Most Selective Southeastern Colleges
There are 70 four-year colleges in the Southeast that accept 50% or fewer of applicants, ranked from most to least selective.
Johns Hopkins University is the hardest to get into in the Southeast, accepting just 6% of 45,895 applicants. Also highly selective: Duke University, Vanderbilt University and United States Naval Academy.
Selectivity does not always equal academic difficulty. Some schools admit a small share of applicants because demand exceeds capacity, not because admission standards are extreme. If you need safety schools, see our highest acceptance rate colleges in Southeast. For academically demanding options, explore colleges with the highest SAT, highest ACT, and highest GPA averages.
Florida State University
- Public 4 Year
- Tallahassee, FL
-
5.0 | 6 reviews
- 24% acceptance rate
- Mar 1 application deadline
FSU is a large public university known for undergraduate film, criminology, and music. The campus is in Tallahassee, Florida's capital city.
- SAT Range 1270-1410
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.7
- Net Price $15,815
University of Florida
- Public 4 Year
- Gainesville, FL
-
4.5 | 6 reviews
- 24% acceptance rate
- Mar 1 application deadline
UF is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate business, engineering, and journalism. The large campus anchors the college town of Gainesville.
- SAT Range 1320-1480
- Avg GPA 3.9
- Net Price $11,936
Spelman College
- Private 4 Year
- Atlanta, GA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- 25% acceptance rate
- Feb 1 application deadline
Spelman is a highly selective historically Black women's college known for undergraduate sciences and the liberal arts. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Atlanta's West End, part of the Atlanta University Center.
- SAT Range 1108-1320
- Avg GPA 3.75
- Net Price $40,354
Visible Music College
- Private 4 Year
- Memphis, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- 28% acceptance rate
Visible Music College is a private Christian college known for undergraduate contemporary music, worship arts, and music business. The urban campus is located in Memphis.
- SAT Range 605-1250
- Avg GPA NA
- Net Price $27,045
Mississippi College
- Private 4 Year
- Clinton, MS
-
| 0 reviews
- 29% acceptance rate
Mississippi College is a private Baptist college known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The suburban campus sits in Clinton just west of Jackson.
- SAT Range 1140-1260
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.56
- Net Price $28,559
University of Virginia's College at Wise
- Public 4 Year
- Wise, VA
-
| 0 reviews
- 29% acceptance rate
- Aug 1 application deadline
UVA Wise is a public liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The rural campus sits in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia.
- SAT Range 945-1120
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Net Price $14,378
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
- Public 4 Year
- Winston Salem, NC
-
| 0 reviews
- 30% acceptance rate
- Mar 15 application deadline
UNCSA is a public arts conservatory known for undergraduate dance, drama, music, and filmmaking. Students train on a specialized campus in Winston-Salem devoted to intensive performing-arts study.
- SAT Range 1140-1370
- Avg GPA 3.75
- Net Price $13,140
Saint Augustine's University
- Private 4 Year
- Raleigh, NC
-
| 0 reviews
- 34% acceptance rate
Saint Augustine's is a private historically Black university with undergraduate programs in business, education, and the sciences. The compact urban campus sits in Raleigh.
- SAT Range 780-940
- Avg GPA 2.5
- Net Price $19,688
William & Mary
- Public 4 Year
- Williamsburg, VA
-
5.0 | 4 reviews
- 34% acceptance rate
- Jan 2 application deadline
William & Mary is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate history, government, and international relations. The historic campus adjoins Colonial Williamsburg in a small college town.
- SAT Range 1400-1530
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.85
- Net Price $19,686
Brescia University
- Private 4 Year
- Owensboro, KY
-
| 0 reviews
- 35% acceptance rate
Brescia is a small private Catholic university known for undergraduate social work and education. The residential campus sits along the Ohio River in Owensboro.
- SAT Range 920-1190
- Avg GPA 3.02
- Net Price $15,634
Southern University and A & M College
- Public 4 Year
- Baton Rouge, LA
-
| 0 reviews
- 35% acceptance rate
- Aug 1 application deadline
Southern is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and agriculture. The Baton Rouge campus sits on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 790-1020
- Avg GPA 3.1
- Net Price $18,353
Baptist University of Florida
- Private 4 Year
- Graceville, FL
-
| 0 reviews
- 36% acceptance rate
- Aug 15 application deadline
Baptist University of Florida is a small private Baptist university known for undergraduate ministry, biblical studies, and music. The residential campus sits in the rural panhandle town of Graceville.
- SAT Range 930-1200
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.08
- Net Price $15,753
Fisk University
- Private 4 Year
- Nashville, TN
-
| 0 reviews
- 37% acceptance rate
- Aug 1 application deadline
Fisk is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate natural sciences and music. The historic urban campus sits in Nashville and is closely tied to the Fisk Jubilee Singers.
- SAT Range 1140-1510
- Avg GPA 3.1
- Net Price $18,595
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
- Public 4 Year
- Beckley, WV
-
| 0 reviews
- 37% acceptance rate
- Aug 1 application deadline
WVU Tech is a public college known for undergraduate engineering and technology. The campus sits in Beckley in the mountains of southern West Virginia.
- SAT Range 880-1120
- Avg GPA 3.51
- Net Price $11,281
University of Georgia
- Public 4 Year
- Athens, GA
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
- 38% acceptance rate
- Jan 1 application deadline
UGA is a large public university known for undergraduate journalism, business, and agricultural sciences. The historic campus anchors the college town of Athens.
- SAT Range 1270-1480
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Net Price $16,662
Thomas University
- Private 4 Year
- Thomasville, GA
-
| 0 reviews
- 38% acceptance rate
Thomas University is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The small campus is located in Thomasville in southern Georgia.
- SAT Range 990-1220
- Avg GPA NA
- Net Price $17,823
Clemson University
- Public 4 Year
- Clemson, SC
-
4.4 | 10 reviews
- 38% acceptance rate
- May 1 application deadline
Clemson is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering and business. The lakeside campus sits in the Blue Ridge foothills beside Lake Hartwell.
- SAT Range 1240-1410
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
- Net Price $25,003
Regent University
- Private 4 Year
- Virginia Beach, VA
-
| 0 reviews
- 38% acceptance rate
- Aug 1 application deadline
Regent is a private Christian university known for undergraduate communication, government, and the arts. The suburban campus is in Virginia Beach near the Atlantic coast.
- SAT Range 990-1250
- Avg GPA 3.34
- Net Price $20,512