Skip to main content

10 Universities Where the Fewest Applicants Get In

By U.S. News & World Report

The U.S. News Short List, separate from our overall rankings, is a regular series that magnifies individual data points in hopes of providing students and parents a way to find which undergraduate or graduate programs excel or have room to grow in specific areas. Be sure to explore The Short List: College, The Short List: Grad School and The Short List: Online Programs to find data that matter to you in your college or grad school search.

Admissions at a top-ranked college or university is becoming more difficult with each passing year.

“Gone are the days when a high GPA and top SAT score will get you through the gates of Harvard,” says Kristen Moon, founder of Atlanta-based MoonPrep.com, which advises parents and students on the college application process. “Actually, you’re lucky if it gets you up the stairs to NYU — the college admissions game is more competitive than ever.”

The good news is the average acceptance rate at U.S. colleges and universities was 65.8 percent for students entering in the 2014-2015 school year, a slight uptick from 64.7 percent the prior year, according to a National Association for College Admission Counseling report.

[Discover the competitive landscape of college admissions today.]

In fact, U.S. News data show that nearly 80 percent of ranked schools accepted more than half of students who applied in the 2015-2016 academic year among the 1,254 ranked schools that submitted these data in an annual survey.

But for students applying at one of the 10 most selective schools in the U.S., the admissions rate was an average of 7.4 percent for students entering in fall 2015.

Stanford University in California was the most selective among these schools. In the 2017 edition of Best Colleges, U.S. News data show the school received 42,497 applications and offered acceptance letters to 2,140 students — an acceptance rate of 5 percent. That’s about the same as fall 2014 when Stanford accepted 5.1 percent of applicants.

[Explore college admissions trends at top National Universities in four graphs.]

A school that has become more selective is the California Institute of Technology. Caltech accepted 8.8 percent of applicants for the fall 2015 entering class compared with 10 percent the prior year.

On the other end of the spectrum, 10 ranked schools accepted 100 percent of those who applied for fall 2015. Among them are Bismarck State College in North Dakota, tied at No. 56 among Regional Colleges (Midwest); Weber State University in Utah, tied at No. 76 among Regional Universities (West); and Wayne State College in Nebraska, tied at No. 94 among Regional Universities (Midwest).

Here are the 10 ranked colleges and universities with the lowest acceptance rates based on the fall 2015 entering class. Unranked colleges, which did not submit enough data for U.S. News to calculate a ranking, were not considered for this report.

School name (state) Fall 2015 acceptance rate U.S. News rank and category
Stanford University (CA) 5% 5 (tie), National Universities
Harvard University (MA) 5.6% 2, National Universities
Columbia University (NY) 6.1% 5 (tie), National Universities
Yale University (CT) 6.7% 3 (tie), National Universities
Princeton University (NJ) 7.1% 1, National Universities
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 8.3% 7, National Universities
University of Chicago 8.4% 3 (tie), National Universities
United States Naval Academy (MD) 8.5% 12 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges
California Institute of Technology 8.8% 12 (tie), National Universities
Brown University (RI) 9.5% 14, National Universities

Don’t see your school on the list? Access the U.S. News College Compass to find acceptance rates, complete rankings and much more. School officials can access historical data and rankings, including of peer institutions, via U.S. News Academic Insights.

U.S. News surveyed more than 1,800 colleges and universities for our 2016 survey of undergraduate programs. Schools self-reported myriad data regarding their academic programs and the makeup of their student body, among other areas, making U.S. News’ data the most accurate and detailed collection of college facts and figures of its kind. While U.S. News uses much of this survey data to rank schools for our annual Best Colleges rankings, the data can also be useful when examined on a smaller scale. U.S. News will now produce lists of data, separate from the overall rankings, meant to provide students and parents a means to find which schools excel, or have room to grow, in specific areas that are important to them. While the data come from the schools themselves, these lists are not related to, and have no influence over, U.S. News’ rankings of Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools or Best Online Programs. The acceptance rate data above are correct as of Sept. 29, 2016.

More from U.S. News

How Competitive Is College Admissions?

Explore College Admissions Trends at Top National Universities in 4 Graphs

The College Admissions Insider

10 Universities Where the Fewest Applicants Get In originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote