The University of Pennsylvania’s Acceptance Results for the Class of 2029
Arkesh P.
Chief Operating Officer
Summary
UPenn, one of the esteemed Ivy League universities, has completed the admissions cycle for the Class of 2029 as of Ivy Day — March 27, 2025. Penn is not releasing acceptance rate data, but the school received 72,000 total applications, a 10.3% increase over last year's figures, portending not less, but more selectivity, even in an era of already historically low admissions rates.
Without Penn reporting further statistics, however, observers will be left to speculate just how selective this year's admission rounds were at UPenn. Based on past data and current estimates, here are some additional breakdowns and insights to help prospective applicants understand Penn's admissions landscape.
UPenn's Recent Overall Acceptance Rates by Year
| * Estimated pending release of data | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2029 | Class of 2028 | Class of 2027 | |
| Number of Applicants | 72,000 | 65,236 | 59,465 |
| Number of Acceptances | 3,580* | 3,508 | 3,489 |
| Acceptance Rate | 4.9%* | 5.4% | 5.9% |
Key Trends and Insights
- UPenn is not reporting some admissions data, preventing a full assessment of the school's level of selectivity.
- The estimated acceptance rate of 4.9% is roughly in line with a larger two-year trend of increasing overall application numbers reflected in incrementally lower acceptance rates.
- The total number of applicants has increased this year and the past two years roughly 9–10% each year. The total number of applicants to the Class of 2026 was 54,588; this year the number of applications surpassed 70,000.
Broader Admissions Trends:
- Consistently High Selectivity: For the past six years, UPenn has remained highly selective, with acceptance rates remaining below 10% and typically hovering between 5–6%.
- Pandemic-Era Rise in Applications: Applications increased over 30% beginning with the Class of 2025 (surging from 42,205 to 56,333 applications) and resulting in a more challenging acceptance rate: 5.7% for the Class of 2025, down from an 8.1% acceptance rate the previous year.
- ED Advantage: Students who apply under Early Decision have a statistical edge, with ED acceptance rates at UPenn over the last several years at roughly double the overall acceptance rate.
- Fluctuations Influenced by External Factors: Acceptance rates and application totals can vary due to external influences such as policy changes, global events (e.g., COVID-19), or targeted recruitment efforts. Noteworthy for UPenn is the pending reinstatement of testing mandates with the next admissions cycle (2025-26 admissions cycle), which could start to slow or reverse increases in overall applications and lift acceptance rates.
Admission to UPenn remains a fiercely competitive process, especially in light of upward trends in overall application numbers. Applicants should focus on standing out in academics, service, and leadership while pursuing authentic personal, scholarly, and intellectual passions and interests — all with an eye to presenting a unique and exceptional applicant profile.
UPenn’s Early Decision Acceptance Results
Although UPenn isn’t reporting ED results for the Class of 2029, we can make thoughtful projections.
Over the past four years UPenn's early-round acceptance rate has hovered at or just below 15%, providing a fairly reliable guide for estimating this year's ED acceptance rate.
Early Decision Acceptance Rate Data for UPenn
| * Estimated pending release of data | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2029 | Class of 2028 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2026 | |
| Total ED Applications | 9,500 | 8,500 | 8,000 | 7,795 |
| Number Accepted | 1,292* | 1,221* | 1,210 | 1,218 |
| % of Students Admitted Under ED | 14.5%* | 13.0%* | 13.5% | 14.3% |
| ED Acceptance Rate | 13.6%* | 14.4%* | 15.5% | 15.6% |
UPenn ED acceptance rates for the past three years — based on what's reported — reveal a significant statistical advantage for applicants who are able to apply before the early-round deadline and willing to accept the binding nature of the ED policy.
The data also show that the ED applicant pool has been growing steadily and significantly, putting some downward pressure on ED acceptance rates.
- Higher Acceptance Rates: Early-round applicants typically enjoy higher acceptance rates compared to Regular Decision applicants.
- Demonstrated Interest: Applying early shows UPenn your strong interest in joining their academic community.
UPenn's Regular Decision Acceptance Results
Regular Decision Acceptance Rate Data for UPenn
| * Estimated pending release of data | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2029 | Class of 2028 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2026 | |
| Total RD Applications | 62,500 | 56,736 | 51,465 | 47,205 |
| Number Accepted | 2,312* | 2,300* | 2,280* | 2,082 |
| RD Acceptance Rate | 3.7%* | 4.05%* | 4.43%* | 4.41% |
The RD acceptance rate is estimated to be close to or below 4% based on recent-year trends and in light of a steady increase of applications to UPenn year over year. Our estimation is that RD applicants to UPenn's Class of 2029 were evaluated within an extremely selective environment.
Prospective applicants for UPenn's Class of 3030 may find slightly less challenging acceptance rates as UPenn reinstates requirements for SAT/ACT testing.
Historical Trends
Historical Acceptance Rates at UPenn
| * Estimated pending release of data | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class Year | Total Applications | Total Accepted | Overall Rate | RD Rate | ED Rate |
| 2029 | 72,000 | 3,580* | 4.9%* | 3.7%* | 13.6%* |
| 2028 | 65,236 | 3,508* | 5.4%* | 4.0%* | 14.5%* |
| 2027 | 59,465 | 3,489 | 6% | 4% | 15.5% |
| 2026 | 54,588 | 3,300 | 6% | 4.4% | 15.6% |
| 2025 | 56,333 | 3,202 | 5.7% | 4.2% | 15% |
These historical data demonstrate increasing interest in UPenn, reflected in increasing selectivity.
- Academic Excellence: Maintaining top grades in rigorous courses and a high GPA are crucial to get into UPenn.
- Strong Essays: Use your UPenn essays to showcase your unique voice and story.
- Leadership and Extracurriculars: Demonstrate meaningful engagement outside the classroom through active participation in challenging extracurriculars.
- Test Scores: If submitting, aim for high SAT or ACT scores within or above UPenn's reported range.
Final Thoughts
Congratulations to the students admitted to UPenn's Class of 2029 — your achievement reflects remarkable dedication and excellence.
For students aspiring to get into UPenn, strategic preparation guided by a personally-tailored roadmap is essential. Be sure to check out our full guide on how to get into UPenn!
Crimson Education specializes in helping ambitious students navigate this challenging process, offering them informed guidance so they can build compelling applications that reflect their authentic strengths and passions.
If you're a student or parent interested in the University of Pennsylvania or other top universities, speak with one of Crimson Education’s admissions advisors today and start charting your path to success.