April 2, 2012

Applications hit a record high, admissions a record low

For the 10th year in a row, a record-breaking number of people—20,496—applied for undergraduate admission to the schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering at The Johns Hopkins University, a 5 percent increase over last year. At the same time, the university’s admissions rate fell to a record low: Only 17.7 percent of those applying for entry in fall 2012 were admitted. (The previous low was 18.3 percent for entry in fall 2011.)

Acceptance emails and envelopes went out to 3,071 high school seniors on March 29. Along with the 557 early-decision admits from the fall, this makes for an admitted class of 3,628. The university is seeking to fill a freshman class totaling 1,275.

Of those admitted to the class of 2016, 49.6 percent are women, the closest to an even split between men and women the university has ever had. This is also the most diverse class in the university’s history: Twenty-four percent (870 students) are underrepresented minorities, including students who are African-American, Hispanic and Native American.

The typical admit scored a combined 1447 on the two-part SAT.

All 50 states are represented in the admitted class, with the students residing in 65 nations around the world, including 83 students from 18 European countries, 123 from 11 East Asian countries, 34 from Canada, 18 from South Asia, 20 from South America and 12 from Central America and the Caribbean.

Thirty-eight percent of admitted students have been offered need-based grant funding, up from 37 percent last year, reflecting the university’s ongoing commitment to make a Johns Hopkins education accessible to students from all financial backgrounds. Students from the United States were evaluated without regard to their ability to pay tuition.

Student responses need to be postmarked by May 1.