Midwest Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in Midwest for 2024

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 37,522 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.
Midwest Low Acceptance % Public Private 4 year

36 results

Oberlin College
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O
Oberlin, OH

Oberlin College

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

35% Acceptance Rate

#4 Best Private Colleges in Ohio

  • 2,992enrollment
  • $46,462net price
  • 1360-1530SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.67Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Cleveland Institute of Music
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C
Cleveland, OH

Cleveland Institute of Music

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

36% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 341enrollment
  • $29,383net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Dec 1

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Baker College of Flint
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B
Flint, MI
 

Baker College of Flint

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

37% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 4,106enrollment
  • $13,719net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.2Avg GPA

Applications Due Aug 10

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William Jewell College
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W
Liberty, MO

William Jewell College

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

41% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 853enrollment
  • $20,108net price
  • 1030-1130SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
  • 3.61Avg GPA

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Illinois Wesleyan University
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I
Bloomington, IL

Illinois Wesleyan University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

42% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Private Colleges in Illinois

  • 1,527enrollment
  • $30,096net price
  • 1120-1330SAT range
  • 25-30ACT range
  • 3.86Avg GPA

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AIB College of Business
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A
Des Moines, IA
 

AIB College of Business

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

42% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 348enrollment
  • $12,440net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
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I
Champaign, IL

University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

45% Acceptance Rate

#18 Best Public Universities in America

  • 56,916enrollment
  • $14,544net price
  • 1320-1510SAT range
  • 29-34ACT range
  • 3.79Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

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Truman State University
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T
Kirksville, MO

Truman State University

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

45% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Value Colleges in Missouri

  • 3,960enrollment
  • $13,993net price
  • 1070-1330SAT range
  • 23-29ACT range
  • 3.81Avg GPA

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Wilberforce University
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W
HBCU
Wilberforce, OH
 

Wilberforce University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

45% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 656enrollment
  • $14,070net price
  • 840-940SAT range
  • 14-18ACT range
  • 2.82Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jul 1

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Grace University
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G
Omaha, NE
 

Grace University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

46% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 298enrollment
  • $19,798net price
  • -SAT range
  • 18-21ACT range
  • 3.08Estimated Avg GPA

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Mercy College of Ohio
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M
Toledo, OH
 

Mercy College of Ohio

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

46% Acceptance Rate

#24 Best Private Colleges in Ohio

  • 1,261enrollment
  • $14,564net price
  • 780-1030SAT range
  • 16-21ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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Spring Arbor University
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S
Spring Arbor, MI
 

Spring Arbor University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

47% Acceptance Rate

#9 Best Private Colleges in Michigan

  • 2,396enrollment
  • $22,375net price
  • 970-1135SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
  • 3.61Avg GPA

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Principia College
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P
Elsah, Illinois
 

Principia College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

48% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 323enrollment
  • $18,039net price
  • 970-1300SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.34Avg GPA

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Chicago State University
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C
Chicago, IL

Chicago State University

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

49% Acceptance Rate

#11 Best Public Universities in Illinois

  • 2,317enrollment
  • $6,446net price
  • 750-963SAT range
  • 15-19ACT range
  • 3.18Avg GPA

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College for Creative Studies
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C
Detroit, MI

College for Creative Studies

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

49% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,517enrollment
  • $34,906net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.19Avg GPA

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University of Wisconsin Madison
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W
Madison, WI

University of Wisconsin Madison

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

49% Acceptance Rate

#17 Best Public Universities in America

  • 48,956enrollment
  • $13,376net price
  • 1340-1510SAT range
  • 26-32ACT range
  • 3.88Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

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Purdue University North Central Campus
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P
Westville, IN
 

Purdue University North Central Campus

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

50% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 6,092enrollment
  • $7,832net price
  • 950-1130SAT range
  • 19-23ACT range
  • 3.19Estimated Avg GPA

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Messenger College
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M
Joplin, TX
 

Messenger College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

50% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 19enrollment
  • $17,197net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 2.9Avg GPA

Applications Due Jul 1

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