Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at VCU

The average acceptance rate at VCU over the past 10 years is 87.77%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 92.62%. The acceptance rate at VCU is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 28.17%, and the 2025 yield is 21.59%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 36.82% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of VCU applicants increased by 9.98% (1,902 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 41.44% overall.

Trends by Subject

Key Takeaways: VCU Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 92.62%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that VCU is admitting a higher proportion of applicants, which may indicate either an increase in application quality or a strategic enrollment decision by the institution.

Yield Rate & Enrollment Patterns

The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 21.59%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at VCU. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.

Application Volume & Admission Trends

For the 2025 admission cycle, VCU received approximately 20,954 applications, admitted 19,408 students, and enrolled 4,190 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that VCU is attracting an increasing number of prospective students over time. This growth in applications typically reflects enhanced institutional visibility, improved marketing initiatives, or increasing perceived value in the higher education market.

Acceptance Rate Changes

VCU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at VCU over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 87.77%, while the most recent rate stands at 92.62%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.

For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 92.62%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 86.36% and for women is 88.52%.

The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at VCU have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 78.95% 78.70% 79.12%
2016-17 81.15%
2.20%
80.43%
1.73%
81.59%
2.47%
2017-18 83.90%
2.75%
82.59%
2.16%
84.71%
3.11%
2018-19 86.25%
2.35%
83.89%
1.31%
87.65%
2.94%
2019-20 87.14%
0.89%
86.43%
2.53%
87.54%
-0.11%
2020-21 90.60%
3.47%
89.26%
2.83%
91.34%
3.80%
2021-22 93.00%
2.39%
90.00%
0.74%
94.00%
2.66%
2022-23 91.00%
-2.00%
89.34%
-0.67%
91.97%
-2.03%
2023-24 93.06%
2.06%
91.70%
2.36%
93.86%
1.89%
2024-25 92.62%
-0.43%
91.30%
-0.40%
93.39%
-0.47%
Average 87.77% 86.36% 88.52%
Virginia Commonwealth University Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

VCU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 34.17% in 2015 to 21.59% in 2025, representing a 36.82% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 28.17%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at VCU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 36.82% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 34.17% 33.33% 34.72%
2016-17 32.72%
-1.45%
32.71%
-0.62%
32.73%
-1.99%
2017-18 32.28%
-0.44%
32.84%
0.13%
31.95%
-0.78%
2018-19 31.73%
-0.55%
31.74%
-1.10%
31.73%
-0.22%
2019-20 29.56%
-2.17%
29.33%
-2.41%
29.68%
-2.04%
2020-21 24.03%
-5.53%
23.57%
-5.76%
24.27%
-5.41%
2021-22 25.00%
0.97%
23.99%
0.42%
26.00%
1.73%
2022-23 25.10%
0.10%
24.23%
0.23%
25.60%
-0.40%
2023-24 25.49%
0.39%
25.38%
1.16%
25.54%
-0.05%
2024-25 21.59%
-3.90%
21.16%
-4.23%
21.79%
-3.76%
Average 28.17% 27.83% 28.40%
Virginia Commonwealth University enrollment rate trends chart showing historical yield changes from 2015 to 2025

Applicants, Admitted, and Enrolled Headcount Changes

Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 17,241, the average number of admitted is 15,205, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 4,193.

The number of VCU applicants increased by 9.98% (1,902 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 41.44% overall.

The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Virginia Commonwealth University from 2015 to 2025.

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 14,815 11,697 3,997
2016-17 15,629
5.49%
12,683
8.43%
4,150
3.83%
2017-18 15,248
-2.44%
12,793
0.87%
4,130
-0.48%
2018-19 16,549
8.53%
14,273
11.57%
4,529
9.66%
2019-20 17,088
3.26%
14,890
4.32%
4,401
-2.83%
2020-21 17,253
0.97%
15,632
4.98%
3,756
-14.66%
2021-22 17,579
1.89%
16,348
4.58%
4,087
8.81%
2022-23 18,242
3.77%
16,600
1.54%
4,167
1.96%
2023-24 19,052
4.44%
17,729
6.80%
4,519
8.45%
2024-25 20,954
9.98%
19,408
9.47%
4,190
-7.28%
Average 17,241 15,205 4,193
Virginia Commonwealth University - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Virginia Commonwealth University' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Virginia Commonwealth University93.06%92.62% -0.47%
Davidson College13.37%14.48% -7.67%
University of Richmond22.20%23.31% -4.76%
Saint Louis University75.04%81.47% -7.89%
La Salle University96.59%86.19% 12.07%
George Washington University47.09%43.54% 8.15%

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