The University released early decision acceptances for the Class of 2029 on Dec. 13, offering admission to 1,282 students from a pool of 4,971 applicants. This pool marked an 11 percent increase from 4,465 early decision applicants last year, according to Deputy University Spokesperson Bethanie Glover.
The early decision application process is a binding agreement designed for students who have chosen the University as their top choice. Under this agreement, students can apply to other schools through non-binding applications but must withdraw these applications if admitted to the University through early decision. The University’s early decision application deadline was Nov. 1.
Of this year’s early decision applicants, 2,795 were in-state and 2,176 were from out-of-state, Glover said. She added that acceptances were extended to 826 in-state students and 456 out-of-state students, including 75 international students. Offers were extended to students from 43 U.S. states, 23 countries and 587 different high schools, according to Glover.
This resulted in an in-state acceptance rate of 29.5 percent and an out-of-state acceptance rate of 21 percent, both of which are slightly higher than last year’s early decision cycle. As a public institution, the University must maintain a two-thirds in-state undergraduate population, as outlined by the Virginia State Legislature.
In addition, Glover said the University deferred 1,221 applicants — 758 from Virginia and 463 from out-of-state. Deferred applications are not denied. Rather, deferred applications are eviewed again during the regular admissions process in the spring, and these applicants have until Jan. 15 to confirm if they wish to remain in consideration for regular decision. She added that a total of 2,444 early decision applications were denied for the Class of 2029.
The University initially discontinued its early decision program in 2006, citing concerns about accessibility for students requiring financial aid. Admitted early decision applicants receive their financial aid packages at the same time as their acceptances, which could prevent lower-income applicants from applying through this binding agreement. However, the program was reinstated in 2019 to provide prospective students with more application options, after high school students and counselors requested that early decision be made an option.
Glover noted that among those admitted, 631 are male and 651 are female. Additionally, 155 students identify as first-generation college students.
For the second year in a row, the University did not provide statistics on early decision offers by race. Following the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling that removed race-based affirmative action in college admissions, applicants no longer have the option to voluntarily disclose their race or ethnicity through a checkbox form on the Common Application. Affirmative action had previously allowed colleges to consider race and ethnicity as part of their efforts to foster diversity within their student bodies.
Glover said that the University continues to foster diversity through its partnerships with the Posse Foundation and Questbridge. The Posse Foundation selects a diverse group of students to support throughout the college admissions process, while QuestBridge connects high-achieving, low-income students with educational and career opportunities. According to Glover, 35 of the early decision offers this year were made through these collaborations.
Two admission cycles are still underway for the Class of 2029. Early action applications, which allow applicants to receive their decisions early, were also due by Nov. 1, with decisions expected by Feb. 15. Regular decision applications, which follow the general college admissions cycle, were due Jan. 5, and decisions will be released by April 1.
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