College Acceptance Rates, Then and Now
College Acceptance Rates, Then and Now
This summer, as many rising seniors create their college list, we remind our students that there are no guarantees when it comes to college admissions. Admission at the nation’s most selective schools has become much more competitive over the past decade. To add some perspective, keep in mind that parents of today’s high school students likely applied to college 20 or more years ago.
We thought our students and parents would enjoy taking a look at the acceptance rates at some of today’s most selective schools, including Ivy League schools, then and now:
| School | 2012 Acceptance | 2012 Applications | 1992 Acceptance | 1992 Applications |
| Brown University | 9.6% | 28,742 | 23% | 12,184 |
| Columbia University | 7.4% | 31,851 | 28% | 6,582 |
| Cornell University | 16.2% | 37,812 | 30.6% | 20,324 |
| Dartmouth University | 9.4% | 23,110 | 26% | 8,000 |
| Harvard University | 5.9% | 34,302 | 16% | 13,031 |
| University of Penn. | 12.3% | 31,217 | 38.9% | 12,465 |
| Princeton University | 7.9% | 26,664 | 15.8% | 12,857 |
| Yale University | 6.8% | 28,974 | 21.9% | 11,053 |
| Stanford University | 6.6% | 36,631 | 22.1% | 13,207 |
| Middlebury College | 18.5% | 8,849 | 31% | 3,628 |
| Northwestern Univ. | 15.3% | 32,066 | 41.6% | 12,631 |
While the admissions data can be intimidating, there is no need for students to panic. There are 3,700 colleges in the US, and more than 80 percent accept over half of their applicants. So while Harvard’s 5.9 percent acceptance rate might seem discouraging, rest assured that there are literally hundreds of excellent schools you may never have heard of, which offer great opportunities to reach your academic and personal goals. After all, your college experience, and your life are what you make of it.
Rising seniors, need help creating your balanced college list? Contact us today!
