College Admission Statistics for Top 30 Universities: Which College Has the Lowest Acceptance Rate?

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We've received feedback that students want to see college admission statistics on a single page, especially for the top 30 universities. Checking admission rates on each school's website can be time-consuming.

We've compiled admission statistics for the top 30 universities based on this year's US News College Rankings for you. While specific rankings might not be entirely accurate, this list provides the admission rates for each school at a glance.

1. Princeton University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~4.5% (39,644 applicants, 1,782 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 51% of students in the class are female and 49% are male.

2. 66% of students in the class qualify for financial aid.

3. Middle 50% SAT Scores:

   • Math: 780-800,

   • Reading and Writing: 760-780

4. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 34-35 (composite score)

5. Diversity

   • Asian American: 26%

   • International Citizens: 14%

   • Hispanic or Latino: 10%

Source: Princeton Admission Data, Admission Statistics

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~4.8% (26,914 applicants, 1,291 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Early Action acceptance rate: 5.7% (11,924 applicants, 685 admitted)

2. Regular Action acceptance rate: 2.5% (22,882 applicants, 574 admitted)

3. U.S. citizens/permanent residents acceptance rate: 5.56% (21,025 applicants, 1,171 admitted)

4. International student acceptance rate: 2% (5,889 applicants, 120 admitted)

5. Middle 50% SAT Scores:

   • Math: 780 - 800,

   • Reading and Writing: 740-780

6. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 34-36 (composite score)

Source: MIT Admission Data

3. Harvard University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~3.6% (54,008 applicants, 1,937 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Number of students accepted for early admission: 692

2. Number of students accepted for regular decision: 1,245

3. Percentage of men among admitted students: 46.9%

4. Percentage of women among admitted students: 53.1%

Source: The Harvard Crimson

4. Stanford University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~3.91% (53,733 applicants, 2,099 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 42.9% of admitted students are from California.

2. The student body is evenly split, with 50% female and 50% male students.

3. Ethnic Diversity:

   • Asian: 26%

   • White: 21%

   • Hispanic or Latino: 17%

   • International: 14%

Source: Stanford Review, Stanford Facts

5. Yale University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~4.35% (52,303 applicants, 2,275 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Number of students accepted for Early Action: 776

2. 97% of admitted students ranked in the top 10% of their high school class.

3. Ethnic Diversity:

   • White: 42%

   • Asian American: 30%

   • Hispanic/Latino: 18%

   • African American: 14%

   • International: 12%

Source: Yale Admissions, Yale News

6. University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~5.8% (59,465 applicants, 3,474 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Middle 50% SAT Scores: 1510-1560

2. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 34-35

3. 54% of students in the class are female and 46% are male.

Source: UPenn News, UPenn Admissions

7. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~3% (13,326 applicants, 412 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 41% of students in the class are female and 59% are male.

2. 28% of admitted students are from California.

3. Ethnic Diversity:

   • White: 22%

   • Asian: 37%

   • Hispanic/Latino: 11%

   • African American: 5%

   • International: 17%

Source: College Transitions, Caltech Admissions

8. Duke University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~6% (49,469 applicants, 2,948 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 800 of 4,880 applicants were selected from Early Decision (16.4% acceptance rate)

2. 2,148 of 44,589 applicants were selected from the regular decision (4.8% acceptance rate)

3. Middle 50% SAT Scores: 1520-1570

4. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 34-35

Source: Duke Chronicle, Duke Admissions

9. Brown University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~5% (51,316 applicants, 2,686 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 884 students were selected for Early Decision

2. 95% of admitted students ranked in the top 10% of their high school class.

3. Middle 50% SAT Scores: 1510-1570

4. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 34-36

Source: Brown Facts

10. Johns Hopkins University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~6.3% (38,294 applicants, 2,403 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 811 students were selected for Early Decision

2. Middle 50% SAT Scores: 1530-1560

3. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 34-35

4. Ethnic Diversity:

   • White: 18%

   • Asian: 29%

   • Hispanic/Latino: 20%

   • African American: 14%

   • International: 14%

Source: Johns Hopkins Facts, Johns Hopkins Hub

11. Northwestern University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~7.2% (52,233 applicants, 3761 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. More than 95% of admitted students ranked in the top 10% of their high school class.

2. About half of the first-year class were admitted through Early Decision

3. Ethnic Diversity:

   • White: 47.8%

   • Asian: 29%

   • Hispanic/Latino: 17%

   • African American: 14%

   • International: 10.5%

Source: Northwestern Admissions

12. Columbia University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~3.9% (57,129 applicants, 2,228 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Ethnic Diversity:

   • White: 51%

   • Asian: 30%

   • Hispanic/Latino: 22%

   • African American: 20%

2. 17% of admitted students are international students.

Source: Columbia Admissions, Columbia Undergraduate Admissions

13. Cornell University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2025): ~8.6% (67,830 applicants, 5,836 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 55% of students in the class are female and 45% are male.

2. 14.7% of admitted students are descendants of Cornell alumni.

3. 84.2% of admitted students ranked in the top 10% of their high school class.

Source: Cornell Sun, Cornell Student Profile

14. University of Chicago

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~4.76% (38,800 applicants, 1,849 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 17% of admitted students are international students.

2. Involvement in high school activities for admitted students (image below):

Source: UChicago Admissions

15. University of California, Berkeley

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~11% (125,922 applicants, 14,772 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Unweighted GPA of admitted students: 3.89-4.0.

2. 79% of admitted students are from public schools.

Source: Berkeley Admissions

16. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~9% (145,910 applicants, 12,737 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. More than 70% of admitted students are California residents.

2. High school GPA of middle 25%-75% students: 4.2-4.31

Source: UCLA Website, UCLA Admission Data

17. Rice University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~8% (31,059 applicants, 2,447 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 486 of 2,953 applicants were selected from Early Decision (16.5% acceptance rate)

2. 1,961 of 28,106 applicants were selected from Regular Decision (7.0% acceptance rate)

3. SAT score of middle 25%-75% students: 1500-1560

4. ACT score of middle 25%-75% students: 34-36

5. The student body is evenly split, with 50% female and 50% male students.

Source: Rice Admission

18. Dartmouth College

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~6.2% (28,841 applicants, 1,797 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 578 applicants were selected from Early Decision.

2. 46% of applicants selected from Early Decision enrolled.

3. Middle 50% SAT Scores:

   • Math: 730-790,

   • Reading and Writing: 710-770

4. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 32-35

Source: Dartmouth News, Dartmouth Admissions

19. Vanderbilt University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2028): ~9.2% (79,724 applicants, 7,347 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 5,835 applicants were selected from Early Decision (admit rate: 15.2%).

2. 1,512 applicants were selected from Regular Decision (admit rate: 3.7%).

3. Middle 50% SAT Scores:

   • Math: 780-800,

   • Reading and Writing: 750-800

4. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 34-36

Source: Vanderbilt Admissions, Vanderbilt Admissions Blog

20. University of Notre Dame

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~12% (28,354 applicants, 3,399 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 1,701 applicants were selected from Restrictive Early Application.

2. 1,698 applicants were selected from Regular Decision.

3. Middle 50% SAT Scores: 1450-1530

4. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 33-35

Source: Notre Dame News, Notre Dame Admissions

21. University of Michigan--Ann Arbor

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~18% (87,632 applicants, 15,722 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. GPA of admitted students: 3.9-4.0

2. SAT score of admitted students:

   • Math: 680-780,

   • Reading and Writing: 670-750

3. ACT score of admitted students: 31-34

Source: UMich Data

22. Georgetown University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~13% (25,485 applicants, 3,334 admitted)

Source: Georgetown Key Facts

23. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~18% (59,012 applicants, 10,853 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Middle 50% SAT Scores: 1370-1529

2. 75% of admitted students ranked in the top 10% of their high school class.

3. 46% of enrolled students were born in North Carolina; 12.9% were born outside the U.S.

Source: UNC Admissions Data

24. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~11% (33,707 applicants, 3,843 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 46% of students in the class are female and 50% are male.

2. Ethnic Diversity:

   • White: 20%

   • Asian: 37.7%

   • Hispanic/Latino: 10.3%

   • African American: 7.1%

   • International: 17.4%

Source: CMU Admissions Data, College Transitions

25. Emory University

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~11% (33,255 applicants, 3,543 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Average GPA of admitted students: 3.89

2. SAT score of admitted students:

   • Math: 750-790,

   • Reading and Writing: 720-770

3. ACT score of admitted students: 33-35

Source: Emory Admissions Data

26. University of Virginia

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2026): ~18.6% (50,926 applicants, 9,503 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Middle 50% SAT Scores:

   • Math: 710-790,

   • Reading and Writing: 690-750

2. Middle 50% ACT Scores (composite): 32-35

3. 87% of admitted students ranked in the top 10% of their high school class.

Source: UVA Admissions

27. Washington University in St. Louis

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~12% (32,240 applicants, 3,855 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. 26% Early Decision admit rate

2. 9% Regular Decision admit rate

3. Middle 50% SAT Scores: 1500-1570

4. Middle 50% ACT Scores: 33-35

Source: WUSTL Admissions

28. University of California, Davis

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~41.8% (94,635 applicants, 39,601 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. High school GPA of middle 25%-75% students: 4.03-4.27

Source: UC Admissions

29. University of California, San Diego

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~24.7% (32,314 applicants, 130,841 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. High school GPA of middle 25%-75% students: 4.11-4.29

Source: UC Admissions

30. University of Florida

Acceptance Rate (Class of 2027): ~25% (67,000 applicants, 16,634 admitted)

Key Highlights:

1. Average GPA of admitted students: 3.76

Source: UF Admissions Data, College Transitions

Conclusion

Getting into your dream college is tougher than ever. Schools like Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale show a clear trend: their acceptance rates have been dropping year after year, as shown in the image below. With more applicants every year, this pattern is seen at many other colleges too, making the whole admissions process more competitive.

That said, here are some insights from the admissions statistics for the top 30 universities:

1. Academic excellence is essential: Most admitted students are in the top 10% of their high school class, and the middle 50% SAT and ACT scores for top universities are high.

2. Early applications can boost your chances: Many top schools have higher acceptance rates for early applicants. If you have a top-choice school, consider applying early to increase your likelihood of admission.

3. Your unique background, story, and extracurriculars can set you apart: Among thousands of applicants, having a compelling story and extracurriculars that support it will make you stand out and increase your chances of admission.

You’ve got this!! 💪

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