College Acceptance Rates (Class of 2027)

The college admission process has always been a competitive one, but in recent years, the acceptance rates at many colleges and universities have dropped to the lowest in history. This trend continues in 2023, as top schools receive record numbers of applications and turn away an increasing number of highly qualified candidates. 

Nowadays, admissions officers are not only looking for students who have exceptional grades and test scores, but also for students who are able to showcase their passion and commitment to various activities are highly valued by admissions officers. This is because extracurricular activities offer a glimpse into a student’s character and give an indication of how they may contribute to the college community.

What Can Students Do to Maximize their Chances of Getting into a Top College?

Starting preparing early! Preparing for college early can provide significant benefits for students. Increasingly, students are beginning to think about their college applications as early as 6th or 7th grade. Starting early can allow students to explore their interests, develop strong skills and experiences, and create a well-rounded and competitive college application.

By starting early, students can take the time to explore various areas of interest and identify what they are passionate about. This exploration can lead to a more meaningful set of extracurricular activities and experiences, showcasing their strengths and unique qualities. Moreover, starting early can provide opportunities for students to take on leadership roles in their activities, showing initiative and the ability to make a positive impact.

In addition to focusing on their own accomplishments, students should also consider the overall profile of the colleges and universities they are interested in attending. Different schools place different weights on various aspects of the application, so students should research each school carefully and tailor their application accordingly. They should also consider applying to a range of schools, from “safety” schools where they are highly likely to be admitted, to “reach” schools where admission is more competitive.

Overall, the college admission process is becoming increasingly competitive, and students who want to be admitted to their dream schools should start strategically planning and executing earlier. By focusing on academic excellence, pursuing meaningful extracurricular activities, and effectively packaging their applications to specific schools, students can increase their chances of being admitted to the college of their choice.

College Acceptance Rates (Class of 2027)

SchoolClass of 2027 Admission RateClass of 2026 Admission RateClass of 2025 Admission Rate
American University44.00%40.63%64.09%
Amherst College9.00%7.25%8.74%
Babson CollegeTBA22.35%25.35%
Barnard College6.50%8.00%10.40%
Bates College12.00%13.76%17.31%
Boston College15.00%16.70%18.90%
Boston University10.70%14.00%18.30%
Bowdoin College7.75%9.19% 8.80%
Brown University5.09%5.00% 5.50%
Bucknell UniversityTBA32.55%34.50%
Carleton College21.75%16.63%17.55%
Carnegie Mellon UniversityTBA11.30%13.54%
Case Western Reserve UniversityTBA27.41%30.24%
Claremont McKenna CollegeTBA10.30%11.24%
Colby College6.00%7.45%8.00%
Colgate UniversityTBA 12.34%17.20%
College of the Holy Cross21.00%36.00%43.00%
Colorado College<20%16.30%14.25%
Columbia University3.90% 3.73% 3.90%
Cornell UniversityTBA7.26% ~8.70%
Dartmouth College6.23%6.38% 6.17%
Davidson CollegeTBA16.95%17.80%
Denison University17.00%22.00%28.27%
Duke University6.00% 6.20%5.70%
Emory University16.24%11.35%20.40%
Fairfield University44.90%52.18%55.81%
Florida State University23.77%25.04%37.06%
Fordham University50.00%54.13%58.30%
Georgetown University13.00% 12.10% 12.00%
Georgia TechOverall: 16.00% (instate: 36%, out of state: 121%)17.14%18.30%
Grinnell CollegeTBA9.20%10.50%
Hamilton CollegeTBA11.78%14.10%
Harvard University3.41% 3.19% 3.43%
Harvey Mudd CollegeTBA13.36%9.99%
Haverford CollegeTBA14.21%17.84%
Johns Hopkins UniversityTBA 7.24%7.40%
Lafayette College30.70%33.60%40.70%
Lehigh University28.49%36.98%45.97%
Macalester College27.55%28.42%31.26%
Middlebury CollegeTBA 11.50% 15.70%
MIT4.68% 3.96%4.00%
Mount Holyoke College38.00%39.76%52.30%
New York University8.00% 12.20%12.80%
Northeastern UniversityBoston Campus: 6.00%6.80%18.38%
Northwestern University7.00% 7.00% 6.80%
Oberlin CollegeTBA34.90%34.34%
Pitzer College15.90%18.40%18.31%
Pomona CollegeTBA7.02% 6.60%
Princeton UniversityTBA5.70% 3.98%
Rice University7.70% 8.56%9.30%
Santa Clara University42.00%53.90%53.99%
Smith College19.00%22.86%29.91%
Stanford UniversityTBA3.68% 3.95%
Swarthmore College6.78%6.93%8.00%
Trinity UniversityTBA31.00%33.72%
Tufts University9.50% 9.69%11.00%
Tulane UniversityTBA11.45%9.63%
UCLATBA 8.56% 10.76%
University of California – BerkeleyTBA11.39%14.53%
University of California – IrvineTBA21.15%26.34%
University of Chicago5.00%5.44%6.20%
University of GeorgiaOverall: 35.10% (in state: 48%, out of state 26%)Overall: 42.23% Overall: 38.96%
University of MiamiTBA18.94%28.49%
University of MichiganTBA17.69%20.15%
University of North Carolina – Chapel HillTBA16.85%19.24%
University of Notre Dame11.90%12.87%14.60%
University of PennsylvaniaTBA6.51%5.68%
University of Richmond22.00%24.37%27.33%
University of Southern California9.90%11.88%12.00%
University of Texas – AustinTBA31.41%28.75%
University of VirginiaIn-state: 26.86%; out of state: 12.35%In-state: 27.58%; out of state: 15.21%In-state: 28.16%; out of state: 17.45%
Vanderbilt University5.61%6.10%6.70%
Vassar CollegeTBA18.66%20.15%
Wake Forest UniversityTBA20.00%25.18%
Washington and Lee UniversityTBA17.00%18.87%
Washington University in St. LouisTBA10.00%13.00%
Wellesley College 13.00%13.57%16.00%
Wesleyan University15.75%14.43%19.44%
William & Mary32.00%33.50%36.50%
Williams College9.80%8.50%8.00%
Yale University4.35%4.40%4.62%