(Courtesy of YU) Bucking all national trends, Yeshiva University closed its academic year with record success, including a rise in undergraduate enrollment by over 20% from fall 2021 to fall 2022. This upward trend is expected to continue in fall 2023, given that applications are up over 10% from last year. The competitiveness for entry has increased as well. Current applicants present strong academic achievements—with high GPAs, test scores and honors classes.
These increases—in both quantity and quality—are in stark contrast to a nationwide drop in college enrollment of 8 % from 2019 to 2022—the worst plunge in enrollment ever recorded. Indeed, with a close to 40 % increase in applications to YU from 2020 to 2023, students and parents across the globe are clearly recognizing the unique value of a Yeshiva University education which combines a world class yeshiva with a world class university.
“Everything we do at Yeshiva is le-kavod shamayim,” said Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president and rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva University. “Our growth in enrollment, rankings and philanthropy is all seyata de-shmaya. We are humbled and honored to be Hashem’s messengers to serve our community and society by educating the leaders of tomorrow with character and excellence.”
Indeed, the growth in enrollment reflects the significant rise in YU’s national rankings: since 2020, YU rose 30 spots in the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges ranking, which places it #7 among universities with undergraduate enrollment less than 5,000. Other universities on the list include MIT, Caltech and Dartmouth. Students who seek a top tier education as well as individualized attention to research and receive recommendations directly from their professors are naturally choosing Yeshiva University.
Employers are taking notice. Graduates are placed in world-class companies, including Amazon, Twitter, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and Google. In fact, 97.6% of YU students for whom data is available have reached their destination within six months of graduation, including accepting offers for employment and/or admitted to grad schools. Yeshiva University also launched a number of new pathway programs into great careers in the medical, allied health, social work, psychology and education fields. Students are able to complete their undergraduate degree and seamlessly continue to YU’s highly ranked graduate schools while building their credits towards both degrees. This includes a new double admission program in which 10 top honors students are accepted straight out of high school to Einstein Medical School. This new YU/Einstein program provides the top future doctors from our communities with the assurance of a premier medical education including additional research opportunities at Einstein all throughout their undergraduate years.
Testament to the fact that graduates—parents and grandparents—have found lifelong success both after and as a direct result of their Yeshiva University education is that YU has one of the highest multi-generational admissions of any university in the country. These alumni not only encourage their next generations to attend YU, but also volunteer to help YU students throughout their careers forming an active YU network of over 70,000 alumni. Its alumni work closely together with its newly formed Shevet Glaubach Center for Career Strategy and Professional Development which offers an extensive range of resources from personalized counseling and career planning to workshops, networking events and top-tier internships.
YU’s alumni and friends network have also contributed generously to the great success of the Rise Up Campaign. With the goal of raising $613 million, YU launched the campaign last year by announcing $250 million dollars raised in the private phase. In the past year, YU has raised an additional $100 million so that the campaign has passed its halfway mark, standing now at over $350 million.
Once on campus, students take up a rigorous course of study in a wide range of fields, from delving into the Torah and other key texts of Judaism to exploring cutting-edge research in business, entrepreneurship, psychology, pre-medicine, cybersecurity, history and much more. For example, Yeshiva University’s Bachelor’s in Computer Science features an innovative curriculum that is tailormade for students to step out of the program and walk into top-shelf jobs in the New Economy, and YU degrees in health-related fields are also highly attractive and a good value to YU’s undergraduates.
Warm and welcoming, YU offers an enriching student life that gives students a close-knit sense of community. Over 150 student-run organizations and clubs allow students to get involved in politics, Holocaust education, journalism, medical ethics, music, the arts and many other extra-curricular activities. Holiday events and Shabbat programming bring hundreds of students together in an inspirational community setting of shared values as they enjoy great food, thought-provoking speakers, profound discussions and new friends, while creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Central to YU’s stellar student undergraduate experience is the exposure to great Torah faculty. Yeshiva University is the proud home of world-class roshei yeshiva, poskim and Torah educators who regularly interact with and teach undergrads. The depth and breadth of YU’s Torah faculty is unrivaled; whatever the student’s level of study or area of Judaic interest, there is a warm and caring teacher ready to provide individual attention. This is important for all students but especially for those returning from intensive Torah study in Israel. YU provides them with unique learning and growth opportunities so they can continue to progress in their religious studies and Jewish lives.
Together with the world class academics, vibrant student life and impactful career services, YU is the most effective bridge to students’ future lives of enormous professional and personal success.
“Parents are recognizing that a Jewish education and a Jewish environment is vital as young people forge their identity as adults,” said Geri Mansdorf, assistant vice president of enrollment “These are formative years, and the environment that a person has in their college years is extraordinarily impactful to who they become as an adult. Also, with growing antisemitism both here and abroad, there is a desire to come closer to the Jewish community, and for their children to be in a safe place.”
Thanks to the continued success of the Rise Up Campaign, YU has been able to increase its scholarship programs to ensure greater affordability to its growing student body. Both in value and values, YU presents a priceless educational opportunity that is driving more and more students to make YU their home.
A YU education opens doors to success, while helping students ground their study in Core Torah Values and become intellectually curious innovators—deeply rooted in a 3,000-year-old heritage infused with meaning—who are changing the world for the better. The value of a YU education has never been clearer, and a record number of new students are poised to discover what makes YU the flagship Jewish university.
“There is no equivalent to YU, no university that combines a world class college education with a world class yeshiva complete with a deep support network, vibrant social activities, and rich campus life—for our community of shomrei Torah and mitzvot, the world is open to you at YU,” said Mansdorf.
