NYU and Fordham University — Admissions Research
nyu_fordham.md
NYU and Fordham University — Admissions Research
New York University (NYU)
Overview
- Location: New York, NY (Greenwich Village campus + Abu Dhabi, Shanghai)
- Type: Private research university (largest private in the US)
- Category: elite_private
- NCAA Division: III (UAA conference)
Admissions (Class of 2029)
- Total applicants: 120,633 (record for any private university)
- Acceptance rate: 7.7% (record low, down from 8% for Class of 2028)
- Admitted: ~9,289
- Enrolled class size: ~6,500 (across NYC, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai campuses)
- Yield rate: ~60%
- Testing policy: Test-optional
Early Rounds
- ED I deadline: November 1
- ED II deadline: January 1
- No Early Action offered
- NYU does not publicly release ED acceptance rates, but over 50% of the class is admitted via ED. Historical data (Class of 2023) showed ED rate ~27.8% vs RD ~13.8%. Estimated ED rate for Class of 2029: ~16% given overall 7.7%.
Academic Profile
- SAT middle 50%: 1480–1550
- ACT middle 50%: 33–35
- Average GPA (unweighted): 3.81
- Percent in top 10% of class: ~80% (estimated; NYU does not officially publish class rank data but marks it "considered")
- Test submission rate: Only 28% submitted SAT, 10% submitted ACT (test-optional)
Demographics (Class of 2028)
- White: 23%
- Asian American: 27%
- Hispanic/Latino: 10%
- Black: 4%
- Two or more races: 5%
- International: 26% (82 countries)
- Women: 57%
- First-generation: 21%
- Pell-eligible: 23%
Net Cost by Income (IPEDS/College Scorecard)
| Income Bracket | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $25,937 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $25,771 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $32,733 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $41,038 |
| Over $110,000 | $55,206 |
Average need-based grant: $63,749 (2023-24).
Athletics
- NCAA Division III (no athletic scholarships)
- Conference: University Athletic Association (UAA)
- Varsity sports: 23
- Total athletes: ~642
- Athlete %: ~1.2% of undergrad enrollment
Sources
- NYU CDS 2024-2025: nyu.edu
- NYU Class of 2028 data release: nyu.edu/news (Oct 2024)
- NYU Class of 2029 admissions: nyunews.com (Mar 2025)
- College Factual net price data
- College Factual diversity data
Fordham University
Overview
- Location: Bronx, NY (Rose Hill campus) + Manhattan (Lincoln Center campus)
- Type: Private Jesuit research university
- Category: selective_private
- NCAA Division: I (Atlantic 10 Conference; Patriot League for football)
Admissions (Class of 2029)
- Total applicants: 43,640
- Offers of admission: 25,207
- Acceptance rate: 54% (down from 59% for Class of 2028)
- Enrolled class size: 2,478
- Yield rate: ~10%
- Testing policy: Test-optional
Early Rounds
- EA deadline: November 1 (non-restrictive, non-binding)
- ED I deadline: November 1 (binding)
- ED II deadline: January 3 (binding)
- ED acceptance rate (Class of 2028): ~52%
- EA/overall early acceptance rate: ~62%
Academic Profile
- SAT middle 50%: 1340–1470
- ACT middle 50%: 30–33
- Average GPA (unweighted): 3.61
- Percent in top 10% of class: 34%
Demographics (2024-2025)
- White: 44%
- Asian: 14%
- Hispanic/Latino: 19%
- Black: 8%
- Multiracial: 4%
- International: 8% (60+ countries)
- Women: 61%
- First-generation: 27%
- Pell Grant recipients: 26%
- Domestic students of color: ~50%
Net Cost by Income (IPEDS/College Scorecard)
| Income Bracket | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $23,727 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $25,520 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $33,129 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $37,527 |
| Over $110,000 | $43,314 |
Average need-based grant: $41,919 (2023-24). 95%+ of freshmen receive some financial aid.
Athletics
- NCAA Division I
- Conferences: Atlantic 10 (most sports), Patriot League (football)
- Varsity sports: 21
- Total athletes: 675
- Athlete %: 6.4% of undergrad enrollment
Sources
- Fordham Admission Facts: fordham.edu
- Fordham Class of 2029 announcement: now.fordham.edu
- Fordham CDS data via nextgenadmit.com
- College Factual net price and diversity data
- Fordham athletics: fordhamsports.com
Simulation Notes
NYU Categorization
NYU belongs in elite_private given its 7.7% acceptance rate, which places it alongside schools like Duke (5%), Northwestern (6.2%), and Johns Hopkins (6%). Its SAT range (1480–1550) is comparable to Ivy+ schools.
Fordham Categorization
Fordham is selective_private with a 54% acceptance rate and SAT range of 1340–1470. Comparable to Boston College (15%) or Tufts (10%) in selectivity? No — Fordham is less selective. More comparable to schools in the 40-60% acceptance rate range.
Key Modeling Considerations
- NYU yield: Despite elite acceptance rates, NYU's yield (~60%) is lower than traditional Ivies (70-84%) but higher than many peer schools. The high yield is boosted by ED comprising 50%+ of the class.
- NYU ED multiplier: Historical data suggests ED rate is roughly 2x the overall rate. Estimated ED multiplier: ~2.1x.
- Fordham yield: Very low at ~10%, reflecting its high acceptance rate and competition with NYC peers (NYU, Columbia, etc.).
- Fordham EA: Non-restrictive EA is a significant differentiator — students can apply EA to Fordham while also applying ED elsewhere.
- NYU D-III athletics: No recruited athlete admissions boost (unlike D-I schools). Athlete hook should be minimal or absent.
- Fordham D-I athletics: Recruited athletes get meaningful admissions boost across 21 varsity sports.