West Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in West for 2024

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in West. 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 Minerva University which sent acceptance letters to only 1% of the 20,816 students who applied and rejected 99%.

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


40 results

Minerva University
M
San Francisco, California
 

Minerva University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

1% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 660enrollment
  • $15,215net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

California Institute of Technology
C
Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,401enrollment
  • $20,755net price
  • 1530-1580SAT range
  • 35-36ACT range
  • 3.97Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

Stanford University
S
Stanford, CA

Stanford University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

4% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in America

  • 18,283enrollment
  • $18,279net price
  • 1500-1580SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.96Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 2

Pomona College
P
Claremont, CA

Pomona College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

7% Acceptance Rate

#21 Best Colleges in America

  • 1,716enrollment
  • $19,962net price
  • 1480-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.89Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 8

University of California Los Angeles
C
Los Angeles, CA

University of California Los Angeles

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Public Universities in America

  • 46,430enrollment
  • $16,999net price
  • 1300-1530SAT range
  • 29-35ACT range
  • 3.92Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Claremont McKenna College
C
Claremont, CA

Claremont McKenna College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

10% Acceptance Rate

#18 Best Colleges in America

  • 1,389enrollment
  • $28,701net price
  • 1440-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.89Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

University of California Berkeley
C
Berkeley, CA

University of California Berkeley

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

11% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Public Universities in America

  • 45,307enrollment
  • $19,257net price
  • 1310-1530SAT range
  • 30-35ACT range
  • 3.87Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

University of Southern California
S
Los Angeles, CA

University of Southern California

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

12% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 48,945enrollment
  • $36,808net price
  • 1450-1550SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.83Avg GPA

Harvey Mudd College
H
Claremont, CA

Harvey Mudd College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

13% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 922enrollment
  • $39,850net price
  • 1480-1560SAT range
  • 34-36ACT range
  • 3.96Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

Colorado College
C
Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

16% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Value in Colorado

  • 2,203enrollment
  • $33,178net price
  • 1260-1480SAT range
  • 29-33ACT range
  • 3.98Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

United States Air Force Academy
A
USAFA, Colorado

United States Air Force Academy

Public 4 Year

5 reviews

16% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 4,085enrollment
  • -net price
  • 1310-1480SAT range
  • 28-33ACT range
  • 3.81Avg GPA

Applications Due Dec 31

Pitzer College
P
Claremont, CA

Pitzer College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,212enrollment
  • $39,809net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.93Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

University of California Irvine
C
Irvine, CA

University of California Irvine

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

21% Acceptance Rate

#10 Best Public Universities in America

  • 35,937enrollment
  • $14,033net price
  • 1230-1430SAT range
  • 26-33ACT range
  • 3.75Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

University of California San Diego
C
La Jolla, CA

University of California San Diego

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

24% Acceptance Rate

#9 Best Public Universities in America

  • 42,006enrollment
  • $16,111net price
  • 1270-1480SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 3.82Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

California Institute of the Arts
C
Valencia, CA

California Institute of the Arts

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

25% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,440enrollment
  • $55,225net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

University of California Santa Barbara
C
Santa Barbara, CA

University of California Santa Barbara

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

26% Acceptance Rate

#19 Best Public Universities in America

  • 26,420enrollment
  • $16,874net price
  • 1230-1460SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 3.82Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Scripps College
S
Claremont, CA

Scripps College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

28% Acceptance Rate

#6 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,099enrollment
  • $43,923net price
  • 1390-1510SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
C
San Luis Obispo, CA

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

30% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Public Universities in California

  • 22,000enrollment
  • $19,184net price
  • 1220-1410SAT range
  • 26-32ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30