black or African American: 8.7 percent

• Race or ethnicity unknown: 6.0 percent

• Two or more races: 5.1 percent

• American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 percent reported

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 0 percent reported

Emory also has a national applicant pool. For enrolled first-year students, the residency breakdown was:

• In-state: 197

• Out-of-state: 1,048

• International: 198

The student life section reports that 84 percent of domestic first-year students were from out of state. Emory is not simply a Georgia regional school. It is a national and international university.

How Emory Weighs Each Part of the Application

The admissions factor ratings are one of the most useful parts of the Common Data Set because they show what Emory itself says matters most.

Rated Very Important:

• Rigor of secondary school record

• Academic GPA

• Standardized test scores

• Extracurricular activities

• Talent or ability

• Character and personal qualities

Rated Important:

• Application essay

• Recommendations

• Volunteer work

Rated Considered:

• Class rank

• Interview

• First-generation status

• Alumni relation

• Geographic residence

• State residency

• Work experience

Rated Not Considered:

• Religious affiliation or commitment

• Level of applicant’s interest

The most important pattern is that Emory places both academic and nonacademic qualities in the highest tier. Rigor, GPA, and test scores matter greatly, but so do extracurricular activities, talent, and character.

That means Emory is not simply selecting the students with the highest numbers. The strongest applicants need academic strength and a clear personal or extracurricular identity.

Demonstrated Interest Does Not Matter

Emory reports that an applicant’s level of interest is Not Considered.

That is important. Visiting campus, opening admissions emails, attending webinars, or contacting admissions is not listed as an admissions factor in the Common Data Set.

That does not mean applicants should avoid researching Emory. The reason to research Emory is not to “demonstrate interest.” The reason is to write stronger essays, make a better ED decision, and understand whether Emory’s academic and campus environment actually fit the student.

A strong Emory application should show fit through substance, not performative interest.

What the Top Factors Actually Mean

The six Very Important factors are where Emory applications are won or lost.

Rigor of secondary school record. Emory wants students who challenged themselves with demanding courses. AP, IB, honors, dual enrollment, advanced STEM courses, advanced humanities courses, and rigorous senior-year choices all matter in context.

Academic GPA. Emory’s GPA profile shows that grades are central. Most enrolled students with reported GPA data had a GPA above 3.75.

Standardized test scores. Emory is test-optional, but it still rates scores as Very Important. A strong score can be an asset. A weak score can be omitted, but the rest of the academic file then has to work harder.

Extracurricular activities. Emory places extracurriculars in the highest tier. The strongest applicants should show depth, initiative, and impact, not just participation.

Talent or ability. Emory is looking for students with a demonstrated strength. That strength could be academic, scientific, artistic, entrepreneurial, athletic, service-oriented, or leadership-based.

Character and personal qualities. Character is one of Emory’s top-rated factors. This should come through in essays, recommendations, activities, and the way the application’s pieces fit together.

The Emory Applicant Strategy

A strong Emory application should combine academic excellence with a clear personal direction.

For pre-med, public health, biology, neuroscience, or health-focused applicants, Emory’s location in Atlanta and its connection to major health, research, and public service ecosystems can be powerful. But applicants should not rely on generic pre-med interest. They need evidence of real commitment, such as research, clinical exposure, public health work, community service, data analysis, or a project that shows initiative.

For business-oriented applicants, Emory’s strong undergraduate business presence means the student should show more than interest in finance or consulting. They should show real business thinking, entrepreneurship, leadership, data skills, or community impact.

For humanities and social science applicants, Emory will still expect academic seriousness. Strong writing, research, debate, policy work, language study, publication, community engagement, or original intellectual work can help make the case.

The mistake many applicants make is treating Emory as a “balanced” target school for students who are strong but not quite Ivy-level. The data says otherwise. Emory is highly selective, and the application needs a clear reason to be admitted.

The Waitlist Is Real, but Not a Plan

Emory reports that it uses a waitlist. For Fall 2025:

• Students offered a place on the waitlist: 7,608

• Students accepting a place on the waitlist: 6,422

• Students admitted from the waitlist: 274

• Waitlist ranked: No

That means about 4.3 percent of students who accepted a waitlist spot were eventually admitted.

The waitlist should not be treated as a backup plan. It is possible to get admitted from the waitlist, but the odds are still low and depend heavily on yield, institutional needs, and class composition.

Cost and Financial Aid

Emory’s published 2026-2027 costs are high:

• Tuition: $70,300

• Required fees: $1,148

• Food and housing: $22,406

• Books and supplies: $1,286

• Transportation: $1,100

• Other expenses: $1,620

• Estimated total cost: about $97,860

The sticker price is not what every family pays. Emory reports that it meets 100 percent of demonstrated need for first-time, full-time first-year students receiving need-based aid.

For first-time, full-time first-year students receiving need-based aid:

• Average financial aid package: $68,253

• Average need-based scholarship or grant: $66,428

• Average need-based self-help award: $2,891

• Average need-based loan: $3,299

• Need met: 100 percent

Emory also reports institutional financial aid for undergraduate nonresidents:

• Nonresidents receiving institutional aid: 101

• Average institutional aid award for nonresidents: $62,950

• Total institutional aid awarded to nonresidents: $6,357,902

Families should not judge affordability from the sticker price alone. They should run Emory’s net price calculator before deciding whether the university is financially realistic.

Loan Data

Among 1,454 students in the 2025 undergraduate class who started at Emory as first-time students and graduated with a bachelor’s degree:

• 351 borrowed from some loan source

• 24.14 percent borrowed from some loan source

• Average cumulative amount borrowed among borrowers: $19,914

• 340 borrowed federal loans

• Average federal loan amount among federal borrowers: $12,325

• 50 borrowed private student loans

• Average private loan amount among private borrowers: $52,734

The private loan number is especially important. While relatively few students borrowed private loans, the average private loan amount was much higher than the average federal loan amount.

Life and Academics Once You Arrive

The Common Data Set also gives a picture of the undergraduate experience:

• First-year retention rate: 95 percent

• Six-year graduation rate: 91 percent for the Fall 2019 cohort

• Student-to-faculty ratio: 8.3 to 1

• First-year students living in college-owned, operated, or affiliated housing: 98 percent

• Undergraduates living in college-owned, operated, or affiliated housing: 58 percent

• Domestic first-year students from out of state: 84 percent

• Undergraduate class sections with fewer than 20 students: about 63 percent

• Undergraduate class sections with fewer than 30 students: about 76 percent

Emory also reports extensive academic opportunities, including accelerated programs, cross-registration, distance learning, double majors, dual enrollment, honors programs, independent study, internships, study abroad, undergraduate research, and off-campus study in Washington, D.C.

Popular Academic Areas

Emory’s degree distribution shows a broad academic profile, with particular strength in business, biology, social sciences, health-related fields, and quantitative areas.

The largest bachelor’s degree areas reported include:

• Business and marketing: 18.6 percent

• Biological and life sciences: 14.8 percent

• Social sciences: 13.2 percent

• Mathematics and statistics: 8.6 percent

• Health professions and related programs: 7.3 percent

• Psychology: 6.2 percent

• Physical sciences: 5.2 percent

• Computer and information sciences: 4.1 percent

This matters for applicants because Emory’s strongest academic cases often connect to real interests in health, business, science, public policy, social science, research, or interdisciplinary work. The best applications make that intellectual direction clear.

Deadlines and Application Logistics

Key dates and policies from Emory’s Common Data Set:

• Application fee: $75

• Fee waivers: available for applicants with financial need

• Regular Decision deadline: January 1

• Regular notification: by April 1

• Reply deadline: May 1

• Deferred admission: allowed

• Maximum postponement: 2 years

• Early Decision I deadline: November 1

• Early Decision I notification: December 15

• Early Decision II deadline: January 1

• Early Decision II notification: February 15

• Early Action: not offered

• Latest date for SAT or ACT scores: January 1

If you are preparing a Emory application for the 2026-2027 cycle and want experienced guidance on the pieces that actually move the needle, schedule a consultation with a T20 admissions expert today.