On average, only 7% of applicants were accepted into Ivy League schools in the Fall 2019 admission cycle.

MANY STUDENTS DREAM of having the opportunity to become a student at one of the prestigious Ivy League universities and wonder about questions like the one above. It’s easy to understand this sentiment because the acceptance rate is not only highly competitive within Ivy League schools, but it also becomes an intense battle even among the top-tier schools in the United States in general.

The acceptance rate at Columbia University was only 5% in Fall 2019

According to U.S. News statistics, the acceptance rate for Ivy League schools was only about 7%. This average rate for all other national universities was around 65.5% during the same admission period.

Statistics also show that Ivy League schools have a higher acceptance rate for students applying in early decision rounds than in regular decision rounds. However, the admissions department explains that early applicants are often outstanding students who have prepared thoroughly from an early stage. Additionally, this rate also includes athletes who are admitted due to exceptional sports achievements, which introduces certain discrepancies in the overall rate (according to Dartmouth College).

Each university has different early admission programs. Five out of the eight Ivy League schools require students to commit to enrolling if accepted. In contrast, the other three universities Princeton, Harvard, and Yale offer early admission programs without requiring students to commit to enrolling if accepted. However, it should be noted that these three schools have strict requirements for their early admission programs that students need to be aware of regarding when and where to apply early.

A high early acceptance rate will lead to a lower regular acceptance rate. This means that students applying in the regular decision rounds will face more competition for the remaining spots in the admission cycle (The acceptance rates at Columbia University for early decision and regular decision were 16% and 4%, respectively, leading to an average acceptance rate of 5% in the Fall 2019 admission cycle).

The average early acceptance rate among Ivy League schools was 17.8% according to U.S. News statistics. Meanwhile, the rates for non-Ivy schools for ED and EA were 54.4% and 67.8%, respectively.

Based on information provided by Ivy League schools (excluding Columbia University), the average reading comprehension score was 732/800 and the average math score was 761/800. Nearly 92% of students accepted into Ivy League schools were in the top 10% of their high school class.

Ivy League universities can also become a more accessible option if applicants are flexible enough to choose less competitive departments while still pursuing their academic passions and future career goals. Additionally, many other universities have their own strengths in specific fields that are not part of the Ivy League.

Students interested in applying to Ivy League schools – all of which are in the Top 20 national universities according to the U.S. News rankings – can refer to the rankings below, which include important statistical information to help students better understand the admissions process.