6 Hardest Colleges to Get Into in the US

2. University of California – Los Angeles

Acceptance Rate (Fall 2022): 9%

Total Number of Undergraduate Applicants (Fall 2022): 149,801

Founded in 1919, the University of California – Los Angeles ranks second among the top 6 hardest colleges in the US to get into. With an applicant pool of 149,801 students in Fall 2022, UCLA received the highest number of undergraduate applications than the rest of the 29 colleges on this list. Despite the large applicant pool, however, UCLA had an acceptance rate of only 9% for the session. The college is best known for its academic excellence and unparalleled research opportunities, and also for being one of the largest employers in the Greater Los Angeles region. UCLA’s notable alumni include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bhagwan Chowdhry, Susan Wojcicki, and Eli Broad.