When it comes to college and university admissions, there are many accessible colleges but, some schools are a much more difficult – if not seemingly impossible – nut to crack. Many students aim for admission to a prestigious college or university, but the supply of open slots often does not meet the demand from applicants. Earning admission to the schools on this list can be especially difficult. The ranking below is based on acceptance rates and SAT/ACT test scores.
Here are the top 20 hardest colleges and universities to get into in the United States.
| Rank | School | Acceptance rate | SAT range |
| 1. | California Institute of Technology | 7% | 1530-1580 |
| 2. | Harvard University | 5% | 1460-1580 |
| 3. | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 7% | 1500-1570 |
| 4. | Stanford University | 4% | 1420-1570 |
| 5. | Yale University | 6% | 1460-1570 |
| 6. | Princeton University | 5% | 1440-1570 |
| 7. | University of Chicago | 7% | 1470-1570 |
| 8. | Columbia University | 6% | 1450-1560 |
| 9. | Duke University | 9% | 1450-1570 |
| 10. | Northwestern University | 8% | 1430-1550 |
| 11. | Brown University | 8% | 1420-1550 |
| 12. | Vanderbilt University | 10% | 1450-1560 |
| 13. | University of Pennsylvania | 8% | 1420-1550 |
| 14. | Dartmouth College | 9% | 1420-1560 |
| 15. | Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute | 2%% | – |
| 16. | Rice University | 11% | 1450-1560 |
| 17. | Pomona College | 8% | 1400-1540 |
| 18. | Johns Hopkins University | 11% | 1450-1560 |
| 19. | Cornell University | 11% | 1390-1540 |
| 20. | Harvey Mudd College | 14% | 1490-1560 |
