Easiest & Hardest Ivy League Schools to Get Into

The Ivy League schools consist of eight highly-selective private colleges in the northeastern United States: Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University. Getting into an Ivy League institution is a monumental achievement that takes top-tier academics, impressive extracurricular activities, strong application essays, and some luck.

While every Ivy League school is enormously competitive, some offer better admission odds than others. This post breaks down the Ivies with the highest acceptance rates and the toughest to get into.

For Indian students, Ivy League universities like Harvard and Yale offer prestige and rigorous academics. Yet, many are drawn to non-Ivy colleges for their affordability, diverse programs, and rich cultural experiences, providing a compelling alternative.

Let’s look at what еach onе mеans and the difference between Ivy and Non-Ivy universities to help you select the best.

Easiest Ivy League Schools to Get Into

While no Ivy League university is easy to get into, some offer better odds for applicants who meet their stringent standards. The Ivies with the highest acceptance rates are considered the easiest Ivy League schools to enter. Here are the top three for 2024 admissions:

1. Cornell University

With an 8% acceptance rate across its eight different colleges in 2023, Cornell University is one of the easiest Ivy League schools to get into. However, it is still challenging when admission standards are so high. Getting into specific Cornell colleges varies in selectivity, too, as engineering and business are exceptionally competitive.

Applicants with the following characteristics have the best chances of admission to Cornell.

Strong grades in high school’s most rigorous courses.
High SAT/ACT scores.
Compelling extracurriculars that demonstrate leadership.
Excellent writing skills in their application essays.

2. Dartmouth College

The private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire, admitted 6% of applicants in 2023, making it the second least selective Ivy. Critical factors in one’s Dartmouth application include:

An outstanding GPA.
Impressive test scores from the SAT or ACT.
Passionate participation in extracurricular activities.
Application essays conveying personality and interests.
Many students apply early to Dartmouth, which can improve one’s chances over regular decision applicants.

3. Brown University

With its flexible Open Curriculum allowing students to craft their course of study, Brown University appeals to creative, intellectual students. For 2023, Brown accepted 5.1% of applicants, making it another slightly more accessible Ivy League option.

Getting into Brown requires:

Near-perfect grades and standardised test scores.
Taking the most challenging high school classes.
Leadership demonstrated through extracurriculars.
High-quality writing skills to convey one’s perspectives.
Brown values nonlinear thinkers who embrace interdisciplinary education, diverse perspectives, and social justice.

Hardest Ivy League Schools to Get Into

With acceptance rates under 5%, gaining admission to these Ivies requires an extraordinary application and some luck. Candidates genuinely have to win over admissions officers.

1. Princeton University

Princeton University extends offers to merely 4% of applicants, making it the hardest Ivy League college in 2023. Even valedictorians and students with perfect SAT scores routinely get rejected from Princeton, underscoring its insane competitiveness.

Princeton focuses admissions decisions on the following:

Stellar grades and course rigour.
Standardised test scores are among the highest in the nation.
Elite extracurricular accomplishments, think USAMO qualifiers, research published in scientific journals, significant community impact, etc.
The character and personality are demonstrated through essays, interviews and letters of recommendation.
Princeton’s no-loan financial aid policy for undergraduates admitted after 2001 also helps offset its affordability challenges.

2. Harvard University

Harvard sports the top spot on many domestic and world university rankings. Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Harvard is known for its strong undergraduate programme in the liberal arts and sciences and its world-renowned graduate programme. For the graduating high school Class of 2023, though, only 3.2% received admission from Harvard.

Harvard emphasises academics first and foremost:

Near-perfect grades and stratospheric standardised test scores.
The most challenging high school course loads coupled with outstanding performance.
Unsurpassed extracurricular achievement, whether in academic contests, varsity athletics or nonprofit endeavours.
Superlative essays revealing personality, perspective, growth and creativity.

Yet even perfect candidates get rejected, indicating how randomness and institutional priorities play into Harvard’s admission decisions each year.

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3. Columbia University

In hyper-competitive New York City, the Ivy League Columbia University admitted just 3.9% of applicants for 2023. Students worldwide apply to access Columbia’s world-class academics, endless internship opportunities, and proximity to one of the world’s top cities for arts and culture.

While NYC appeals to many applicants, Columbia seeks exceptional scholars like all Ivies:

Stunning transcripts, primarily in demanding courses.
Rarefied test scores and GPAs.
Extracurriculars highlighting substantial community engagement, leadership and creativity.
The intellectual vitality and personality that shine through in essays.
Columbia’s Core Curriculum also appeals to intellectually curious students who do not adhere to rigid academic structures.

Takeaways for Ivy League Admissions

While we outlined the least and most selective Ivies using acceptance rates as a guide, every single one represents enormous academic rigour and astonishingly low admission odds for applicants. Prospective students should focus on presenting:

Pristine academic records signalling intellectual readiness.
Rich extracurricular leadership and engagement.
Compelling essays conveying maturity, insights and writing skills.
Authentic demonstrations of community impact and individuality.

With holistic assessments made through subjective human judgments, even students presenting the above profile may face Ivy League school rejection. Still, they can take solace in knowing the experience made them stronger candidates regardless of college.

Shaifali Bhardwaj
Content Writer

About Author

A people- and story-person, Shaifali enjoys crafting narratives inspired by the life of people she meets. She likes to read autobiographies and fiction, indulge in some YRF drama, and even spin stories inspired by everyday objects (like her work desk). Stories being her oxygen, she began her career with HT Media, where she wrote health and entertainment news stories, and later started helping students write and edit essential application documents like statements of purpose. This fulfilled her desire to uncover unique stories and articulate them in the most compelling manner, while forming lasting bonds with her students. Presently with Career Launcher Study Abroad, she’s expanding her skills in website content and copywriting to advance in her field. On weekends, you may find her at a dance workshop or requesting weekday leaves for trekking adventures.