Which is the hardest university in the world to get into?

Hello, I hope this post finds y'all well. With my college application journey starting soon, I am wondering about the global competition. I was just thinking, which university is considered the hardest in the world to get admission to? Specifics about admission criteria, acceptance rates, and such would be really helpful. Thank you in advance!

Admission difficulty can vary considerably based on the specifics of the programs of study and demography of the applicants. However, commonly when people talk about the "hardest" institutions to gain admission to globally, they often refer to the likes of Harvard, Stanford, or MIT in the United States, or to University of Oxford, and University of Cambridge in the UK.

Within the United States, Stanford University often has one of the lowest acceptance rates - hovering around 4% for their undergraduate programs in recent years. Admissions at Stanford is holistic, taking into account high school grades, rigor of the curriculum, standardized test scores (although this is optional for the 2024-2025 application cycle), essays, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and interviews.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the University of Oxford has a slightly higher admissions rate, typically around 17%. Oxford uses a combination of factors for the evaluation process, such as grades, entrance exam scores (for certain programs), teacher references, and performance in interviews. It’s important to note that Oxford uses a tutorial system of education, meaning that during the application process, you need to be accepted by a specific tutor who will guide your studies.

However, recall that admission difficulty is also dependent on the specific program of study or major. For instance, within Harvard, gaining admission to some majors is much more competitive than others.

Also, take into consideration that these figures can change over time and the 'hardest' university can vary depending on the applicant's specific profile. Consulting rankings like the QS World University Rankings or Times Higher Education can be helpful, but at the end of the day, the 'fit' of the university to your personal, academic, and career goals is paramount. Prioritize what suits you best as an individual learner, and not necessarily what is considered the 'most difficult' to get into.