Midwest Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in Midwest for 2025

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in Midwest. 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 University of Chicago which sent acceptance letters to only 5% of the 38,631 students who applied and rejected 95%.

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 Midwest colleges with the highest SAT scores, highest ACT scores and highest GPA's.


44 results

University of Chicago
C
Chicago, IL

University of Chicago

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

5% Acceptance Rate

#8 Best Colleges in America

  • 18,339enrollment
  • $27,979net price
  • 1510-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.95Estimated Avg GPA

Northwestern University
N
Evanston, IL

Northwestern University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

7% Acceptance Rate

#16 Best Colleges in America

  • 23,203enrollment
  • $23,341net price
  • 1490-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.92Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

University of Notre Dame
N
Notre Dame, IN

University of Notre Dame

Private 4 Year

7 reviews

12% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Value in Indiana

  • 13,174enrollment
  • $29,083net price
  • 1440-1540SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.91Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Washington University in St Louis
W
Saint Louis, MO

Washington University in St Louis

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

12% Acceptance Rate

#21 Best Colleges in America

  • 16,500enrollment
  • $22,440net price
  • 1500-1570SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.92Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 4

Grinnell College
G
Grinnell, IA

Grinnell College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

13% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Value in Iowa

  • 1,775enrollment
  • $33,446net price
  • 1418-1550SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.89Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Summit Christian College
S
Gering, Nebraska
 

Summit Christian College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

14% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 23enrollment
  • $19,951net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

College of the Ozarks
O
Point Lookout, MO

College of the Ozarks

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

15% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,427enrollment
  • $12,279net price
  • 1063-1305SAT range
  • 20-25ACT range
  • 3.71Avg GPA

Denison University
D
Granville, OH

Denison University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Colleges in Ohio

  • 2,405enrollment
  • $42,177net price
  • 1300-1470SAT range
  • 29-32ACT range
  • 3.76Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

University of Michigan
M
Ann Arbor, MI

University of Michigan

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Public Universities in America

  • 52,065enrollment
  • $19,005net price
  • 1350-1530SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.88Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 1

Hillsdale College
H
Hillsdale, Michigan
 

Hillsdale College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

21% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,823enrollment
  • $26,030net price
  • 1340-1510SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.93Avg GPA

Applications Due Mar 15

Carleton College
C
Northfield, MN

Carleton College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

22% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Value in Minnesota

  • 2,069enrollment
  • $29,434net price
  • 1430-1550SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.9Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Trine University Regional/Non Traditional Campuses
T
Fort Wayne, IN
 

Trine University Regional/Non Traditional Campuses

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

22% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 8,230enrollment
  • -net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Macalester College
M
Saint Paul, MN

Macalester College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

28% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in Minnesota

  • 2,142enrollment
  • $38,571net price
  • 1350-1510SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.81Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Case Western Reserve University
C
Cleveland, OH

Case Western Reserve University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

29% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Private Colleges in Ohio

  • 12,266enrollment
  • $41,351net price
  • 1430-1540SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Methodist College of Nursing
M
Peoria, IL
 

Methodist College of Nursing

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

31% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 391enrollment
  • $35,461net price
  • 800-1160SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 2.95Avg GPA

Applications Due Jul 23

Kenyon College
K
Gambier, OH

Kenyon College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

31% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in Ohio

  • 2,184enrollment
  • $44,470net price
  • 1360-1500SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.84Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago
C
Chicago, IL
 

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

33% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,243enrollment
  • -net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Art Academy of Cincinnati
A
Cincinnati, OH

Art Academy of Cincinnati

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

33% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 259enrollment
  • $28,899net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.1Avg GPA

Applications Due Aug 1