According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Harvard University admitted just 4.6% of its applicants – 1,962 students for the entering class of fall 2018. This is down from 5.2% of applicants last year.

Ivy League applicants were recently notified about their admission status. Seven of the eight schools making up the Ivy League reported record-high numbers of applications, with Dartmouth having its highest in five years. Despite the record-breaking number of applicants, seven posted their lowest-ever acceptance rates, with Yale tying its prior record.

Most of the applicants appeared to be ideal. More than 14,200 of the 35,370 who applied to Princeton had a 4.0 GPA. Brown stated that 96% of its incoming class are in the top 10% of their high school class. Dartmouth topped this with 97% being in the top 10%.

Despite Yale being “impressed and humbled” by the number of qualified applicants, according to Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions and financial aid, the school tied its record low acceptance rate of 6.3% this year.

The Ivies are working hard at having more diverse candidates apply to their schools by offering generous financial aid packages. More than 20% of Harvard’s incoming class and 23% of Princeton’s incoming class are eligible for Pell grants – federal grants targeting low-income students.

These acceptance rates are calculated by combining figures from December’s early admissions and regular-decision rounds. These rates often have very uneven distribution. For example, at Harvard, 14.5% of early-action applicants were accepted, compared to just 2.8% of regular-round students.

The record number of applications is partly caused by more students considering college and apply to more schools to increase their chances of acceptance. This leads to the lower acceptance rates.

Although there is a lot of excitement about Ivy League admission, most college students attend a college where almost everyone gets in. Many non-Ivy League schools are fighting to fill their classes as students question the return on investment they get from a college education.

Ivy League Admissions

These stats may be daunting, but that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel! Work one-on-one with a college admissions counselor to sharpen your competitive edge and put your best foot forward. Aim high. Work hard. Get accepted!

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Related Resources:

• Preparing for College in High School: A To-Do List for Eleventh Graders, a free guide
• How to Choose a College Admissions Consultant
• Should You Apply to a Safety School?