How to get into Emory
What 301 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 704 Emory results that students posted for the 2016 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
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Emory admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.96
Middle half 3.87 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,540
Middle half 1,490 to 1,570
Median ACT
35
Middle half 33 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.50
Middle half 4.30 to 4.69
Results posted: 301 admitted, 229 rejected, 174 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the Emory acceptance rate; the official rate is in Emory’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.96 | 3.81 |
| SAT | 1,540 | 1,510 |
| ACT | 35 | 34 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What Emory admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service69%
- Athletics46%
- Research41%
- Tutoring/Teaching40%
- Internship33%
- Work/Job32%
- Debate/MUN/Speech32%
- STEM club/competition31%
Held a leadership role
89%
Founded something
44%
National or intl. award
74%
Did research
41%
Early vs. regular decision at Emory
- Early (45 results)49%
- Regular (292 results)42%
Share of posters in each round who were admitted. Early applicants are a different group (often stronger and more certain), so read this as a description of these posts, not as odds.
Intended majors of Emory admits
- Biology12%
- Business11%
- Political Science9%
- Computer Science7%
- Economics6%
- Engineering6%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 10% first-generation, 14% low income, 22% underrepresented minority, 9% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 8% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 17% chose Emory.
Three recent Emory admits
2026 cycle · RD · Biology
Chess and quiz bowl organizer and painter with computational biology research and several founded clubs.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1530 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Pre-med/Health
Pre-med biochemistry student with hospital research, speech team captaincy, and nature-center volunteering.
GPA 3.88 UW · ACT 34 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Data Science
Bay Area student with animal-advocacy social media, photography awards, and business club leadership.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1540 · ACT 35 · Original post
Essays that worked for Emory
“I would have defended them to anyone. Often, I’d share the statistic with my apprehensive sister that shark attacks are 1 in 11 million.”
Published by Emory University Office of Undergraduate Admission
From a Klan March to a Film Team
“Growing up, I had never thought that I would witness history happen, but on August 11th, 2017, I did.”
Published by Emory University Office of Undergraduate Admission
“The craft of storytelling, for me, is holy. Looking back on my life, I don’t see one defining moment where I realized that my purpose is to study, compose, and teach story.”
Published by Emory University Office of Undergraduate Admission
“In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s, “Crime and Punishment”, the character Sonia is metaphorically linked to Christ.”
Published by Emory University Office of Undergraduate Admission
Where else Emory admits got in
Emory admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into Emory?
- Among 301 applicants who posted a Emory admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.96 and the middle half reported 3.87 to 4.00 (242 reported a GPA). Emory sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for Emory?
- Among 301 applicants who posted a Emory admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,540 and the middle half scored 1,490 to 1,570 (208 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
- Does applying early help at Emory?
- In these posts, 49% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (22 of 45), against 42% in regular decision (123 of 292). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.
- What extracurriculars do Emory admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (69%), athletics (46%), research (41%), tutoring/teaching (40%). 89% held at least one leadership role and 74% listed a national or international award.
- What is the Emory acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by Emory in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to Emory?
A Specialist who got into a school like Emory can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with Emory. All colleges