Skip to main content
What are your chances of acceptance?
Your chance of acceptance
Duke University
Loading…
UCLA
Loading…
+ add school
Your chancing factors
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

Low accuracy (4 of 18 factors)

Most selective colleges in the United States?

Hi all - Going through the whole college application process, and I'm curious about the most selective colleges across the United States. Does anyone have an idea? Thanks in advance!

2 years ago

Hello there! When talking about selectivity, we're generally looking at the acceptance rate of a college, which is the percentage of applicants who are admitted. The lower the acceptance rate, the more selective the college. Here are some of the most selective colleges in the U.S. based on recent acceptance rates:

1. Stanford University

2. Harvard University

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

4. Columbia University

5. Yale University

6. University of Chicago

7. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

8. Princeton University

9. University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)

10. Brown University

These colleges accept fewer than 7% of their applicants, making them extremely competitive. It's important to note that these figures fluctuate slightly from year to year, and selectivity could also factor in additional criteria beyond acceptance rates.

Also, remember that while it can be impressive to get into a highly selective school, selectivity is not the only factor to consider when choosing a college. Factors like location, academic programs, student life, financial aid offerings, and many others can be equally important in determining how well a college suits you.

2 years ago

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.