College acceptance is the process by which universities and colleges determine which applicants will be offered enrollment. This process typically involves the review of academic transcripts, test scores, essays, and other application materials to assess a student’s qualifications and potential for success. Through this process, colleges determine if the students they want to admit will be capable of successfully handling university life and completing their education.

Why is a college’s acceptance rate important to me at all?

Colleges can be very selective of the students they offer admissions to. And while recent policy changes like the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy (DEI) so students from low-income backgrounds may get more acceptances from their favored colleges. Even so, understanding the college acceptance process can be helpful for students and families as they navigate the college application process.

When applying to colleges, there are plenty of things to consider. You want to make sure the school has your desired major, it’s in a location you’re comfortable with, has good placement rates (it matters if you want to get a cushy salary) and ensure you still have a social life. Plus, you want to keep in mind the student dropout rate because, according to the Education Data organization, 32.9% of undergraduates do not complete their degree programs, and a staggering 24.1% of first-time freshmen drop out within 12 months of their degree programs.

Another thing to think about is getting accepted. Some colleges waitlist applicants after they’ve sent out acceptance letters, which can be a long and stressful process. To avoid that, make sure your grades are up to the college’s standards and if you’re applying to test-optional schools, make sure your essays and grades are top notch.

An important factor to keep in mind when applying to college is the test-optional policy. Some colleges don’t require you to take the SAT or ACT, so it’s important to focus on making your grades and personal essays as strong as possible. This will increase your chances of getting accepted.

Do I apply only to colleges with great acceptance rates?

You want to be careful when applying to colleges. We recommend making a checklist of all the requirements you want from a college and comparing them accordingly as you apply. But you need to keep a checklist of your eligibility as well.

Different colleges have different acceptance rates for many reasons. Colleges with high acceptance rates often have a more open admissions process, focusing less on test scores and more on other factors like essays, recommendations, and extracurriculars. Plus, they may have a larger pool of applicants which makes it easier to have a higher acceptance rate. Remember, just because a college has a high acceptance rate, doesn’t mean you’ll have a smooth sailing academic life or a guaranteed job afterwards.

On the other hand, there are Ivy League universities having very low acceptance rates – as low as 4-6% of applicants get in. Their screening process is very rigorous which might seem unfair. However, these schools have top-notch academic reputations and give you a chance to have an incredible learning experience and great career opportunities.

The option of applying to different colleges is entirely yours. But if there is a particular university you wish to join, follow these tips to get your grades up (school or SAT/ACT) here, here and here.

List of colleges and their acceptance rates

If you’re still confused about where you want to apply, it’s okay. We’ve put together a list of some colleges in the US and their acceptance rates, as well as what they look for in applicants and their graduation rates. This way, you’ll have a better idea of which schools might be a good fit for you and your goals. Keep in mind though, acceptance rates aren’t the only thing to consider when applying to college. This list will give you a starting point and give you a better idea of what to expect from different colleges.

College Name	Location	SAT Range	ACT Range	Acceptance Rate	Graduation Rate
Antioch College	Yellow Springs, OH	1200-1350	22-23	85%	66%
Arizona State University	Tempe, AZ	1100-1320	21-28	88%	66%
Atlantis University	Miami, FL	–	–	100%	94%
Baylor University	Waco, TX	1200-1380	26-32	68%	79%
Boston College	Chestnut Hill, MA	1330-1500	31-34	26%	92%
Boston University	Boston, MA	1310-1500	30-34	20%	89%
Brown University	Providence, RI	1440-1560	33-35	8%	95%
California Institute of Technology	Pasadena, CA	1530-1580	35-36	7%	92%
Cambridge College	Boston, MA	–	–	100%	20%
Carnegie Mellon University	Pittsburgh, PA	1460-1560	33-35	17%	93%
Columbia University	New York, NY	1460-1570	33-35	7%	96%
Concordia University	Austin, TX	980-1180	19-24	93%	43%
Cornell University	Ithaca, NY	1400-1540	32-35	11%	95%
Dartmouth College	Hanover, NH	1440-1560	32-35	9%	95%
Davidson College	Davidson, NC	1300-1460	30-33	20%	93%
Daytona State College	Daytona Beach, FL	–	–	100%	43%
Duke University	Durham, NC	1470-1570	34-35	8%	96%
Fashion Institute of Technology	New York, NY	–	–	59%	83%
Florida State University	Tallahassee, FL	1220-1350	27-31	32%	84%
George Washington University	Washington, DC	1270-1450	30-33	43%	85%
Harvard University	Cambridge, MA	1460-1580	33-35	5%	98%
Haverford College	Haverford, PA	160-1520	32-35	18%	93%
Jacksonville University	Jacksonville, FL	910-1160	18-26	78%	51%
Johns Hopkins University	Baltimore, MD	1470-1560	34-36	11%	94%
Lehigh University	Bethlehem, PA	1260-1430	29-33	50%	88%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Cambridge, MA	1510-1580	34-36	7%	96%
Middlebury College	Middlebury, VT	1340-1520	31-34	22%	94%
New York University	New York, NY	1370-1540	31-34	21%	88%
Northeastern University	Boston, MA	1410-1540	33-35	20%	90%
Parsons School of Design	New York, NY	–	21-26	63%	–
Princeton University	Princeton, NJ	1450-1570	32-35	6%	98%
Rice University	Houston, TX	1460-1570	34-36	11%	94%
Stanford University	Stanford, CA	1420-1570	31-35	5%	95%
Swarthmore College	Swarthmore, PA	1390-1540	31-34	9%	97%
Texas A&M University	College Station, TX	1160-1380	26-32	63%	83%
University of Akron	Akron, OH	990-1230	19-25	77%	48%
University at Buffalo, SUNY	Buffalo, NY	1140-1310	23-29	67%	75%
University of Chicago	Chicago, IL	1500-1570	34-35	7%	96%
University of Connecticut	Storres, CT	1170-1390	27-32	56%	83%
University of Dallas	Irving, TX	1130-1350	23-30	54%	69%
University of Georgia	Athena, GA	150-1460	29-33	48%	87%
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor	Ann Arbor, MI	1340-1520	31-34	26%	93%
University of South Carolina	Bluffton, SC	940-1110	17-22	67%	34%
University of Southern California	Los Angeles, CA	1340-1530	30-34	16%	92%
University of Texas – Austin	Austin, TX	1210-1470	26-33	32%	88%
University of Tulsa	Tulsa, OK	1080-1330	23-31	69%	73%
University of Virginia	Charlottesville, VA	1320-1510	30-34	23%	94%
University of Wisconsin	Madison, WI	1260-1460	27-32	57%	88%
Vanderbilt University	Nashville, TN	1470-1570	33-35	12%	93%
Yale University	New Haven, CT	1460-1580	33-35	7%	96%