How important is Emory University's acceptance rate when deciding whether it's a reach school for me?

Emory’s acceptance rate matters, but it should not be the main thing you use to decide whether it is a reach for you. Emory is selective enough that it is a reach for most applicants, even very strong ones, because the overall admit rate is low and the pool is full of students with high grades, rigorous coursework, and strong involvement. Your transcript, course rigor, and how you compare to Emory’s typical admitted students tell you much more than the headline rate alone.

A school-wide acceptance rate blends together very different applicant groups, including Early Decision, recruited athletes, legacies, and students applying to different programs. That means the published rate can make your personal odds look either better or worse than they really are.

For list-building, I would treat Emory as a reach unless your academic profile is clearly at or above the top end of its usual admitted range and the rest of your application is also strong. Even then, it is often closer to a high reach than a target because Emory reviews applicants holistically and denies many highly qualified students. If your grades are excellent but your rigor is lighter than what your school offers, that can matter more than the acceptance rate itself.