Everyone always asks us, ?what is the HARDEST school to get into?? Our answer? ?Well?It depends, really.?
This answer does not sate anyone?s thirst for this popular question, so we have decided to write an epic blog post listing, in order, the most difficult schools which to gain admission as an undergrad by acceptance rate (number of applicants accepted out of total number of applicants in 2012).
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So, without further ado, here are the 10 schools with the lowest acceptance rate?
10. College of the Ozarks
?Keeter Center? by Kelly https://www.flickr.com/photos/elasticsoul/
3,048 Total Applicants
298 Applicants Accepted
9.5% Acceptance Rate
The College of the Ozarks sits in Point Lookout Missouri abutting two rivers and overlooking a lake making its campus a Midwestern tourist destination.
The great thing about the College of the Ozarks is that TUITION IS FREE. That?s right, if you are accepted, you pay no tuition meaning you come out with a first class education and no debt. The problem? Free tuition + consistent top rankings regarding academic prestige = a 9.5% acceptance rate.
The College of the Ozarks is a liberal arts college with a strong focus on character development and Christian beliefs.
Want to see if you could get into College of the Ozarks? Download our free app, match to colleges and view your chances of getting in! Download it for free here.
9. United States Military Academy
?West Point Hat Toss? by U.S. Army https://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/
15,171 Total Applicants
1,358 Applicants Accepted
9% Acceptance Rate
Prestigious academics, a world-renowned military education and a campus that doubles as a gorgeous tourist destination make the U.S. Military Academy (also known as West Point) one of the most difficult schools to get into.
The application checklist for West Point is intimidating in and of itself. Applicants are not only judged on demonstrated academic ability, but also leadership and physical fitness. In order to apply, one must acquire a nomination from a United States Congressman or Senator, have vision that is correctable to 20/20, not be married and not have tattoos deemed to be in unauthorized locations.
Graduates typically become commissioned officers in the Army.
Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower are just a couple of this prestigious institutions notable alumni.
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Stata Center of MIT. Photo by See Ming Lee https://www.flickr.com/photos/seeminglee/
18,109 Total Applicants
1,620 Applicants Accepted
8.9% Acceptance Rate
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the 8th most selective college in the United States. This really is no surprise as it is widely considered to be the world?s most prestigious technology school.
MIT sits in beautiful Kendall Square of Cambridge, Massachusetts just across the Charles River from downtown Boston. Kendall Square has become a startup and technology mecca as of late as many of the world?s most renowned and innovative companies have opened offices within walking distance of MIT?s campuses, including: Facebook, Google, Microsoft, HubSpot, Amazon, Novartis, Nokia and Verizon.
MIT also boasts an unbelievably decorated (current and former) faculty with 80 Nobel Prize winners (yes EIGHTY!!), 39 National Medal of Science winners, 67 Guggenheim Fellows, 4 Pulitzer Prize winners and 6 Fulbright Scholars.
One thing that we have noticed about MIT is that although they reject a metric ton of applicants, they (somewhat) ease the heartbreak with one of the nicest rejection letters you could possibly craft. See below and embrace the kindness (if only my last girlfriend was this nice when she broke up with me?)
7. Princeton University
?Walking Through a Princeton Courtyard? by Bob Jagendorf https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobjagendorf/
26,664 Total Applicants
2,094 Applicants Accepted
7.9% Acceptance Rate
Fewer than 8 out of every 100 applicants hoping to get into Princeton will be awarded that big envelope in the mail making Princeton our 9th most difficult school to get into.
Fun fact number 1: former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as a faculty member at Princeton.
Fun fact number 2: Princeton was the university that Carlton from Fresh Prince of Bel Air desperately wanted to attend. Does anyone know if he ever got in? Leave a comment to discuss because I NEED TO KNOW!!
Princeton University is home to many things including a gorgeous campus, strong legacy and, of course, one of the world?s lowest acceptance rates.
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6 (Tie). Yale University
?Yale Students Enjoying Spring? by Sage Ross https://www.flickr.com/photos/ragesoss/
27,283 Total Applicants
2,109 Applicants Accepted
7.7% Acceptance Rate
Widely included as one of the top 5 institutions in the world among multiple publications makes it no surprise that Yale is not that easy to get into.
Yale has consistently pumped out impressive alumni. Some notable alums include former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton, Gerald Ford and both Bushes. Another notable alum? Lewis Black, who makes a living making fun of the 4 aforementioned Yale grads.
6 (Tie). Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
?Cooper Union? by Vincent Desjardins https://www.flickr.com/photos/endymion120/
3,415 Total Applicants
264 Applicants Accepted
7.7% Acceptance Rate
Located in Cooper Square in Manhattan?s East Village, Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Cooper Union for short) boasts one of the world?s highest selectivity ratings.
Cooper Union is widely considered one of the top colleges for fine arts, architecture and engineering. On top of that, Cooper Union students all receive at least a 50% merit scholarship.
5. The Juilliard School
?The Juilliard School?by JasonParis https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonparis/
2,319 Total Applicants
166 Applicants Accepted
7.2% Acceptance Rate
The Juilliard School (colloquially referred to as simply ?Juilliard?) is regarded as one of the world?s leading music schools containing some of the most prestigious arts programs?and it has the razor-thin acceptance rate to go along with that reputation.
The Juilliard audition scene from ?Save the Last Dance?
Getting into Juilliard is a storied, somewhat epic and seemingly fantastical event propagated not solely by its prestigious reputation but also by film. Movies like ?Save the Last Dance? incude getting into Juilliard as a momentous and often central event in the protagonist?s life ? and for good reason. Robin Williams, Kevin Spacey and Yo-Yo Ma are just a few bullet points in the incredibly long and impressive list of alumni.
Aspiring actors, musicians or playwrights wishing for admission into this renowned conservatory must perform in-person auditions in front of faculty in addition to having an outstanding academic record. The average GPA of accepted students? A near-perfect 3.96.
4. Columbia University of New York
?Butler Library, Columbia? by InSapphoWeTrust https://www.flickr.com/photos/skinnylawyer/
34,810 Total Applicants
2,418 Applicants Accepted
6.9% Acceptance Rate
The third of (spoiler alert) four Ivy League universities and the third Manhattan-based institution to make this list, Columbia comes in as the 4th most selective college in the United States.
Columbia University is one of nine colleges founded before the American Revolution, one of the five oldest colleges in the United States and the oldest in New York State.
Columbia administers the Pulitzer Prize and has 101 Nobel Prize laureates associated with the college. Alumni include 20 living billionaires (including Warren Buffet), three US Presidents (FDR, Teddy and Obama) and 28 Academy Award winners. Another notable alum is Alexander Hamilton, that guy on the $10 bill among other significant accomplishments like establishing the US financial system and its first political party?not too shabby, eh?
Several Columbia alumni carry around lots of pictures of another alum: that dude on the right?
3. The United States Naval Academy
Photo by the Official U.S. Navy Page on Flickr
20,601 Total Applicants
1,396 Applicants Accepted
6.8% Acceptance Rate
The US Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland currently sits as the third most selective institution of higher learning in the United States.
Just like West Point?s admission process, Naval Academy hopefuls must receive nomination from Congressmen or Senators, have the highest academic marks in secondary school, demonstrate leadership ability and meet physical fitness requirements.
2. Stanford University
36,632 Total Applicants
2,423 Applicants Accepted
6.6% Acceptance Rate
Stanford University is one of the most prestigious schools in the entire world and is constantly duking it out with number one on this list for the coveted ?Best School in the World? title.
Stanford alumni have essentially built California?s Silicon Valley. Stanford graduates include the founders of Google, HP, Cisco, Yahoo!, NetFlix, LinkedIn, PayPal, Tesla, Instagram and WhatsApp? among many others.
Stanford has produced the second highest amount of billionaires of any university and also boasts one of the NCAA?s most successful athletics programs.
?Stanford Grounds? By Lee Brimelow
Getting into Stanford is incredibly difficult. The average GPA of accepted students is above 4.0.
1. Harvard University
34,216 Total Applicants
1,989 Applicants Accepted
5.8% Acceptance Rate
Harvard University ? one of the crown jewels of the United States. Harvard is a renowned (and somewhat hallowed) institution of higher learning garnering the highest-achieving applicants from across the globe.
?Harvard? by David Ohmer
Entire businesses exist whose sole mission is to help applicants gain an edge with Harvard admissions.
Notable alumni include a plethora of US Presidents, royalty, business leaders and scientists.
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