Stanford University inspires action and innovation. As one of the most prestigious and selective universities in the United States — often with the lowest acceptance rate of any school — they have a well-earned reputation for gathering together the best of the best on the California campus. The student body is split nearly evenly between undergraduate and graduate students, with fewer than 18,000 total enrolled and 7,554 undergraduates fall 2024. The campus is massive at over 8,000 acres (more than 1 acre per undergrad), and is packed with labs, resources, and opportunities. Stanford has delayed releasing their acceptance data in recent years, ostensibly because the rate of acceptance is so low that they don’t want to discourage applicants. The most recently published acceptance rate, for the Class of 2028, was .
How to Write the Harvard Supplement 2025-2026
Harvard is the most famous university in the United States, and one of the most prestigious in the world, for a reason. The university has turned out more global leaders than any other institution in the US, and is known as where great minds gather. Like fellow members of the Ivy League, Harvard offers an exceptional and tight-knit undergraduate experience within a big university. Unlike nearly anywhere else, the resources available to students are nearly boundless. The Harvard endowment is larger than the economy of over 100 small countries. The number of academic paths for undergrads is significantly smaller, , but that’s still more than enough. That acceptance rate is 0%. Just kidding! While our students regularly gain admission to Harvard, the acceptance rate is so low that they delay reporting it, apparently to try to keep from discouraging people. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was only .
How to Write the Carnegie Mellon Supplement 2025-2026
Carnegie Mellon is a private research university based in Pittsburgh, PA, but with campuses around the country and internationally. Their 16,000 students (7,700 undergraduates) come from well over 100 countries. CMU takes being an international institution very seriously, and continues to push for innovation and new opportunities. By positioning themselves at the “,” CMU has become as an innovative — and highly selective — top university in the US across disciplines ranging from music and art to technology and business. In recent years, Carnegie Mellon has been tightlipped about their acceptance rate for first-year students immediately after the admissions cycle ends. They have refrained from publicizing the admissions numbers, so the best place to find true numbers is the hard data. For first years enrolling in 2024, the acceptance rate reported on the was . Based on overall trends, we can estimate that the acceptance rate for 2025 was within 1.5% of this, in either direction.
How to Write the Columbia Supplement 2025-2026
Columbia University is a famed Ivy League university in the heart of New York City. Columbia has had a rocky few years as far as keeping calm on campus, but so have many big name universities in the United States with passionate and engaged student bodies. Columbia remains an outstanding educational institution that opens doors for students from around the world, launching them into top-tier careers, professional programs, and graduate-level study. There are about 9,000 undergraduates between Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, and the School of General Studies, an alternative undergraduate pathway for non-traditional students, like military veterans, and 35,000 students overall. Accepted students are between the arts and humanities, engineering, mathematics and natural sciences, and social sciences. They receive applications for first-year admission, and the acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was .
How to Write the Dartmouth Supplement 2025-2026
Dartmouth is a prestigious liberal arts university that is also the most outdoorsy member of the Ivy League. Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth a tight-knit community of about 4,500 undergraduates and more than 40 academic departments and programs. Dartmouth has a strong emphasis on research, with 60% of undergraduates participating in research, and on leadership. 80% of students complete at least one internship. The acceptance rate was for the Class of 2029.
How to Write the Colgate Supplement 2025-2026
Colgate is a liberal arts university in Hamilton, NY that offers 57 majors, a 9:1 student to faculty ratio, “ideal environment for curious minds.” Hamilton is fairly rural, a small town an hour from Syracuse, but the community is global. Students represent 87 countries, and even more cultures. The acceptance rate is about .
How to Write the Notre Dame Supplement 2025-2026
Notre Dame is a large private research university in Notre Dame, Indiana with to the Catholic church. Notre Dame is strong in academics, in research, in faith, in purpose, and in identity. One in three undergraduates take part in research, 87%+ do a study abroad experience, and they have been a top producer of Fulbright scholars for . The overall acceptance rate is only , and the Restrictive Early Action acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was 13%.
How to Write the Rice Supplement 2025-2026
Based in Houston, Texas, Rice University has carved out an enviable niche as a prestigious mid-sized research university. The campus is 300 acres, yet urban, also known as the best of both worlds. Students flock to Rice for research opportunities, business, and a that sets it apart. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was %. This was a higher acceptance rate than in recent years, but only by a few fractions of a percentage point. The small increase is attributable to the fact that the Class of 2029 marked the end of a multi-year plan to increase the student body by 20%, and should not be expected to be an ongoing trend.
How to Write the Emory Supplement 2025-2026
Emory is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia and Oxford, Georgia. The school is particularly well-known for their work in the , and aspiring future doctors seek out Emory for an undergraduate degree that will catalyze their medical school ambitions. But Emory isn’t limited to those who want to work in health someday. They offer top-tier academic paths across dozens of majors. And those two locations we mentioned, Atlanta and Oxford, that is because they have two campuses. The Atlanta campus is a research setting, and ideal for those who want to be in the midst of everything from day one. The Oxford campus, which is only for first and second years (), offers a small college experience immersed in the liberal arts and focused on building leadership and community. There are about undergraduate students, and the acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was .
How to Write the Brown University Supplement 2025-2026
Brown is a small liberal arts school within a larger university in Providence, Rhode Island that is part of the prestigious Ivy League. While Brown is committed to the liberal arts values of exploration and a diverse education, they do something most liberal arts school don’t: they have a fully open curriculum. Outside of major requirements, students determine their own journey. If the idea of this doesn’t overwhelm you, Brown may be your dream school. The acceptance rate is , and the regular decision acceptance rate is only 4%.
How to Write the WashU Supplement 2025-2026
The University of Washington in St. Louis is a prestigious mid-sized research university in St. Louis, Missouri. They are particularly well-known for undergraduate research opportunities, and students who seek out WashU are driven, creative, and hungry for opportunities to stretch themselves through collaboration and teamwork. They have a strong tradition of study abroad, with students taking part, and an even stronger tradition of service to the St. Louis community. The acceptance rate is about , but the Early Decision acceptance rate is closer to 25%. This underlines the importance of applying to first-choice schools early — and picking an ED school strategically.
How to Write the Swarthmore Supplement 2025-2026
Swarthmore is a highly-respected small liberal arts college Quaker values of scholarship, community, connection, and exploration. The college preserves a low student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1, prioritizes small class sizes, and a large percentage of Swarthmore graduates go on to pursue a doctoral degree. Campus is only 11 miles from Philadelphia, and is globally recognized as . The acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was only overall. Importantly, though, the Early Decision acceptance rate was 18%, emphasizing the importance of applying early if Swarthmore is your top choice.
How to Write the Davidson Supplement 2025-2026
Davidson is a southern school in North Carolina with classic liberal arts vibes more often seen in the northeast or on the west coast. So, if you want a mild climate for much of the year and a community-focused and highly academic elite liberal arts experience, Davidson may be a perfect fit. Loads of other students agree, and admissions has become extremely competitive. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was only .
How to Write the Amherst Supplement 2025-2026
Amherst is an liberal arts school in Amherst, Massachusetts that raises the bar for what a small liberal arts school can offer to students intent on making a global impact. Students come from 70 countries, and Amherst has a completely open curriculum. You pick what you take to pursue your passions. How you spend your time outside of your major requirements is your decision. Some students flinch in response to this level of choice, but Amherst students thrive in it. They take control of their educational experience, and the results speak for themselves. The overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was about .
How to Write the Washington & Lee Supplement 2025-2026
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts university in Lexington, Virginia. W&L has in the south, but also a mission towards the future. They are especially well-known for a academic calendar that includes two 12-week terms and one four-week spring term that is focused on immersive study through a single class, often off-campus or abroad. The acceptance rate is about , and they heavily prioritize Early Decision applicants. Well over 50% of the Class of 2028 was admitted in the ED cycle.
How to Write the University of Richmond Supplement 2025-2026
The University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia is a well-respected medium-sized university that is focused on undergraduate education. 3,000 of the 3,700 students are undergraduates, and they have access to over 60 majors. Richmond prioritizes making learning personal, and the average class has only 16 students. No undergraduate courses are taught by teaching assistants, which is very common at large universities, and students represent over 70 countries. The overall acceptance rate for first-year applicants is about . For international students, though, the acceptance rate is only about 8.5%, following a trend we see across the country of a much lower international acceptance rate than that for applicants from the United States.
How to Write the Wake Forest Supplement 2025-2026
Wake Forest is a strong small research university with undergraduates in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They offer 49 majors, and are especially well known for cultivating thoughtful future leaders in the spirit of their motto: “Pro Humanitate” (For Humanity). The vast majority of classes — — have fewer than 50 students, and the acceptance rate is . This makes Wake Forest a great ‘foundation’ school for high achieving students drawn to their close community and mission of purpose.
How to Write the Bowdoin Supplement 2025-2026
Bowdoin is an extremely popular, yet also profoundly niche, small liberal arts college in Maine. They are well-known for being an intellectual safe haven for brilliant students who think differently and want to change the world. To spark that change, they pair their close-knit Maine campus with exceptional international and off-site learning opportunities, from the program to semester and year-long with international universities. For decades, Bowdoin flew under the radar. They were known for super strong academics in an intimate — and isolated — learning community, but mostly attracted students in the Northeast. Then, the world caught on. Over the past 20 years, Bowdoin has skyrocketed in popularity. The acceptance rate is only %.
How to Write the Vanderbilt Supplement 2025-2026
Vanderbilt University is known for offering broad opportunities with focused attention on students. There 70 majors and programs students can pick from, and an impressive 7:1 student to faculty ratio. 7,200 undergraduates , and 13,500 students overall. The rate of admission for students who submitted regular decision for the Class of 2029 was %. The early decision acceptance rate for the same year was %.
How to Write the Cornell Supplement 2025-2026
Cornell is well-known as the most practical of the elite Ivy League schools. Yes, they have all the usual humanities and liberal arts majors that one expects at a top-tier well-rounded university, but where Cornell truly stands out is in their specialized programs. Many of their programs are singular at the Ivy League level. Agriculture and hospitality, for one, but also many programs that are hard to find at such an exceptional level for undergraduate students, like architecture, public policy, labor relations, and human ecology. The overall acceptance rate is 8.4%, but we’ll break that down further where the data is available in this post.