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What’s the hardest Ivy League school to get accepted into?

I've heard rumors about how competitive Ivy League schools are, and I was wondering if any of you folks know which of the Ivies is the most difficult to land a spot in? Is it based on the acceptance rate or something else?

a month ago

According to admissions statistics and student profiles, Harvard University usually holds the lowest acceptance rate among the Ivy League schools, making it the most challenging to get into, usually below 4%. The acceptance rate often fluctuates year by year, due to factors such as the number of applications received and the university's requirements for that specific admissions cycle.

However, while acceptance rates do play a significant role in how competitive a school is, it's not the only factor that determines difficulty of admission.

The selectivity of an Ivy League can also be tied to the strength of the applicant pool, as all Ivies tend to attract high-performing students. For example, schools like Yale and Princeton also maintain highly competitive applicant pools, making them quite challenging to get into, despite their acceptance rates being slightly higher than Harvard's on certain academic years.

In addition, an Ivy League's difficulty of admission can partially depend on the specific program or major you're interested in. Some programs within a university might be more competitive than others because of their prestige, size, resources, or the sheer number of applications they receive.

The main takeaway here is to base your choice on program strength, fit, location, size, resources, and other personal interests, not strictly on acceptance rates or perceived selectivity. Ultimately, it's about finding the university where you feel you'll thrive the most academically and personally.

a month ago

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