Mercer Times

Princeton University welcomed 1,411 first-time, first-year students in the Class of 2028 for the opening of the 2024-25 academic year. Additionally, thirty-six transfer students joined the undergraduate community, marking the largest group of incoming transfers since the program’s reinstatement in fall 2018.

The Class of 2028 includes 16.3% who are first-generation college students and 11.2% who are children of alumni.

The number of undergraduates receiving financial aid continues to increase under the University’s new financial aid model. In the Class of 2028, 71.5% of students qualify for financial aid and 21.7% are lower-income students eligible for federal Pell Grants.

Diversity statistics for the Class of 2028 reveal that American Indian or Alaska Native students constitute 0.1%, Asian Americans make up 23.8%, Black or African Americans account for 8.9%, Hispanic or Latino students represent 9.0%, international citizens form 12.0%, multiracial students comprise 7.2%, Native Hawaiian American or Pacific Islander students are at 0%, White students make up 31.3%, and those with unknown ethnicities stand at 7.7%. These figures apply to first-time, first-year U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Princeton's financial aid program is recognized as one of the most generous in the country, supported by its endowment and contributions from alumni and others. The average aid package for an undergraduate student in the academic year is approximately $73,000.

Most families with incomes up to $100,000 annually pay nothing for their student to attend Princeton, while many families earning up to and beyond $300,000 receive grant aid, especially those with multiple children in college.

Students in this class hail from across all but two states and Washington D.C., while international enrollees come from countries such as El Salvador, Estonia, Hungary, Indonesia, Kenya, and Portugal.

In terms of academic interests indicated on applications:

- Bachelor of Arts degree: 65.8%

- Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree: 28.5%

- Undecided: Remainder

Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Karen Richardson stated: “We are excited to welcome this incredibly accomplished group to the Princeton community. My colleagues and I look forward to hearing about how they help shape and contribute to discussions across campus in the years to come.”

The Class of 2028 arrives amid a four-year undergraduate expansion that will increase Princeton’s student body by approximately 500 students by adding both traditional undergraduates and transfer students through a no-loan financial aid program aimed at enhancing accessibility.

This expansion also focuses on increasing transfer enrollments from military backgrounds and community colleges; this fall's cohort includes twenty-three veterans among thirty-six transfer entrants.

Twenty-six transfer students matriculated from institutions such as Mercer County Community College (NJ), Rowan College at Burlington County (NJ), Bronx Community College (NY), and Suffolk County Community College (NY).

Nearly two hundred incoming freshmen participated in summer programs through Princeton's Freshman Scholars Institute (FSI), which offers both residential and online options providing academic credits along with familiarization with university resources.

FSI is part of broader efforts by Princeton’s Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity designed to support diverse student populations throughout their educational journey.

The Office of Admission collaborates with organizations like QuestBridge, Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA), Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), Service to School, Warrior-Scholar Project as well as being a member institution within The American Talent Initiative (ATI) promoting access for talented low- & moderate-income individuals nationally.

Princeton’s holistic admissions process aligns strictly within legal frameworks set forth by recent Supreme Court rulings concerning affirmative action policies.

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