South Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in South for 2023

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in South. 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 Duke University which sent acceptance letters to only 6% of the 49,703 students who applied and rejected 94%.

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


70 results

Duke University
D
Durham, NC

Duke University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

6% Acceptance Rate

#3 Best Colleges in America

  • 17,620enrollment
  • $26,932net price
  • 1468-1558SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.94Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

Vanderbilt University
V
Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

7% Acceptance Rate

#15 Best Colleges in America

  • 13,796enrollment
  • $25,804net price
  • 1480-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.89Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Johns Hopkins University
J
Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

8% Acceptance Rate

#10 Best Colleges in America

  • 32,049enrollment
  • $25,241net price
  • 1470-1560SAT range
  • 34-36ACT range
  • 3.92Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

United States Naval Academy
N
Annapolis, Maryland

United States Naval Academy

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

8% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 4,528enrollment
  • -net price
  • 1200-1420SAT range
  • 26-32ACT range
  • 3.8Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 31

Rice University
R
Houston, TX

Rice University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

#9 Best Colleges in America

  • 8,285enrollment
  • $19,215net price
  • 1490-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.96Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Tulane University
T
New Orleans, LA

Tulane University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

10% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 14,047enrollment
  • $47,413net price
  • 1360-1510SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.64Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

St. Andrews University
S
Laurinburg, NC

St. Andrews University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

12% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 911enrollment
  • $24,546net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.13Avg GPA

Emory University
E
Atlanta, GA

Emory University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

13% Acceptance Rate

#23 Best Colleges in America

  • 14,779enrollment
  • $25,672net price
  • 1420-1540SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 3.8Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus
G
Atlanta, GA

Georgia Institute of Technology Main Campus

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

16% Acceptance Rate

#18 Best Public Universities in America

  • 43,859enrollment
  • $17,410net price
  • 1310-1500SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 4

Dallas Christian College
D
Dallas, TX

Dallas Christian College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

17% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 317enrollment
  • $28,981net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.06Avg GPA

Davidson College
D
Davidson, NC

Davidson College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in North Carolina

  • 1,973enrollment
  • $28,615net price
  • 1300-1460SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.81Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 7

Washington and Lee University
W
Lexington, VA

Washington and Lee University

Private 4 Year

3 reviews

19% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Private Colleges in Virginia

  • 2,238enrollment
  • $27,148net price
  • 1410-1530SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.87Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
N
Chapel Hill, NC

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

20% Acceptance Rate

#9 Best Value Colleges in America

  • 31,641enrollment
  • $10,038net price
  • 1140-1380SAT range
  • 22-27ACT range
  • 3.83Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

University of Virginia Main Campus
V
Charlottesville, VA

University of Virginia Main Campus

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

21% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Public Universities in America

  • 26,005enrollment
  • $19,043net price
  • 1380-1500SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.85Estimated Avg GPA

Piedmont International University
P
Winston Salem, NC
 

Piedmont International University

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

24% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 691enrollment
  • $15,119net price
  • 770-1230SAT range
  • 15-23ACT range
  • 3.07Estimated Avg GPA

Wake Forest University
W
Winston Salem, NC

Wake Forest University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

25% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 8,947enrollment
  • $26,324net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Lyon College
L
Batesville, AR

Lyon College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

27% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 579enrollment
  • $20,495net price
  • 1050-1195SAT range
  • 21-26ACT range
  • 3.0Avg GPA

University of Miami
M
Coral Gables, FL

University of Miami

Private 4 Year

14 reviews

28% Acceptance Rate

#1 Best Private Colleges in Florida

  • 19,096enrollment
  • $31,726net price
  • 1300-1460SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.7Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1