Trying to definitive list of the hardest colleges to get into in the U.S.

Hey all, I've been wondering - what are the toughest colleges to get into nationwide? I'm sure there must be a ranking or list somewhere that could shed some light on this. I'd appreciate any kind of help.

The 'toughest' colleges to get into, in terms of selectivity, often fluctuate year by year due to changes in application numbers and acceptance rates. However, a number of colleges consistently have incredibly low acceptance rates, making them among the most difficult schools to get into in the United States. Please note that acceptance rate is not the only thing that determines selectivity - some schools may look for special talents or skills, so they have a more self-selecting applicant pool and thus a higher acceptance rate, but are still incredibly difficult to gain admission to.

That said, here are, typically, some of the most selective colleges in the U.S:

1. Stanford University

2. Harvard University

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

4. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

5. University of Chicago

6. Princeton University

7. Yale University

8. Columbia University

9. Brown University

10. Dartmouth College

These colleges, commonly referred to as the Ivy League and other highly selective institutions, all have had acceptance rates below 10% in recent years, and many of them have dipped below 5%. Do remember that while these are some of the hardest colleges to get into in terms of acceptance rates, a strong application showcasing your skills and achievements in academics, extracurriculars, and other areas can still make you a competitive candidate. If you have a highly compelling profile, you could have much better odds than the overall acceptance rate.

If you want to know how you personally stack up at a particular school, I'd check out CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable elements of your application, including GPA, course rigor, test scores (if applicable), and extracurriculars to give you personalized odds of acceptance at over 1,600 schools around the country, including those known for being highly selective: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator

This tool will also give you suggestions for how to improve your chances, for example by raising your GPA slightly or earning a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars. Good luck with your college process!