Princeton University is an elite college in, where else, Princeton, New Jersey. If you are looking for an Ivy League school that prioritizes research and critical thinking, Princeton is likely already on your list. It almost feels silly to introduce Princeton; it is one of the most famous universities in the world. However, we specifically love them for their robust financial aid program, leading programs in subjects like public affairs and computer science, and great residential programs. It's no secret that Princeton is an excellent school, which also makes it highly competitive to get into. You need a solid strategy, and likely part of that plan will be applying through their Single-Choice Early Action option.
What is Single-Choice Early Action?
Often also called Restrictive Early Action (REA), Single-Choice Early Action is a non-binding path to early admission. However, this is slightly different from other types of Early Action. If you apply SCEA to Princeton, you cannot apply to any other private college in the US early. You can apply to public schools, but Princeton needs to be the only private school you apply to before the regular decision/ED2 rounds. For SCEA, you need to apply by November 1st, and you will know by mid-December if you have been accepted or not. If you don’t get into Princeton, you can apply to other private colleges during the regular decision round. So, for example, you can apply SCEA to Princeton and EA to Michigan. But you can’t apply SCEA to Princeton and ED to Penn.
Honestly, we don’t love SCEA mainly because it doesn’t allow you to apply to any other private schools that offer unrestricted Early Action (EA) admissions. When schools offer ED (a binding program), they also allow students to apply to other schools EA, which can be a powerful tool. We have also found that ED leads specifically to higher acceptance rates. Binding admissions plans help colleges protect their yield rates (a rate calculated by how many accepted applicants actually enroll). Hyper elite schools like Princeton don’t really have to worry about their yield rate. If a student applies through SCEA and gets in, they are likely to choose Princeton even though it's non-binding. Many students think, “If I get into Princeton, I am going to Princeton.” Since SCEA isn’t binding, it may not lead to higher acceptance rates. While we have found it does (at least slightly) at other schools, Princeton does not release how many students it accepts through this program (which is unideal).
If you are dreaming of Princeton, you will need expert advice to get in. We can help you make an excellent plan for the upcoming college application season. Reach out to us today.
Why Should I SCEA?
While we don’t love SCEA (and greatly prefer ED options), if you are serious about getting into Princeton and are a qualified applicant, you need to at least consider applying SCEA. While Princeton doesn’t release SCEA acceptance rates, its overall acceptance rate was 4.6%. This is… very low... low enough that applicants need to use every opportunity to their advantage. SCEA is an opportunity to show that Princeton is your top-choice school and that you are a serious applicant.
There are some other benefits. One is simply timing. If you get in during SCEA, you will know in mid-December if you have gotten into Princeton. You don’t need to stress about where you will be accepted into the late spring, which is valuable.
However, if you are considering applying SCEA, you need to be a Princeton-level applicant. If you aren’t a highly competitive applicant, you won’t get in and lose out on other EA/ED choices. This is too big of an opportunity cost. But how do you know if you are a Princeton-level applicant? We can break it down.
What Can You Do?
If you hope to get into Princeton, you need to be an elite candidate. The Ivy League is very choosy, and it isn’t worth applying unless you have a truly impressive application. This doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of work, commitment, excellence, and leadership. We often start working with freshmen when it comes to our Ivy League applicants. We will work with students for years to ensure they meet Princeton standards. However, all applicants must excel in a couple of key areas, whether they are working with a counselor or not.
Grades
To get into Princeton, you need excellent (basically perfect) grades. There is no way around it. Last year, 68.5% of admitted Princeton students had a 4.0 unweighted GPA in high school. Another 25.5% had above a 3.75 unweighted. You need great grades to get into Princeton. While perfection is not an easy task, it is necessary for those serious about the Ivy League. Princeton is looking for applicants who can excel in challenging classes. You want to take the hardest course load possible while still getting a 4.0. We know it's a lot to ask for, but it's what will make you a strong candidate for a school like Princeton.
Scores
Princeton has not announced whether it is keeping its test-optional policy for the 2025-2026 application cycle. However, we highly recommend submitting scores anyway. Last year, 77% of admitted students submitted standardized test scores, even though they were optional. Great scores will help set you apart. This is an opportunity to demonstrate that you meet Princeton’s standards. Last year, the 50th percentile among those who submitted scores was 1530 on the SAT or 35 for the ACT. You should be pushing yourself to get similar (or even higher scores… the 75th percentile was 1560 and 35, respectively).
Extracurriculars
Great grades and scores are not enough to get into Princeton—they are the absolute bare minimum baseline. You also need to have outstanding extracurriculars. However, students often don’t know what makes a great extracurricular resume. Just being generally involved isn’t enough. You need a strategic resume that tells a cohesive story. This is one of the number one things we help our students accomplish (especially with those we start early with.) Ideally, you have been strategically building your resume since your Freshman year. If not, it will likely feel a bit random, unfocused, and not up to Princeton standards.
Your resume needs to not only include a history of leadership and commitment, but it also needs to showcase a strong connection to what you hope to study at Princeton. For example, if you want to study Math, just taking BC Calc is not enough. You need a resume that shows that you are also pursuing your academic interests outside of class. You want to be president of the Matheletes, tutor math after school, complete a summer program or internship in mathematics, and/or do research with a professor. If it isn’t clear what you hope to study just by looking at your extracurriculars, Princeton is likely not the right choice for you. This is harsh but true.
Crafting a great resume isn’t something you can do last minute. You have to start early and be prepared to work hard. Great extracurriculars tell a story, and you need to have a strategic plan in place.
Essays
Unlike extracurriculars, you can’t really plan your essays years in advance. The large majority of your essay writing will happen the summer after junior year. You will not only need to write an eye-catching Common App, but you also need great supplemental essays.
Princeton usually asks for several supplemental essays. It has a very long supplement. This can be a turn-off to some, but we think of it as an opportunity to show who you are as an applicant. We actually love Princeton’s application. It is a lot to take on, but you want to make sure all your essays are wonderfully written and tie in to some important themes.
The first point you have to make in your supplemental essays is that you have clear academic goals and that they can be accomplished at Princeton. You need to show the overlap between your academic interests and the specific opportunities at Princeton. The more research you have done into the school and the more fleshed out your own scholarly interests are, the easier this important theme is to establish. While you can’t write the essays until your junior summer, some of this research can and should be done in advance.
You also need to bring Princeton into your world. Your supplemental essays should share some personal stories with them. You need to showcase your background, interests, and/or experiences through impactful personal narratives. These don’t need to be big stories, but they do have to be meaningful and detail-filled snapshots. You want to show Princeton more about your personality, growth, and personal interests. By the end, the reader should have a sense of who you are as a person, outside of your transcripts and resumes.
Finally, Princeton tends to ask some fun questions, usually in the form of short answers. Sometimes students get nervous about these, but they are really just a chance to show your quirkier side. Princeton asks questions like this because the admissions officers want to get to know you as a person. You can’t come off as uninteresting or robotic to Princeton. They have too many applicants for that. The essays are your chance to show yourself and stand out. You need good writing skills and ample time to edit to pull this off. If you're worried about your writing, consider working with a counselor. Whether you're working with one or not, give yourself plenty of time. Good writing needs it!
Apply Early
Just like we mentioned above, applying SCEA is the best chance qualified applicants have. If you are serious about Princeton, you should be highly considering applying early. If you're still on the fence, contact us; we can help you make the right decision for you. Not to brag but we had load of kids get into Princeton for the 2024 admission cycle.
Work With Us
When you are considering elite schools like Princeton, working with an experienced counselor can make all the difference. We help students get into top schools every year. While we see especially exemplary results with students we work with from early in their high school careers, we can help students with everything from essay help to semester planning to last minute advice. Whatever you need, we can help make your application as strong as possible. We send students to Princeton (and many other top schools) every year. Let us help you on your application season and so much more.
It isn’t easy to get into Princeton. Whether you apply SCEA or during the regular decision round, you need to be a top candidate. We can help you do that from pre planning to essay writing. It’s never too early to start!
Ready to start on the path to Princeton? Contact us today.