East Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in East for 2025

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in East. The list is ranked by acceptance rate, lowest to highest and limited to schools which reject at least half of all applicants. Leading the list is Harvard University which sent acceptance letters to only 3% of the 56,937 students who applied and rejected 97%.

Not all schools on the most selective list are overly academically challenging. Some schools with less rigorous test and high school GPA requirements may receive a large numbers of qualified applicants and the school does not have space to admit them all.

If you're looking for challenging colleges, explore rankings of East colleges with the highest SAT scores, highest ACT scores and highest GPA's.
East Low Acceptance % Public Private 4 year

85 results

Tufts University
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T
Medford, MA

Tufts University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

10% Acceptance Rate

#6 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 13,274enrollment
  • $33,333net price
  • 1460-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.91Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Williams College
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W
Williamstown, MA

Williams College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

10% Acceptance Rate

#13 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,168enrollment
  • $16,988net price
  • 1470-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 10

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Middlebury College
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M
Middlebury, VT

Middlebury College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

10% Acceptance Rate

#25 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 2,857enrollment
  • $22,912net price
  • 1430-1550SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.89Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Boston University
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B
Boston, MA

Boston University

Private 4 Year

10 reviews

11% Acceptance Rate

#9 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 36,624enrollment
  • $27,551net price
  • 1400-1520SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.79Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 4

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Carnegie Mellon University
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C
Pittsburgh, PA

Carnegie Mellon University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

11% Acceptance Rate

#4 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 15,596enrollment
  • $32,964net price
  • 1500-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.89Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Colgate University
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C
Hamilton, NY

Colgate University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

12% Acceptance Rate

#4 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 3,146enrollment
  • $26,954net price
  • 1430-1530SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.77Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Hamilton College
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H
Clinton, NY

Hamilton College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

12% Acceptance Rate

#25 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,048enrollment
  • $26,021net price
  • 1410-1550SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.87Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

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Bates College
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B
Lewiston, ME

Bates College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

13% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Colleges in Maine

  • 1,753enrollment
  • $26,658net price
  • 1400-1510SAT range
  • 31-33ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Haverford College
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H
Haverford, PA

Haverford College

Private 4 Year

7 reviews

13% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 1,424enrollment
  • $22,828net price
  • 1430-1540SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.9Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Wellesley College
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W
Wellesley, MA

Wellesley College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

14% Acceptance Rate

#18 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,418enrollment
  • $21,501net price
  • 1440-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 8

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United States Military Academy
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A
West Point, New York

United States Military Academy

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

14% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 4,508enrollment
  • -net price
  • 1200-1430SAT range
  • 28-33ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 31

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Rhode Island School of Design
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R
Providence, RI

Rhode Island School of Design

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

14% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in Rhode Island

  • 2,540enrollment
  • $42,106net price
  • 1370-1540SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.71Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

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Boston College
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B
Chestnut Hill, MA

Boston College

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

16% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 15,280enrollment
  • $32,590net price
  • 1430-1540SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Wesleyan University
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W
Middletown, CT

Wesleyan University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

#15 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 3,271enrollment
  • $20,463net price
  • 1450-1540SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Vassar College
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V
Poughkeepsie, NY

Vassar College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 2,456enrollment
  • $29,733net price
  • 1435-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
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C
New York, NY

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 983enrollment
  • $28,199net price
  • 1400-1520SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.75Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 8

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Babson College
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B
Wellesley, MA

Babson College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

#14 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 3,943enrollment
  • $30,220net price
  • 1380-1500SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.79Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

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Smith College
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S
Northampton, MA

Smith College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

#8 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 2,830enrollment
  • $27,823net price
  • 1408-1540SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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