Princeton Transfer Acceptance Rate and Requirements — 2024

Princeton University is a school that rejects 24 first-year applicants for every 1 that it accepts. The odds are even worse for transfer applicants. However, there is some reason for measured optimism—last year, Princeton decided to admit approximately twice as many transfers as in previous years, a move that is reflected in a 2022 acceptance rate that is more than double that of the 2021 rate. This new initiative is expected to continue for at least the next several years. Accordingly, the following blog will reveal the current Princeton transfer acceptance rate as well as additional essential pieces of information like the Princeton transfer deadline, requirements, decision date, and much more.

Princeton Transfer Acceptance Rate

Below we present the most current available Princeton University transfer acceptance rate as well as historical data.

For entry in the fall of 2022, 1,201 students applied for transfer admission, and 35 were successful. This means that the Princeton transfer acceptance rate is 2.9%. If we break this down by gender, the acceptance rates are as follows:

• Male transfer applicants: 3.7%
• Female transfer applicants: 1.8%

In the fall of 2021, there were 1,350 transfer applicants and 18 individuals were accepted. This means that the Princeton transfer acceptance rate was 1.3%.

When trying to get the complete picture of how difficult it is to transfer into a given school, it is important to look at historical data. Many schools have wild fluctuations in transfer acceptance rates from year to year. Yet, this is not the case at Princeton, which has been pretty steady over the last handful of years.

Historical transfer rates are as follows:

Princeton Transfer Deadline

The university offers an option for fall transfer only. The Princeton transfer deadline for fall applicants is March 1. Additionally, the transfer deadline for Princeton’s optional arts supplement is March 8.

Princeton Transfer Requirements

The Princeton transfer requirements are as follows:

• Completed Common App for Transfer + Princeton Supplement
• Graded Written Paper
• Official high school transcripts
• Official college transcripts
• SAT or ACT scores (optional for 2023-24)
• College Report and Mid-Term Report
• Two letters of recommendation (at least one must be from a college instructor)

Princeton University Transfer Acceptance Rate (Continued)

Students who have the best chance to gain admission to Princeton have done the following:

• Completed one or two years of transferable coursework.
• Earned exceptional grades in their first year at a community college or 4-year university.
• Are from a lower-income background, are a community college student, or are a US military veteran. Admissions has a preference for transfer students from these three backgrounds.
• Have incredible extracurricular accomplishments on their resume. For example, publishing a scientific study, earning a patent, founding a national organization, etc. Yes—we recognize those are crazy expectations for a 19-year-old, but getting into Princeton is an absurdly competitive venture.

Princeton Transfer GPA

The is no minimum GPA required to be considered as a transfer applicant at this institution. However, in our experience, you will need a GPA of 3.9 or above to be a truly competitive applicant to Princeton.

Princeton Transfer Writing Supplement

All transfer applicants must respond to the following essay prompts and short answer questions. Frankly, there are an insane number of essays required by Princeton as well as the submission of a graded academic paper. These elements are going to take you a fair amount of time and effort to complete.

For A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who Are Undecided

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in about 250 words.)

For B.S.E. Degree Applicants

Your Voice

1. Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)
2. Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

Princeton Transfer Acceptance Rate (Continued)

More About You

1. What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
2. What brings you joy?
3. What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

Higher Education Experience

1. Have you had any interruptions or gaps in your education since high school or college, or have you left any school voluntarily for a significant time frame? If so, please explain the timeline of your postsecondary career. (Please respond in about 150 words.)
2. What are your plans during and after your higher education experience? (Please respond in about 150 words.)

Graded Written Paper

For transfer applicants, a graded paper may come from a course taken within the last two years of schooling. While we prefer that it be in the subjects of either English or history, we will also consider papers from courses in the humanities and social sciences for our transfer applicants, provided they meet all of the other requirements listed. Please refer to general requirements for the graded written paper.

Princeton Transfer Decision Date

The Princeton transfer decision date is in mid-May. You will receive a notice of acceptance or rejection by this time.

Final Thoughts – Princeton University Transfer Acceptance Rate

In the words of the admissions committee, “Our transfer admission program involves a highly individualized holistic review of each applicant’s achievements, talents and potential to contribute to learning at Princeton, with the expectation that admitted students are prepared to thrive in our diverse and rigorous learning environment.” Princeton is looking to enroll a small, diverse group of transfer students who will add a mature perspective to the student body. As such, they highly encourage applicants from low-income, community college, and military backgrounds. If that sounds like you, you could have a legitimate shot at a Princeton acceptance.

If you are looking for information on how to apply to Princeton as a first-year student, you may find the following blogs to be of interest:

• How to Get Into Princeton
• Princeton Supplemental Essay Prompt and Tips

Those searching for application info on other institutions may wish to visit our Dataverse pages:

• Transfer Admissions Deadlines
• Transfer Acceptance Rates