In this article, we list and discuss the 6 Hardest Colleges to Get Into in the US. If you would like to see our detailed discussion of the topic, you can go directly to the 30 Hardest Colleges to Get Into in the US.
6. Brown University
Acceptance Rate (Fall 2022): 5%
Total Number of Undergraduate Applicants (Fall 2022): 50,649
Located in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University is a leading private research university. Founded in 1764, it is also one of the oldest universities in the US. Brown University is known across the world for its academic excellence, outstanding faculty, and its status as an IVY League institute. For the Fall 2022 session, the university received 50,649 applications, but the acceptance rate stood at only 5%, positioning it among the top 10 hardest colleges to get into in the US.
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5. Northeastern University
Acceptance Rate (Fall 2022): 7%
Total Number of Undergraduate Applicants (Fall 2022): 91,000
Fifth on the list, Northeastern University is a private institution located in Boston, Massachusetts, and founded in 1898. It is one of the most prestigious and competitive universities in the United States, best known for its experiential learning education. The annual tuition fee in this college was $63,141 for the session 2023-24.
4. Stanford University
Acceptance Rate (Fall 2022): 4%
Total Number of Undergraduate Applicants (Fall 2022): 56,378
Found in 1885, Stanford University is a world-renowned private research university located in Stanford, California. Stanford is not only one of the hardest colleges to get into in California or in the United States alone, but it is also one of the most selective universities in the world at large. It ranks among the top 10 universities in the US and is best known for its state-of-the-art facilities, academic and research excellence, exceptional faculty, and vibrant and intellectual community.
Some of the most popular majors at this college include social sciences and computer sciences. Moreover, the first female judge of the United States Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor, was an alumnus of Standford University. For the Fall 2022 session, the college received over 56 thousand applicants but had an acceptance rate of only 4%.
3. Columbia University
Acceptance Rate (Fall 2022): 4%
Total Number of Undergraduate Applicants (Fall 2022): 60,879
Columbia University, also known as the Columbia University in the City of New York, is a private research university in NYC. Established in 1754, Columbia University is also one of the oldest educational institutes in the state of New York. Being an IVY League institute, it is famed globally for its academic values, top-notch faculty, and world-class researchers.
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.
1. Harvard University
Acceptance Rate (Fall 2022): 3%
Total Number of Undergraduate Applicants (Fall 2022): 61,221
Topping the list, Harvard ranks as the hardest university in the US to get into with the lowest acceptance rate than any other university in the country. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and founded in 1636, it is also the oldest university in the US. Moreover, Harvard classifies among the most academically competitive universities in the world and is an IVY League university. It is known globally for its academic excellence, exceptional faculty, state-of-the-art resources, and individualized instruction. Harvard’s notable alumni include Mark Zuckerburg (dropped out), Bill Gates (dropped out), Natalie Portman, Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, Robert Frost (dropped out), Priscilla Chan, and Rashida Jones.
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