| Ranking | School | Class of 2029 | Class of 2028 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton University | 4.42% | 4.62% | 4.50% | 5.70% |
| 2 | Harvard University | 4.18% | 3.65% | 3.45% | 3.19% |
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4.56% | 4.55% | 4.80% | 3.96% |
| 4 | Yale University | 4.75% | 3.87% | 4.50% | 4.57% |
| 5 | California Institute of Technology | 3.78% | 2.57% | 3.14% | 2.69% |
| 6 | Stanford University | 3.90% | 3.61% | 3.91% | 3.68% |
| 7 | University of Chicago | 4.30% | 4.48% | 4.79% | 5.43% |
| 8 | University of Pennsylvania | 4.87% | 5.40% | 5.87% | 6.50% |
| 9 | Columbia University | 4.94% | 3.86% | 4.00% | 3.74% |
| 10 | Brown University | 5.65% | 5.39% | 5.23% | 5.06% |
| 11 | Dartmouth College | 6.02% | 5.40% | 6.23% | 6.38% |
| 12 | Duke University | 5.20% | 5.71% | 6.78% | 6.20% |
| 13 | University of Notre Dame | 9.00% | 11.27% | 12.38% | 12.87% |
| 14 | Northwestern University | 7.00% | 7.69% | 7.22% | 7.21% |
| 15 | Vanderbilt University | 5.33% | 5.86% | 6.28% | 6.10% |
| 16 | Swarthmore College | 7.52% | 7.46% | 6.94% | 6.93% |
| 17 | Pomona College | 7.14% | 7.09% | 6.76% | 7.02% |
| 18 | Cornell University | 8.38% | 8.41% | 7.90% | 7.26% |
| 19 | Bowdoin College | 6.81% | 7.13% | 8.02% | 9.19% |
| 20 | Rice University | 8.01% | 8.00% | 7.88% | 8.68% |
Declining Acceptance Rates Among T20 Colleges
Selected T20 Schools: Class of 2026 vs 2029
| School | Class of 2026 | Class of 2029 |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton University | 5.70% | 4.42% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 6.50% | 4.87% |
| University of Chicago | 5.43% | 4.30% |
| Bowdoin College | 9.19% | 6.81% |
| Rice University | 8.68% | 8.01% |
What this shows
Comparing acceptance rates from the Class of 2026 to the Class of 2029, most T20 colleges show a decrease. This reflects increasing competition for admission at top-ranked institutions.
What should be noted is the relevance of even a one percent drop for these schools. If a school has an acceptance rate of 60%, and it drops by 1%, it's not too relevant. But at these low levels, dropping from 5% to 4% is a difference of 20% fewer applicants being accepted, IE, thousands of students.
Glossary
- T20 (Top 20)
- The group of colleges included in this dataset, representing the top 20 U.S. institutions.
- Acceptance rate
- The percentage of applicants who are offered admission.
- Percentage points
- The unit used to describe changes between percentages.
- Selectivity
- The level of competition for admission, often measured by acceptance rate.
- Class year
- The expected graduation year of an incoming student cohort.