Hey all, I've been researching colleges and I'm really curious about this - which is considered the hardest college to get into in the US? I know the acceptance rates are one thing to look at, but is there an overall consensus on which one is the most selective?
While multiple institutions in the US are highly competitive, currently, Stanford University is considered one of the hardest colleges to secure admission into. In recent years, Stanford has had the lowest acceptance rate of any college in the US, sometimes even dipping below 4%.
Admissions are not solely determined by acceptance rates, though. Another factor to consider when discussing selectivity is the academic profile of accepted students. For example, the median SAT and ACT scores of accepted applicants and the percentage of matriculants who ranked in the top of their high school class can paint a clearer picture of how competitive a school is. Stanford, along with other highly selective institutions such as Harvard and Princeton, often have rigorous standards in these areas as well.
For instance, nearly all students admitted to Stanford are ranked in the top 10% of their high school class, and the university's SAT median falls within the top percentile of all test-takers.
Considering these points, one can see Stanford as being one of the most selective institutions in the country. However, it's important to note that many schools like Harvard, MIT, and Princeton also have their own rigorous standards and are equally hard to get into.
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