Emory University Admissions Guide

Overview

Emory University's first-year admissions process is evaluated separately from its transfer process, with its own applicant pool, review committee, and timeline. Most highly selective schools admit first-year applicants at a meaningfully different rate than transfers, so the numbers above should not be assumed to mirror the transfer figures below.

Applicants generally apply through Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision depending on the school's specific offerings, and should weigh the tradeoffs of each round carefully, since binding Early Decision plans and non-binding Early Action or Restrictive Early Action plans have different implications for financial aid and other applications.

What Emory Looks For

• A rigorous high school course load, including the most advanced classes available (AP, IB, honors, or dual enrollment)
• Strong, consistent grades throughout high school, particularly in junior and senior year
• Meaningful extracurricular involvement, leadership, or personal responsibilities that show depth rather than a long list of shallow activities
• Thoughtful, authentic essays that reveal genuine voice and self-reflection
• Strong letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors who know the applicant well

Requirements & Deadlines

• Common Application, Coalition Application, or the school's own first-year application, submitted by the relevant deadline above
• Official high school transcript and school profile
• Letters of recommendation from a counselor and one or more teachers
• Standardized testing policy varies by school and by year — confirm current SAT/ACT requirements before applying
• Decisions released according to the applicant's chosen round (Early Decision/Action vs. Regular Decision)

First-year acceptance rates and deadlines shift from cycle to cycle and can differ meaningfully from the transfer figures below. Confirm current numbers, deadlines, and testing policy on Emory University's official admissions website before applying.

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Overview

Emory accepts up to several hundred transfer applicants per year and has historically run a notably higher acceptance rate than its roughly 17% freshman rate, though the figure has swung widely — from about 17% to nearly 34% across recent cycles, with 100–150 students typically enrolling annually.

Emory admits transfers for fall entry only, into Emory College — Oxford College, Emory's two-year liberal arts campus, does not accept transfer applicants at all. Some programs are considerably more competitive than others: the Goizueta Business School, for instance, accepts only about 20 transfer students a year, all entering as juniors.

What Emory Looks For

• At least 28 completed college credits, with near-perfect grades in the applicant's first year of coursework
• A broad curriculum that reflects the recommendations and prerequisites of the applicant's intended program
• A minimum 3.0 cumulative college GPA, though most admitted students present a 3.3 or higher
• For Goizueta Business School applicants, coursework completed primarily at Emory rather than transferred in from elsewhere
• A compelling required essay on the specific resources and opportunities the applicant hopes to access at Emory

Requirements & Deadlines

• Common Application for Transfer, due March 15 for fall entry
• Official transcripts from every college attended, plus a final high school transcript
• One letter of recommendation from a college professor
• SAT/ACT/TOEFL waivable for applicants with more than 50 completed college credit hours
• Decision date for fall enrollment is early May

Emory's transfer acceptance rate has swung significantly between recent cycles. Applicants should confirm current rates and program-specific policies on Emory's official admissions site before applying.