How does one decipher the 'toughest-to-get-into' college in every US state?

Out of curiosity, is there any comprehensive list or resource that ranks the hardest college to get into within each US state? I'm seeking a broad understanding of college competitiveness at the state level. Kindly share your info or thoughts!

In order to identify the "toughest-to-get-into" college in each state, one way is to look at admission rates, average SAT/ACT scores, average high school GPA of admitted students, and acceptance trends over recent years.

Admission rates reveal the percentage of students who apply and are accepted. Schools with low admission rates are generally more competitive. However, this is a surface-level measure and does not provide a complete picture of selectivity as it doesn't take into account the strength of the applicant pool or the yield rate (students who choose to attend after being admitted).

Moreover, average standardized test scores (SAT/ACT) and GPA offer additional measures indicating the academic strength of accepted students. Schools that have high average test scores and GPAs typically are more competitive. But again, alone they don't give a full picture, as colleges often use holistic admissions, considering other factors like extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, demonstrated interest, and personal essays.

Looking at acceptance trends over recent years - whether more students are getting accepted, fewer are, or it's remained stable - can also offer insights into a school's level of competitiveness.

There's no comprehensive resource ranking the hardest college to get into within each US state publicly available, but with a bit of research into the data points mentioned above, you can gather quite a bit of information. College directories, school websites, and data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics are all good resources to start with.

Remember, however, that these statistics give you a sense of how competitive the college has been historically, but they cannot predict exactly how competitive it will be in the future or how an individual applicant will fare in the process. Additionally, the 'toughest' college to get into might not be the best fit for every student. Other factors like culture, location, resources, and programs offered are all crucial when deciding on where to apply.