- The list looked at SAT and ACT scores, as well as college acceptance rates.
- The top three hardest colleges to get into in the US overall are Harvard, Stanford, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
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The hardest colleges and universities to get into in every state
Academic review site Niche reported the toughest college to gain acceptance into in every state.
graduation ceremony
With an acceptance rate of just 5% and typical SAT scores between 1460 and 1590, Harvard University is the United States' hardest school to get into, according to a list from academic review siteNiche.com .
The rankings are based onacceptance rates and SAT and ACT scores reported to the US Department of Education. College acceptance rates received a weighted average of 60% in the ranking computation, and SAT/ACT scores received a weighted average of 40% (with 20% coming from scores self-reported by Niche users).
Business Insider used Niche's state filter to find out which college and university is the hardest to get into in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
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Scroll through to find out the most selective school in each state, along with their acceptance rate and SAT/ACT score range.
Alabama: The University of West Alabama
Acceptance rate: 28%
SAT range: 860-1020
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ACT range: 18-23
Alaska: University of Alaska Fairbanks
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Acceptance rate: 77%
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SAT range: 1030-1270
ACT Range: 17-25
Arizona: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott
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Acceptance rate: 77%
SAT range: 1130-1350
ACT range: 23-29
Arkansas: University of Arkansas
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Acceptance rate: 66%
SAT range: 1100-1280
ACT range: 23-29
California: Stanford University
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Acceptance rate: 5%
SAT range: 1390-1540
ACT range : 32-35
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Colorado: United States Air Force Academy
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Acceptance rate: 12%
SAT range: 1210-1390
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ACT range: 28-32
Connecticut: Yale University
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Acceptance rate: 7%
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SAT range: 1460-1580
ACT range: 32-35
Delaware: University of Delaware
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Acceptance rate: 63%
SAT range: 1130-1330
ACT range: 25-29
District of Columbia (DC): Georgetown University
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Acceptance rate: 16%
SAT range: 1350-1520
ACT range: 30-34
Florida: University of Miami
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Acceptance rate: 36%
SAT range: 1230-1420
ACT range: 28-32
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Georgia: Emory
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Acceptance rate: 22%
SAT range: 1350-1520
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ACT range: 30-33
Hawaii: Brigham Young University at Hawaii
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Acceptance rate: 37%
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SAT range: 1090-1250
ACT range: 22-26
Idaho: Northwest Nazarene University
Acceptance rate: 73%
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SAT range: 1030-1230
ACT range: 20-27
Illinois: University of Chicago
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Acceptance rate: 8%
SAT range: 1480-1580
ACT range: 32-35
Indiana: University of Notre Dame
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Acceptance rate: 19%
SAT range: 1370-1520
ACT range: 32-34
Iowa: Grinnell College
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Acceptance rate: 29%
SAT range: 1310-1510
ACT range: 30-34
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Kansas: Central Christian College of Kansas
Acceptance rate: 39%
SAT range: 890-1120
ACT range: 17-22
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Kentucky: Berea College
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Acceptance rate: 39%
SAT range: 890-1120
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ACT range: 17-22
Louisiana: Tulane University
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Acceptance rate: 21%
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SAT range: 1330-1490
ACT range: 30-33
Maine: Bowdoin College
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Acceptance rate: 14%
SAT range: 1360-1510
ACT range: 31-33
Maryland: Johns Hopkins University
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Acceptance rate: 13%
SAT range: 1450-1570
ACT range: 33-35
Massachusetts: Harvard University
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Acceptance rate: 5%
SAT range: 1460-1590
ACT range: 32-35
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Michigan: University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
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Acceptance rate: 27%
SAT range: 1330-1500
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ACT range: 30-33
Minnesota: Carleton College
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Acceptance rate: 21%
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SAT range: 1360-1530
ACT range: 31-34
Mississippi: Mississippi College
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Acceptance rate: 39%
SAT range: 1070-1290
ACT range: 22-29
Missouri: Washington University in St. Louis
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Acceptance rate: 16%
SAT range: 1470-1570
ACT range: 32-34
Montana: Rocky Mountain College
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Acceptance rate: 64%
SAT range: 910-1150
ACT range: 20-25
Nebraska: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
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Acceptance rate: 64%
SAT range: 1100-1380
ACT range: 22-29
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Nevada: University of Nevada - Las Vegas
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Acceptance rate: 81%
SAT range: 1030-1240
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ACT range: 19-24
New Hampshire: Dartmouth College
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Acceptance rate: 10%
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SAT range: 1430-1560
ACT range: 30-34
New Jersey: Princeton University
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Acceptance rate: 6%
SAT range: 1430-1570
ACT range: 31-35
New Mexico: New Mexico Tech
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Acceptance rate: 22%
SAT range: 1190-1390
ACT range: 23-29
New York: Columbia University
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Acceptance rate: 7%
SAT range: 1410-1570
ACT range: 31-34
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North Carolina: Duke University
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Acceptance rate: 10%
SAT range: 1388-1540
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ACT range: 31-35
North Dakota: Mayville State University
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Acceptance rate: 48%
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SAT range: 693-915
ACT range: 18-23
Ohio: Case Western Reserve University
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Acceptance rate: 33%
SAT range: 1340-1520
ACT range: 30-33
Oklahoma: University of Tulsa
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Acceptance rate: 39%
SAT range: 1150-1440
ACT range: 25-32
Oregon: Reed College
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Acceptance rate: 36%
SAT range: 1310-1500
ACT range: 30-33
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Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania
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Acceptance rate: 9%
SAT range: 1420-1560
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ACT range: 32-35
Rhode Island: Brown University
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Acceptance rate: 8%
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SAT range: 1400-1570
ACT range: 31-35
South Carolina: Clemson University
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Acceptance rate: 47%
SAT range: 1220-1390
ACT range: 27-31
South Dakota: Augustana University
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Acceptance rate: 68%
SAT range: 1070-1290
ACT range: 23-29
Tennessee: Vanderbilt University
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Acceptance rate: 11%
SAT range: 1440-1570
ACT range: 32-35
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Texas: Rice University
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Acceptance rate: 16%
SAT range: 1490-1580
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ACT range: 33-35
Utah: Brigham Young University
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Acceptance rate: 52%
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SAT range: 1210-1410
ACT range: 27-32
Vermont: Middlebury College
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Acceptance rate: 17%
SAT range: 1320-1510
ACT range: 30-34
Virginia: Washington & Lee University
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Acceptance rate: 22%
SAT range: 1320-1490
ACT range: 31-33
Washington: University of Washington
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Acceptance rate: 46%
SAT range: 1190-1420
ACT range: 27-32
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West Virginia: Alderson Broaddus College
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Acceptance rate: 41%
SAT range: 930-1080
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ACT range: 18-23
Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin - Madison
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Acceptance rate: 54%
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SAT range: 1280-1450
ACT range: 27-31
Wyoming: University of Wyoming
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Acceptance rate: 97%
SAT range: 1040-1290
ACT range: 22-27
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