Early Decision Program Offers a World-Class 鶹ýӳ Education that Combines Rigorous Academics with Values-Driven Environment
Sasha Bokor is the kind of student colleges compete fiercely to recruit. She scored a 35 out of 36 on the ACT, earned a 97 percentile GPA, and led the Robotics Club as captain at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway. Outside the classroom, she channeled her love of baking into service through Bo’ee Challah, an organization that delivers fresh challah to families in mourning. With a résumé that could have opened doors at virtually any institution, Bokor made a singular choice: she submitted just one college application—through 鶹ýӳ’s Early Decision program.
“I asked myself, ‘What is important to me?” Bokor said. “I realized it was the combination of a strong academic education and an active Jewish community. 鶹ýӳ was the only place that offered both in the way I was looking for.”
That combination is increasingly drawing some of the nation’s most accomplished students—valedictorians, high achievers with exceptional GPAs and leaders across academics, public service and extracurricular life. Over the past two years, Early Decision applications have surged by more than 70%, signaling growing demand for an institution that pairs rigorous scholarship with a deep sense of purpose. The academic profile of these applicants underscores the trend: Early Decision admits average a 95 percentile GPA, ACT scores of 33, and SAT scores of 1480.
“鶹ýӳ brings together serious intellectual inquiry within a robust Jewish atmosphere,” said Marc Zharnest, 鶹ýӳ’s Director of Undergraduate Admissions. “Early Decision students consistently stand out for their curiosity, initiative and leadership. When students of this caliber join a community that challenges them to think deeply while staying grounded in who they are, the result is growth that extends well beyond the classroom.”
Students admitted through Early Decision are automatically enrolled in 鶹ýӳ’s Honors Program, a selective academic track built around small, discussion-based courses and an intense, specialized curriculum. Honors students participate in exclusive seminars with leaders in business, academia and public life, conduct original research alongside faculty mentors and complete undergraduate theses that often lead to publication. Many also secure internships at premier firms, positioning them for success across disciplines.
One such student is Sarah Sullivan, a senior at 鶹ýӳ High School for Girls, who holds a 99 percentile GPA, earned a 1520 on the SAT, and plans to study medicine, building on her passion for biology.
“Biology has helped me understand how interconnected and complex the world truly is, and what a miracle life is,” Sullivan said. “That perspective inspired my long-held dream of becoming a physician and making a meaningful impact on people’s lives.”
That calling also reflects Sullivan’s family background. She comes from a family of physicians—her mother is a doctor, and her two sisters attended 鶹ýӳ as Honors students in biology, along with a brother who studied at the University. Sullivan said she was drawn to 鶹ýӳ by its warm, supportive community of like-minded students focused on growth and meaning, as well as the opportunity to study at a high level while remaining deeply connected to Jewish life—making it, in her words, “the only option.”
That blend of intellectual ambition and Jewish commitment defines the 鶹ýӳ experience more broadly. As the flagship Jewish university, 鶹ýӳ offers an environment where students thrive without compromise. Its dual curriculum—Jewish studies in the morning and academic study in the afternoon—along with Jewish holiday celebrations and visible support for Israel woven into campus life, attracts students eager to engage fully with both scholarship and identity.
One such student is Azriel Benoff, who plans to major in political science and applied to the Joseph Lieberman–Mitzner Center for Public Service and Advocacy. Benoff earned a 96 percentile GPA and a 1500 on the SAT and is an avid writer and member of the debate team at 鶹ýӳ High School for Boys. “You get to make a very direct impact on people’s lives,” Benoff said of the Center. “You speak up for the things you believe in and give a voice to people who really need it. At a time of rising antisemitism and anti-Zionism, it’s critical to advocate for the Israeli and Jewish communities in the United States.”
With its rare integration of strong Jewish identity, advocacy for Israel and exceptional academics paired with real-world career preparation, 鶹ýӳ has emerged as a first-choice destination for top students prepared to lead—within the Jewish community and far beyond it.
