What Are the Hardest Colleges to Get Into?

Q: Are competitive colleges expensive?

Generally, highly selective universities are very expensive. For example, at Ivy League schools, tuition and fees can amount to over $60,000 a year. That doesn't even include room and board. However, prestigious universities also often offer financial aid — or even free tuition — for students meeting certain income requirements.

Q: Which competitive colleges do not require SAT or ACT scores?

Most of the country's top selective colleges require SAT or ACT scores. In the past couple of years, many Ivy-plus colleges walked back pandemic-era test-optional policies and are now requiring standardized tests again. Even if a competitive college doesn’t require SAT or ACT scores, it’s still best to provide them to improve your chances of admission.

Q: What SAT score do you need for the Ivy League?

You need a near-perfect score to be competitive in Ivy League admissions. Among the top 20 most selective colleges in the country, the median combined SAT score is 1540. The median ACT score is 34-35.

Q: What colleges are the easiest to get into?

Colleges with open admissions policies are the most accessible colleges to get into. These colleges accept every applicant. If you want to get your college career going without worrying about admissions or test scores, these schools might be for you.

Updated on May 23, 2025

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Harvard and the California Institute of Technology have the lowest acceptance rates in the country, admitting just 3% of students.

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Do you have what it takes to stand out among tens of thousands of applicants to get into the most prestigious colleges? We gathered the top schools in the U.S. with the lowest acceptance rates and highest standardized test scores for admitted students to determine the hardest colleges to get into.

We’ll also cover some key components of getting into a selective college, from navigating standardized tests to working with a college admissions counselor.

Hardest Colleges and Universities to Get Into

Ivy League schools dominate the list of the hardest colleges to get into. All the colleges in the table below had an acceptance rate of less than 10% in 2023.

Most Selective Universities in the U.S
Rank	School	Location	Acceptance Rate	Median SAT	Median ACT
1	Harvard University	Cambridge, MA	3%	1550	35
2	California Institute of Technology	Pasadena, CA	3%	Not reported	Not reported
3	Stanford University	Stanford, CA	3%	1550	35
4	Columbia University in the City of New York	New York, NY	4%	1540	35
5	Princeton University	Princeton, NJ	4%	1540	34
6	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Cambridge, MA	5%	1550	35
6	University of Chicago	Chicago, IL	5%	1550	35
8	Brown University	Providence, RI	5%	1540	35
9	Yale University	New Haven, CT	5%	1540	34
10	University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, PA	6%	1540	35
11	Vanderbilt University	Nashville, TN	6%	1540	35
12	Dartmouth College	Hanover, NH	6%	1540	34
13	Northeastern University	Boston, MA	6%	1500	34
14	Duke University	Durham, NC	7%	1550	34
15	Northwestern University	Evanston, IL	7%	1530	34
15	Swarthmore College	Swarthmore, PA	7%	1530	34
17	Pomona College	Claremont, CA	7%	1520	34
18	Colby College	Waterville, ME	7%	1510	33
19	Curtis Institute of Music	Philadelphia, PA	7%	Not reported	Not reported
20	Johns Hopkins University	Baltimore, MD	8%	1550	35
20	Rice University	Houston, TX	8%	1550	35
21	Cornell University	Ithaca, NY	8%	1520	34
22	Bowdoin College	Brunswick, ME	8%	1510	34
23	Barnard College	New York, NY	8%	1510	33
24	New York University	New York, NY	9%	1530	34
25	United States Naval Academy	Annapolis, MD	9%	1300	28
26	The Juilliard School	New York, NY	9%	Not reported	Not reported
26	University of California, Los Angeles	Los Angeles, CA	9%	Not reported	Not reported

Source: IPEDS
Note: Colleges that tied reported the same acceptance rate and median test scores for admitted students.

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Get to Know the 9 Most Competitive Colleges

Learn more about the colleges with an acceptance rate of 5% or less.

1. Harvard University, 3% Acceptance Rate

Number of Applicants: 56,937
Student Population: 30,386

It’s no surprise that Harvard tops our list of hardest colleges to get into. The school’s name is practically synonymous with highly selective admissions. In addition to having an extensive, prestigious alumni network, Harvard offers students a comprehensive catalog of majors and minors spread across 13 schools in STEM, social sciences, and liberal arts.

2. California Institute of Technology, 3% Acceptance Rate

Number of Applicants: 13,107
Student Population: 2,463

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) reported the same acceptance rate as Harvard in 2023. It’s only ranked #2 on our list because it hasn’t posted recent median standardized test scores of admitted students. But start studying, because applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

Prospective students should know that Caltech specializes in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs like aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, physics, and computational and neural systems. However, you can pursue some social sciences and liberal arts majors.

3. Stanford University, 4% Acceptance Rate

Number of Applicants: 53,733
Student Population: 18,446

Stanford boasts a 6-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio and 66 majors, including foreign languages, electrical engineering, film and media studies, music, religious studies, sustainable architecture and engineering, and sociology.

This research university also has a bustling student life, with more than 14,000 students living on campus, over 600 student groups, an arts district, a performing arts center, and two museums. Stanford also houses some of the country’s most competitive sports programs, with 36 varsity teams and 43 club sports.

4. Columbia University, 4% Acceptance Rate

Number of Applicants: 57,613
Student Population: 35,279

Columbia is an elite school in New York City that houses three undergraduate schools and 15 graduate and professional schools. Whether you’re looking to study photography, music, visual arts, nursing, engineering, or pre-med, Columbia has it all. Columbia is the only Ivy League school set in a major metropolitan city, and it’s the most selective of the four New York City schools on our list.

5. Princeton University, 4% Acceptance Rate

Number of Applicants: 39,644
Student Population: 8,922

At Princeton, you can major in most fields, such as humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, engineering, and applied science. There’s also plenty to do on campus, thanks to the hundreds of student organizations, campus centers, and varsity and club sports. According to Princeton, its teams have won more Ivy League championships than any other school over the last two decades, and a few have won national titles.

6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 5% Acceptance Rate

Number of Applicants: 26,904
Student Population: 11,920

The educational juggernaut for STEM degrees hosts 30 departments across five schools and one college. Students can choose from various science, engineering, arts, humanities, social sciences, and interdisciplinary programs. Aside from teaching, many faculty members at MIT also participate in interdisciplinary research in fields like clean energy and cancer. At MIT, you can join one of over 500 clubs (including a chocolate science club), participate in 33 different varsity sports, and attend tons of arts, music, and creative performances.

6. University of Chicago, 5% Acceptance Rate

Number of Applicants: 38,631
Student Population: 18,339

Tied in sixth place with MIT on our list of most competitive colleges, the University of Chicago offers 65 majors and 63 minors, from economics to molecular engineering. Its famed “core curriculum” ensures that undergraduates sample courses from a variety of disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, physical sciences, and even physical fitness. Plus, this school boasts over 100 Nobel laureates.

8. Brown University, 5% Acceptance Rate

Number of Applicants: 51,316
Student Population: 11,516

Brown’s unique “Open Curriculum” allows you to create and navigate a personalized study course instead of completing general core courses. Brown says that through this model, graduates are prepared to be independent, innovative leaders in any path they choose. Whether you want to dive into sports, public service, or a tight-knit community, Brown has you covered. The school has over 500 student organizations, 4,100 intramural sports participants, and 60 public service groups. According to Brown, almost 60% of undergraduates declare the arts as their co-curricular interest.

9. Yale University, 5% Acceptance Rate

Number of Applicants: 51,803
Student Population: 15,081

This centuries-old Ivy League liberal arts college offers engineering, social sciences, applied science, and humanities degrees. One of the unique aspects of Yale is the residential colleges, which provide a small campus experience at a large university. You’ll be assigned to one of 14 residential colleges and stay affiliated with them throughout your college career and beyond.

Yale has 30 varsity teams, 40 club sports, 50 performance groups, and 60 cultural associations. If you’re looking for a way to engage with your faith on campus, Yale also has an office for religious and spiritual life, representing 13 different faiths.

What Makes a College Hard to Get Into?

Highly selective admissions processes are part of what makes prestigious colleges, well, prestigious. By accepting only the best, they set themselves to a higher academic standard than colleges with higher acceptance rates. Many of these colleges’ reputations precede them and are extremely attractive to potential employers.

To determine the hardest colleges to get into in the country, we turned to the latest data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Specifically, we ranked schools based on the following factors, reported on for the 2023-2024 academic year:

Acceptance rate — the percentage of applicants they accept
Median SAT score of accepted students — combining math and evidence-based reading and writing components
Median ACT score

It’s worth noting that while elite universities often have top-tier sticker prices, these competitive colleges also tend to have large endowments and financial aid opportunities due to alumni who loved their experience at the college and donated to the university.

5 Tips for Getting Into a Selective College

Preparing for a selective college starts in high school. Since these schools take the best of the best, you must be determined to get straight A’s and go above and beyond in your academics. Your GPA, SAT and ACT scores, college essays, and extracurriculars all matter to college admissions offices. When in doubt, a professional college admissions counselor can help guide you through the process of standing out to colleges.

1
Stand Out With Extracurriculars
Good grades and test scores are essential, but most colleges want to see that you’re a well-rounded student involved in your community, school, and classes. Most selective colleges seek student leaders who can work hard in school, lead others, and contribute to their campus culture and community.
Want to join a club in high school? See what it’s like to go the extra mile and make yourself an integral part of the club, not just a participant.
2
Earn a Perfect GPA
Most students who get into the most selective colleges have around a 4.0 GPA. Make sure to include AP classes in your high school schedule, as succeeding in these classes can boost your weighted GPA.
3
Craft Your College Essay
Explain what makes you you and show why you want to attend the college of your choice. Colleges want to know who you are, your passions, and your goals. Your college essay lets your school know who you are besides your accomplishments.
If you’re considering using ChatGPT to help you on your college application essay, reconsider. AI tools can help make grammar suggestions and even brainstorm ideas, but colleges are more interested in your unique point of view, which can’t be replicated by large language models.
Plus, if you’re caught using AI, it could be a red flag to admissions offices. Having an AI write your essay will always miss on originality. Instead, try turning to a friend or college admissions counselor to help you think of ways to personalize your essay.
4
Talk with an Advisor
A college admissions counselor or your high school counselor can help guide you about getting into a selective college. In fact, some college coaches specialize in schools with selective admissions. An advisor can help you plan your course load in high school and prepare your admissions packages. You can also seek advice from an alumnus from the college of your choice.
5
Study for the SAT and ACT
ACT and SAT scores are factors in college admissions, especially at highly selective colleges. If you’re looking to stand out academically and match some of the most competitive students, you typically need a perfect or near-perfect score on one or both exams. You can prepare for these tests with practice exams, books, courses, and tutoring.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Hardest Colleges to Get Into

What is the hardest college to get into?

Harvard University and California Institute of Technology have the lowest acceptance rates of any college in the U.S., accepting just 3% of applicants.

Stanford, Columbia, and Princeton admit just 4% of students. Additionally, Juilliard and the Curtis Institute of Music are considered highly selective for students pursuing music and performing arts.