New England Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in New England for 2023

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in New England. 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 Harvard University which sent acceptance letters to only 4% of the 57,786 students who applied and rejected 96%.

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


30 results

Harvard University
H
Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

4% Acceptance Rate

#4 Best Colleges in America

  • 31,345enrollment
  • $18,037net price
  • 1480-1580SAT range
  • 33-36ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M
Cambridge, MA

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

4% Acceptance Rate

#8 Best Colleges in America

  • 11,934enrollment
  • $19,998net price
  • 1510-1580SAT range
  • 34-36ACT range
  • 3.96Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Yale University
Y
New Haven, CT

Yale University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

5% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Colleges in America

  • 14,567enrollment
  • $17,511net price
  • 1480-1580SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.95Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 2

Dartmouth College
D
Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

6% Acceptance Rate

#12 Best Colleges in America

  • 6,761enrollment
  • $24,525net price
  • 1440-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.9Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

Brown University
B
Providence, RI

Brown University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

6% Acceptance Rate

#11 Best Colleges in America

  • 10,696enrollment
  • $27,659net price
  • 1460-1570SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

Bowdoin College
B
Brunswick, ME

Bowdoin College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,951enrollment
  • $25,622net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

Colby College
C
Waterville, ME

Colby College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

#11 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 2,262enrollment
  • $18,552net price
  • 1400-1530SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Amherst College
A
Amherst, MA

Amherst College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

#14 Best Colleges in America

  • 1,971enrollment
  • $18,832net price
  • 1370-1550SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.91Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 2

Williams College
W
Williamstown, MA

Williams College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 2,224enrollment
  • $22,356net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 10

Tufts University
T
Medford, MA

Tufts University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

11% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 13,293enrollment
  • $32,720net price
  • 1440-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.91Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Middlebury College
M
Middlebury, VT

Middlebury College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

13% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Value in Vermont

  • 2,937enrollment
  • $24,517net price
  • 1380-1530SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.89Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Wellesley College
W
Wellesley, MA

Wellesley College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

16% Acceptance Rate

#22 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,461enrollment
  • $21,614net price
  • 1400-1540SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 8

Bates College
B
Lewiston, ME

Bates College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,821enrollment
  • $26,451net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Northeastern University
N
Boston, MA

Northeastern University

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

#14 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 28,167enrollment
  • $37,738net price
  • 1430-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.91Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Olin College of Engineering
O
Needham, MA

Olin College of Engineering

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 382enrollment
  • $34,297net price
  • 1490-1580SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.9Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

United States Coast Guard Academy
C
New London, Connecticut

United States Coast Guard Academy

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,049enrollment
  • -net price
  • 1200-1390SAT range
  • 24-30ACT range
  • 3.79Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Wesleyan University
W
Middletown, CT

Wesleyan University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

#22 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 3,581enrollment
  • $22,845net price
  • 1300-1510SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Boston College
B
Chestnut Hill, MA

Boston College

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

#6 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts

  • 15,577enrollment
  • $30,192net price
  • 1420-1530SAT range
  • 33-34ACT range
  • 3.86Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1