Southeast Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in Southeast for 2025

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in Southeast. 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 Vanderbilt University which sent acceptance letters to only 6% of the 45,313 students who applied and rejected 94%.

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


73 results

Vanderbilt University
V
Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

6% Acceptance Rate

#14 Best Colleges in America

  • 13,456enrollment
  • $26,689net price
  • 1510-1560SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.89Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Duke University
D
Durham, NC

Duke University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

7% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Colleges in America

  • 17,112enrollment
  • $23,422net price
  • 1510-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

Johns Hopkins University
J
Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

8% Acceptance Rate

#10 Best Colleges in America

  • 30,362enrollment
  • $22,844net price
  • 1530-1580SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.92Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

United States Naval Academy
N
Annapolis, Maryland

United States Naval Academy

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 4,465enrollment
  • -net price
  • 1200-1420SAT range
  • 24-31ACT range
  • 3.8Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 31

Emory University
E
Atlanta, GA

Emory University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

11% Acceptance Rate

#24 Best Colleges in America

  • 15,046enrollment
  • $27,986net price
  • 1460-1550SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.8Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Davidson College
D
Davidson, NC

Davidson College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

14% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in North Carolina

  • 1,904enrollment
  • $26,510net price
  • 1360-1510SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.81Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 7

Tulane University
T
New Orleans, LA

Tulane University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

15% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 13,078enrollment
  • $50,631net price
  • 1390-1510SAT range
  • 31-33ACT range
  • 3.64Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus
G
Atlanta, GA

Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

16% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Public Universities in Georgia

  • 47,946enrollment
  • $15,901net price
  • 1330-1530SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 4

University of Virginia Main Campus
V
Charlottesville, VA

University of Virginia Main Campus

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

#4 Best Public Universities in America

  • 25,924enrollment
  • $17,831net price
  • 1410-1530SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

Washington and Lee University
W
Lexington, VA

Washington and Lee University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Private Colleges in Virginia

  • 2,277enrollment
  • $24,667net price
  • 1410-1530SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.87Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

University of Miami
M
Coral Gables, FL

University of Miami

Private 4 Year

14 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Private Colleges in Florida

  • 19,593enrollment
  • $41,028net price
  • 1330-1470SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.7Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
N
Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Public Universities in America

  • 32,234enrollment
  • $11,140net price
  • 1370-1530SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.83Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
F
HBCU
Tallahassee, FL

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

21% Acceptance Rate

#10 Best Public Universities in Florida

  • 9,265enrollment
  • $15,491net price
  • 1030-1150SAT range
  • 20-24ACT range
  • 3.65Avg GPA

Applications Due May 1

Wake Forest University
W
Winston Salem, NC

Wake Forest University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

22% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Colleges in North Carolina

  • 9,121enrollment
  • $27,790net price
  • 1390-1510SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Johnson University Florida
J
Kissimmee, FL

Johnson University Florida

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

23% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 136enrollment
  • $21,149net price
  • 840-1020SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 2.97Avg GPA

Applications Due Aug 1

University of Richmond
R
University of Richmond, VA

University of Richmond

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

23% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in Virginia

  • 3,776enrollment
  • $35,263net price
  • 1410-1530SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.71Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

University of Florida
F
Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

24% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Public Universities in America

  • 54,814enrollment
  • $11,521net price
  • 1300-1480SAT range
  • 28-33ACT range
  • 3.9Avg GPA

Applications Due Mar 1

Grambling State University
G
HBCU
Grambling, LA

Grambling State University

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

24% Acceptance Rate

#12 Best Public Universities in Louisiana

  • 5,114enrollment
  • $19,092net price
  • 860-1150SAT range
  • 15-19ACT range
  • 3.01Avg GPA