Yale College admits 2,304 students; fourth year of expanded class size

Yale’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions has completed its review of the 35,220 applications for the Class of 2024 and has offered admission to 2,304 students. The class will complete the expansion of Yale College that began three years ago with the opening of Pauli Murray and Benjamin Franklin colleges. The newest Yalies will bring the total undergraduate enrollment to approximately 6,250 — an increase of 15% since 2017.

Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid, reported that students admitted to the Yale College Class of 2024 represent all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and 72 countries, and will graduate from more than 1,500 secondary schools around the world. They expressed interest in majoring in more than 75 of Yale’s academic programs.

“Offering a Yale education to more talented and promising students has been a highlight of my work and, in this case, will complete the university’s vision for a larger and stronger Yale College that has been more than a decade in the making,” Quinlan said. “The world has never been more in need of intelligent, strong, committed, energetic and visionary young people, and I am delighted so many of those young people decided to apply to Yale College.”

In December Yale offered admission to 796 applicants through the Early Action program and to 87 applicants through the QuestBridge National College Match program. QuestBridge is a national non-profit organization that connects high-achieving students from lower-income backgrounds with selective colleges and universities. The 87 matching students set a new a record for Yale and represent the largest number of matching students at any of the 40 QuestBridge partner schools.

Yale has offered admission to nearly 200 QuestBridge Finalists this year, the most in a single year since Yale’s partnership with QuestBridge began in 2007.

Scott Wallace-Juedes, director of undergraduate financial aid, said that hundreds of incoming and returning students will receive “a zero parent share” financial aid offer. This is Yale’s most generous financial aid package and includes new enhancements announced last fall.

Under the new policies, all parents in families with less than $75,000 in annual income and typical assets are not asked to make any financial contribution toward the cost of their child’s education, including tuition, room and board, books, and personal expenses. These packages also cover the cost of hospitalization insurance and include a $2,000 startup grant for a student’s first year.

Wallace-Juedes said the current Yale undergraduate student body includes more than 1,000 students who receive Federal Pell Grants for low-income students. This is an increase of 50% in just four years. Yale’s financial aid awards meet 100% of demonstrated financial need without requiring students or their families to take out loans. More than half of all current undergraduates receive a need-based Yale scholarship, with an average annual grant amount of over $55,000. More than 85% of the Yale College Class of 2019 graduated debt-free.

Hannah Mendlowitz, director of recruitment at the admissions office, shared details of some of the ways the admissions office will engage with admitted students this spring without the benefit of Bulldog Days — the office’s on-campus overnight program for admitted students that typically lasts three days in mid-April.

“Although we are disappointed that admitted students won’t be able to visit campus this spring, the Yale community is stepping up to provide an amazing collection of virtual events and opportunities to connect with current students, faculty, and staff,” she said.

Admitted students will be able to connect via chat and video in a new online Admitted Students Network, attend online master classes taught by Yale faculty, attend live-streamed video panels about different elements of campus life, and explore virtual content from student organizations, Mendlowitz said.

“We are transforming the three days of Bulldog Days into the ‘30 Bulldog Days of April.’ We are looking forward to helping our admitted students experience what makes Yale so special, from wherever they are in the world,” she said.

Admitted students will have until May 1 to reply to Yale’s offer of admission. The Admissions Office will consider requests for extensions on a case-by-case basis and will make reasonable allowances when reviewing final high school transcripts because of the disruptions that have affected secondary schools worldwide.