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

Webb Institute
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W
Glen Cove, NY

Webb Institute

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 105enrollment
  • $21,488net price
  • 1390-1525SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Goddard College
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G
Plainfield, VT

Goddard College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 263enrollment
  • $29,344net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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College of the Holy Cross
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H
Worcester, MA

College of the Holy Cross

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

21% Acceptance Rate

#10 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 3,035enrollment
  • $35,455net price
  • 1250-1420SAT range
  • 28-32ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Olin College of Engineering
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O
Needham, MA

Olin College of Engineering

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

22% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 402enrollment
  • $40,370net price
  • 1480-1560SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.9Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Skidmore College
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S
Saratoga Springs, NY

Skidmore College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

23% Acceptance Rate

#8 Best Private Colleges in New York

  • 2,776enrollment
  • $32,368net price
  • 1300-1460SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.75Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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United States Coast Guard Academy
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C
New London, Connecticut

United States Coast Guard Academy

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

24% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,081enrollment
  • -net price
  • 1210-1380SAT range
  • 25-30ACT range
  • 3.79Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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American Musical and Dramatic Academy
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A
New York, NY

American Musical and Dramatic Academy

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

25% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,511enrollment
  • $46,130net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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Villanova University
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V
Villanova, PA

Villanova University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

25% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 10,111enrollment
  • $37,946net price
  • 1400-1510SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.87Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Lehigh University
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L
Bethlehem, PA

Lehigh University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

29% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 7,590enrollment
  • $33,289net price
  • 1350-1490SAT range
  • 31-33ACT range
  • 3.81Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

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Bryn Mawr College
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B
Bryn Mawr, PA

Bryn Mawr College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

31% Acceptance Rate

#11 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 1,666enrollment
  • $39,383net price
  • 1300-1470SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Lafayette College
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L
Easton, PA

Lafayette College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

31% Acceptance Rate

#8 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 2,764enrollment
  • $34,728net price
  • 1340-1490SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.53Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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United States Merchant Marine Academy
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U
Kings Point, NY

United States Merchant Marine Academy

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

32% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 961enrollment
  • $5,173net price
  • 1140-1300SAT range
  • 23-29ACT range
  • 3.6Avg GPA

Applications Due Mar 1

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Bucknell University
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B
Lewisburg, PA

Bucknell University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

32% Acceptance Rate

#9 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 3,892enrollment
  • $38,486net price
  • 1300-1450SAT range
  • 31-33ACT range
  • 3.62Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Franklin and Marshall College
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F
Lancaster, PA

Franklin and Marshall College

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

32% Acceptance Rate

#6 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

  • 1,911enrollment
  • $37,475net price
  • 1298-1460SAT range
  • 29-32ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Davis College
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D
Johnson City, NY
 

Davis College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

33% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 137enrollment
  • $14,320net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.18Avg GPA

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Trinity College
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T
Hartford, CT

Trinity College

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

34% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Colleges in Connecticut

  • 2,276enrollment
  • $31,806net price
  • 1310-1460SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.8Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 17

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Brandeis University
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B
Waltham, MA

Brandeis University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

#12 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 5,302enrollment
  • $44,668net price
  • 1390-1530SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.84Avg GPA

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Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Rockland
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Y
Suffern, NY
 

Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Rockland

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 141enrollment
  • $18,501net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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