How to Get Into Syracuse University: Acceptance Rate and Strategies

August 1, 2025

Over 15,000 undergraduate students proudly don the distinctive orange gear associated with Syracuse University, a mid-sized school in Upstate New York. The ‘Cuse received a record 42,000+ applications for a spot in the 2023-24 freshman class. On a selectivity scale, Syracuse varies greatly from year to year, sporting acceptance rates as low as the low-40s and as high as almost 70% in just the past five years. Still, the admissions process is a competitive one, even more so for those hoping to enter standout academic programs such as those within the prestigious S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Given that Syracuse is a selective institution, it is important for prospective Orangemen and women to fully grasp:

Syracuse University’s Class of 2027 acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
Syracuse University’s ED acceptance rate
SAT, ACT, GPA, and class rank of accepted Syracuse University applicants
Admissions trends at Syracuse
The demographics of current Syracuse University undergraduates
Syracuse University’s yield rate
How Syracuse University’s admissions officers evaluate candidates
Tips for applying to Syracuse University
How to assess whether applying to Syracuse University is even worth the $85 application fee (for you)

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Syracuse University’s Overall Acceptance Rate – Class of 2027

Syracuse received 42,089 applications for the Class of 2027 and accepted 17,545 students. This translates to an overall Syracuse acceptance rate of 42%.

Historical Syracuse acceptance rates are as follows:

	Applicants	Admits	Acceptance Rate
Class of 2026	41,489	21,471	52%
Class of 2025	39,682	23,489	59%
Class of 2024	32,005	21,994	69%

Syracuse University Early Decision Acceptance Rate

Syracuse applicants have two Early Decision options with the ED I deadline falling on 11/15 and an ED II option with a January 1 deadline. The ED acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 was 66%, much higher than the regular decision rate. There were 2,182 ED applicants and 1,439 were accepted.

What GPA do you need to get into Syracuse?

Those who enrolled in the Class of 2027 had an average high school GPA of 3.8. Moreover, 34% of students had a GPA of 4.0 and an additional 42% had a GPA of 3.5-3.99.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to Syracuse?

34% of enrolled 2023-24 freshmen placed in the top decile of their high school class. 68% were in the top 25%, and 92% were in the top half.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Syracuse?

Only 33% of enrolled students submitted SAT or ACT results alongside their applications. Within that group, the mid-50% SAT range was 1280-1410 and the ACT range was 28-32.

Admissions Trends & Notes — Class of 2027

Applications have increased 25% over the past four years.
Domestic students of color comprised approximately a third of the enrolled class.
Applying during the ED round typically offers a significant boost.
New York residents made up 44% of the Class of 2027.
Of students who accepted a place on the waitlist, 28% were ultimately admitted.

Who Gets Into Syracuse University?

Let’s look at the demographics of current Syracuse University undergraduates:

Students represent all 50 states.
They come from 120+ countries around the world.

As at any selective university, competition is toughest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). If you hail from a less populated state like Hawaii, the Dakotas, or Montana, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances. Keep this in mind when you think about Syracuse’s acceptance rate.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the Class of 2027 was as follows:

Asian American: 8%
Hispanic: 12%
Black or African American: 7%
White: 56%
American Indian: 1%
Two or more races: 5%

The breakdown by gender of the Class of 2027 is notably split in favor of women:

Male: 43%
Female: 57%

One would think that this disparity would give men an edge in the admissions process at SU since there are far more qualified female applicants year after year. Yet, this is not the case—42% of men are accepted compared to 41% of women.

International students made up 11% of Syracuse’s Class of 2027. Historically, the greatest number of students hail from the following countries:

China
Canada
India
South Korea
Brazil
Thailand

Yield Rate

Syracuse University’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted—was 21% last year, up five points from previous years. The low rate is due to the fact that SU is competing with the same pool of students as many elite institutions in the Northeast. As such, the university greatly values “demonstrated interest” (more on that in a moment). For comparison, other private institutions have the following yield rates: Fordham (10%), Boston University (27%), and Villanova University (31%).

How Syracuse University Rates Applicants

There are an incredible 11 factors that Syracuse University ranks as being “very important” to their admissions process: rigor of secondary school record, GPA, talent/ability, class rank, the essays, recommendations, an interview, extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, and volunteer work. Talk about a holistic process! Keep these categories in mind when considering Syracuse’s acceptance rate.

Straight from the Syracuse University admissions staff:

“Your academic performance is a significant factor in our admissions decision, especially your senior year accomplishments. Your participation in honors and advanced placement courses and/or meaningful electives demonstrates your commitment to maximize your college experience.”
“Grades are only part of our admissions equation. Your personal essay illustrates your goals, interests, experiences, and values. Though an interview is not mandatory, it is an ideal way to further personalize your application.”
“An evaluation from your guidance counselor and two academic teacher recommendations give admissions representatives a sense of your unique gifts, capabilities, and accomplishments. These testimonials help to round out who you are as a student—and a person.”
“The Admissions Committee will review your after-school activities, volunteer work, or employment, to see how each illustrates your organizational and leadership skills, as well as your commitment to helping others.”
“Several programs at Syracuse University include a talent component, including art and design, architecture, drama, and music. Talent is evaluated by faculty members, and their evaluations are shared with the Admissions Committee.”
“Syracuse University is looking for more than academically prepared students. Syracuse students innovate and take risks, they are people of integrity and good citizenship. You are a strong candidate if you strengthen and support those around you, even as you are working to develop yourself.”

Additional Tips for Applying to Syracuse University

If you plan on joining the 42,000+ SU hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

Syracuse will remain test-optional for the 2024-25 application cycle.
Syracuse University offers interviews with an admissions rep that are very important to the admissions process. Keep this in mind when considering Syracuse’s acceptance rate.
Syracuse University weighs “demonstrated interest” as “important” in the admissions process. Therefore, you will be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essay(s) required by SU. In the 2025-26 cycle, there is one prompt that every applicant must tackle:

Syracuse University is a place that seeks to be welcoming to all – and has been since our founding. Explain why you are interested in Syracuse University and describe a personal experience in which you persevered through adversity, rejected discrimination, learned a lesson, or were inspired by the courageous actions of others and how you will apply what you learned to our community in a positive way. (250 words)

Should I Apply to Syracuse University?

Unlike many schools of its ilk, Syracuse is not looking for reasons to say “No” to prospective students with reasonably strong credentials. However, if Syracuse University is your aim and you don’t have grades and test scores in their 75^th percentile range, make sure to also have a rock-solid backup plan.

Syracuse University Acceptance Rate — Final Thoughts

All Syracuse applicants need to make sure that they formulate an appropriate college list, containing a complement of “target” and “safety” schools. You’ll definitely want to do this in conjunction with an admissions professional.

Inspired to start working on your college applications? Check out the following resources:

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College Admissions

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).