Stanford University makes the list.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Ivy League schools have begun to release early-admission numbers for the class of 2021. They're considerably higher than the regular-decision admissions numbers that will come in the spring.
Though the Ivies are notoriously tough to get into — their regular-admission acceptance rates range from 5.2% to 13.96% — you might be surprised to learn that other schools have even lower acceptance rates.
Below, find eight US schools that are even more selective than some of the Ivies, according to statistics provided on the class of 2020* admission rates from school websites or admissions offices directly.
*US Military Academy and US Naval Academy figures are based on figures from the class of 2019.
To start, here's the ranking of Ivy League schools by the selectivity of their 2020 class, the most recent regular-decision data available:
8. Cornell University — 13.96%
7. Dartmouth College — 10.52%
6. University of Pennsylvania — 9.41%
5. Brown University — 9.01%
4. Princeton University — 6.46%
3. Yale University — 6.27%
2. Columbia University — 6.04%
1. Harvard University — 5.2%
Now, take a look at some schools that are just as selective but not always as recognized:
College of the Ozarks — 13%
This Christian college in Missouri has a lower acceptance rate than Cornell, the Ivy with the highest acceptance rate, and requires students to show financial need for admission. Students work 15 hours a week on campus and get free tuition in return.
Claremont McKenna College — 10.8%
Located in Southern California, Claremont is a small liberal-arts college and was ranked third in the nation for happiest students by The Princeton Review. Its acceptance rate is lower than Cornell's.
US Military Academy — 9.5%
Cadets who are enrolled at this school, also referred to as "West Point" or "Army," have their tuition paid by the US Army. In return, they have an active-duty service obligation. Its admissions rate is lower than the rates for Dartmouth and Cornell.
California Institute of Technology — 7.9%
Based in Pasadena, Caltech focuses on science and engineering. Its acceptance rate is lower than Cornell's, Dartmouth's, UPenn's, and Brown's.
US Naval Academy — 7.9%
Students enrolled at this school, also referred to as "Navy," have their tuition paid by the US Navy and, in return, they have an active-duty service obligation. This school is more selective than Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth, and Cornell.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology — 7.8%
MIT's mascot is the beaver, the school says, because of the school's "remarkable engineering and mechanical skill and its habits of industry." Its admissions rate is lower than the rates for Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth, and Cornell.
University of Chicago — 7.6%
The 125-year-old school is in Chicago's Hyde Park community. Its admissions rate is lower than the rates for Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth, and Cornell.
Stanford University — 4.69%
Stanford is the most selective college in the US — aside from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, which has an acceptance rate of about 4% but is more of a conservatory than a traditional university. Stanford's admission rate is lower than every Ivy League school's.
