NYU’s undergraduate admissions rate dropped to 12.2% for the class of 2026, according to university admissions data released on Wednesday. More than 105,000 students applied — the highest number of applicants in NYU’s history, and one of the highest ever received by a U.S. university.

“Even with the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic, this group inspires us, coming from a wide range of interests, passions, and backgrounds to make up one of the most diverse applicant pools in NYU history,” Jonathan Williams, the undergraduate admissions assistant vice president, said in a press release.

The undergraduate acceptance rate for NYU’s New York campus dropped for the fifth consecutive year. The acceptance rate was 12.8% for the class of 2025.

According to NYU, 66% of domestic students in the incoming class are students of color. The class of 2026 will represent 49 states, the District of Columbia and 107 countries. Nearly one-fifth of the class will be first-generation college students.

More than 1,100 members of the class are projected recipients of Pell Grants — federal grants reserved for students with high financial aid need — and more than 200 students will enroll via the Higher Education Opportunity Program and the New York State Collegiate Science Technology and Education Program. The programs connect underrepresented students to funding and support services.

While submitting standardized test scores was optional in this admissions cycle, the median reported SAT score was 1550. The university will continue its test-optional policy through the 2023-24 application cycle.

The university received more early decision applicants than ever before, with a 12% increase from last year’s class. More early decision admittees came from first-generation, international and underrepresented backgrounds than previous years.

Class of 2026 admittees will have until May 1 to respond to their admissions offer. The university will host on-campus events for admitted students for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 5,700 first-year students are expected to come to campus for the fall 2022 semester.

Contact Arnav Binaykia at [email protected], Rachel Cohen at [email protected] and Abby Wilson at [email protected].