Schools that accept between 20 and 40% of applicants are considered to be competitive–though not overwhelmingly selective. These schools are all prestigious institutions which attract many bright applicants, and for reasons including a larger school size, are able to accept more students than their highly competitive counterparts. These schools generally have excellent reputations and facilities; examples of schools that fall into this category include Boston College, George Washington University, and NYU.
To learn more about mastering the admissions process to competitive schools, be sure to check out StudyPoint’s college profiles!
Bard Admissions Information Bard CollegeAnnandale-on-Hudson, NY (map)At Bard College, education is a continually evolving process of individual growth, made possible by small class sizes and individualized learning. ... View More
Barnard Admissions Information Barnard CollegeNew York, NY (map)Barnard College is, in many ways, a welcomed contradiction for its students: the school offers a strong and community-based, single-gendered liberal arts ... View More
Bates Admissions Information Bates CollegeLewiston, ME (map)Bates College is found within the Mountain Seacoast Conservation Area in Lewiston, Maine. This location allows students to make use of the natural environme ... View More
Binghamton Admissions Information Binghamton University- SUNYBinghamton, New York (map)In less than 70 years since its founding, Binghamton University, part of the State University of New York system, has become one of th ... View More
Boston College Admissions Information Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA (map)As its motto (“ever to excel”) suggests, Boston College emphasizes academic achievement. Students are attracted to the school as much for ... View More
Brandeis Admissions Information Brandeis UniversityWaltham, MA (map)Located a stone's throw from Boston, Brandeis University fosters an active community of students and scholars. Offering 43 majors and 43 minors, Br ... View More
Bucknell Admissions Information Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, Pennsylvania (map)Originally founded as a literary institution in 1846, today Bucknell is a top-ranked university that provides students with a broad array o ... View More
Carleton Admissions Information Carleton CollegeNorthfield, MN (map)A first-rate liberal arts college located in the quaint Minnesota town of Northfield, Carleton College is recognized for its outstanding academics. The ... View More
Carnegie Mellon Admissions Information Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA (map)Carnegie Mellon University has been a leader of innovative education since its founding in 1900, consistently addressing a variety of societa ... View More
Colby Admissions Information Colby CollegeWaterville, ME (map)Founded in 1813, Colby College is a private liberal arts college located in Waterville, Maine. Known for its outstanding academics and engaged faculty, Co ... View More
Colgate Admissions Information Colgate UniversityHamilton, New York (map)Founded in 1819, Colgate University is located in Hamilton, New York, which is about an hour outside Syracuse. The beauty of upstate New York com ... View More
Emory Admissions Information Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA (map)With dedicated students and a culturally rich locale, Emory University is a crossroads of academic and extracurricular opportunity. The school’s loc ... View More
George Washington Admissions Information George Washington UniversityWashington, DC (map)Located just four blocks from the White House, George Washington University has been at the heart of political and international activity ... View More
Georgetown Admissions Information Georgetown UniversityWashington, District of Columbia (map)Founded in 1789, Georgetown is the country’s oldest Catholic and Jesuit university. In line with the Jesuit academic ide ... View More
Hamilton Admissions Information Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY (map)Named for the Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton College was officially chartered in 1812 as the third institution of higher education ... View More
Haverford Admissions Information Haverford CollegeHaverford, PA (map)Haverford College is a private, liberal arts college located near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It ranks ninth in U.S. News and World Report’s 2011 ... View More
Holy Cross Admissions Information College of the Holy CrossWorcester, Massachusetts (map)Holy Cross was founded in 1843 by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Worcester, Massachusetts, making it the oldest Catholic colleg ... View More
JHU Admissions Information Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, Maryland (map)Johns Hopkins University, the first research university established in the country, was founded in 1876. Since its inception, JHU has be ... View More
Kenyon Admissions Information Kenyon CollegeGambier, OH (map)Founded in 1824, Kenyon College prides itself on a famous literary tradition and academic excellence. As one of the nation's top liberal arts colleges, ... View More
Lehigh Admissions Information Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA (map)Built into a mountain on a campus whose steep hills keep students in top shape, Lehigh University encompasses the natural beauty of Pennsylvania’ ... View More
New York University Admissions Information New York UniversityNew York, New York (map)Founded in 1831, New York University is the largest private university in the United States. It’s comprised of 14 institutes, colleges and ... View More
Northeastern Admissions Information Northeastern UniversityBoston, Massachusetts (map)Northeastern University, founded in 1898, is a known as a global research university that is committed to providing students with a stron ... View More
Northwestern Admissions Information Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL (map)Founded in 1851, Northwestern University is recognized both nationally and internationally as a high-ranking research institution. In fact, the ... View More
Notre Dame Admissions Information University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN (map)When one thinks of classic American universities, he or she would be hard-pressed to not think of Notre Dame and the school’s emblemati ... View More Oberlin Admissions Information Oberlin CollegeOberlin, OH (map)Oberlin College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in central Ohio. Founded in 1833, the college is known for its pioneering spirit, bein ... View More
Pepperdine Admissions Information Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA (map)Sittingadjacentto the Pacific Ocean in picturesque Malibu, California, Pepperdine University rarely sees a raindrop on its sunny campus. T ... View More
Rice Admissions Information Rice UniversityHouston, TX (map)Since its founding in 1912, Rice University has consistently ranked as one of the top institutions in the country, placing at #17 on U.S. News and World Re ... View More
St. Lawrence Admissions Information St. Lawrence UniversityCanton, NY (map)Founded in 1856, St. Lawrence University stakes its place in history as New York's oldest coed university. Today, the school's reputation ha ... View More
Texas Christian Admissions Information Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX (map)Located in Fort Worth, a city lauded for its ‘Old West’ feel, Texas Christian University combines an academic environment and a h ... View More
Tufts Admissions Information Tufts UniversityMedford, Massachusetts (map)Founded in 1852 and located in Medford, Massachusetts, Tufts is a major research university with the intimate campus of a liberal arts colleg ... View More
Tulane Admissions Information Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, LA (map)Tulane University is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. With an average class size of 23 students, the University offers a qual ... View More
UC Berkeley Admissions Information University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA (map)UC Berkeley is renowned for its strong academic programs and talented, diverse student body. Combining a mild California climate with ... View More
UCLA Admissions Information University of California–Los AngelesLos Angeles, California (map)Founded in 1919, the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles is considered one of the top public un ... View More
University of Chicago Admissions Information University of ChicagoChicago, Illinois (map)Founded in 1890 by John D. Rockefeller, the University of Chicago is the oldest university in the city. The 211-acre campus is located in the r ... View More
University of Florida Admissions Information University of FloridaGainesville, FL (map)The University of Florida is a public, land-grant, research university in Gainesville, Florida. With over 100 undergraduate majors and more than ... View More
University of Pittsburgh Admissions Information University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA (map)The University of Pittsburgh is a public research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is widely recognized for its extensive research ac ... View More
University of Richmond Admissions Information University of RichmondRichmond, VA (map)Founded in 1830, the University of Richmond is a selective liberal arts university in Richmond, Virginia. The school was recently ranked as #32 wit ... View More
University of Rochester Admissions Information University of RochesterRochester, NY (map)The University of Rochester's reputation as one of the nation's top research universities is a testament to its outstanding academic pr ... View More
University of Southern California Admissions Information University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, California (map)Competitive, high-ranking, and visually stunning, the University of Southern California is among the most well-rounded univer ... View More
UVA Admissions Information University of VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia (map)Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the University of Virginia is one of the top-ranked public universities in the country. One of th ... View More
Vassar Admissions Information Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, NY (map)Located in Poughkeepsie, NY–just an hour’s drive outside of Manhattan–Vassar combines the education of a small liberal arts college w ... View More
Wake Forest Admissions Information Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC (map)Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational institution in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is one of the best universities in the nat ... View More
Washington University Admissions Information Washington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, MO (map)Washington University in St. Louis (commonly known as Washington University) is a private research university in St. Louis, Missouri ... View More
Wellesley Admissions Information Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA (map)Founded in 1893, Wellesley College is noted for providing women with an excellent education and challenging them to exceed their personal and academi ... View More
Wesleyan Admissions Information Wesleyan UniversityMiddletown, CT (map)Wesleyan University is a private, liberal arts institution in Middletown, Connecticut. It ranks 12th in U.S. News and World Report’s 2011 list ... View More
William and Mary Admissions Information College of William and MaryWilliamsburg, VA (map)Established in 1693, the College of William and Mary is the second oldest university in the United States. Located in the historic town of ... View More