Most Selective Colleges, College Transitions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mmmmk this is common knowledge to everyone on DCUM right? Like zero new names on this list. This is the It’s A Reach For Everyone list of colleges.

However, what may seem obvious to some may not be obvious to everyone. This is particularly relevant with respect to high school students who would like to explore a variety of college options, but whose parents or school counselors may not be familiar with a wide range of schools.

I think the opposite is actually true. Parents and their kids see a list like this and get suckered into some of these schools based on a low acceptance rate, when the school is just playing games with the ED process and opaque admissions criteria (in many case need aware) which cater to the full pay, test optional crowd (hello NYU, Tulane, Colby, etc etc). For those families who want to own another luxury ticket item, I say go for it. For everyone else, buyer beware.


For the most selective schools, I would eliminate any one which is need aware for domestics students and/or admits 50% or more test optional. But of course College Transitions is too lazy to take that next step.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Amherst College
Barnard College
Bowdoin College
Claremont McKenna College
Colby College
Grinnell College
Hamilton College
Harvey Mudd College
Middlebury College
Pomona College
Swarthmore College
Williams College

Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University

Categories of College Selectivity https://share.google/AI4xco3w504txRzma

This list is made up of a great group of 12 LACs and of 25 National Universities. Reviewing the list, I would have been delighted, and privileged, to attend almost any of the schools on either list.

Exactly, any kid would be lucky to attend any one of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm guessing an Emory person posted this. lol

You're obsessed

lol so I'm right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this list is a bit outdated — based on last year’s admission data, it’s not valid. Also, UCs are test blind so their inclusion is suspect given the supposed criteria. Next.

This looks like only private colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University

Categories of College Selectivity https://share.google/AI4xco3w504txRzma

When you see these three fine institutions where AOs get 1 millinion pay for playing their ED scams, you know this list loses any shred of credibility.

[Anonymous]

Notre Dame isn’t on the list? Sure . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University

Categories of College Selectivity https://share.google/AI4xco3w504txRzma

When you see these three fine institutions where AOs get 1 millinion pay for playing their ED scams, you know this list loses any shred of credibility.

you’re a really bad troll. You meant northeastern not northwestern, and no AOs get paid $1mil; they’re lucky to make 60k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University

Categories of College Selectivity https://share.google/AI4xco3w504txRzma

When you see these three fine institutions where AOs get 1 millinion pay for playing their ED scams, you know this list loses any shred of credibility.

you’re a really bad troll. You meant northeastern not northwestern, and no AOs get paid $1mil; they’re lucky to make 60k

Yeah, my mistake. Northeastern nor Northwestern.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/business/tulane-university-chicago-early-decision.html

Chicago AOs don't get a million pay either, the number is $967,000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University

Categories of College Selectivity https://share.google/AI4xco3w504txRzma

When you see these three fine institutions where AOs get 1 millinion pay for playing their ED scams, you know this list loses any shred of credibility.

you’re a really bad troll. You meant northeastern not northwestern, and no AOs get paid $1mil; they’re lucky to make 60k

Yeah, my mistake. Northeastern nor Northwestern.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/business/tulane-university-chicago-early-decision.html

Chicago AOs don't get a million pay either, the number is $967,000.

You should really learn the difference between an AO and a dean/VP. Dean/VP of enrollment management is a strategic position that helps set up the institution financially: https://graduate.northeastern.edu/knowledge-hub/university-admissions-jobs/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University

Categories of College Selectivity https://share.google/AI4xco3w504txRzma

When you see these three fine institutions where AOs get 1 millinion pay for playing their ED scams, you know this list loses any shred of credibility.

you’re a really bad troll. You meant northeastern not northwestern, and no AOs get paid $1mil; they’re lucky to make 60k

Yeah, my mistake. Northeastern nor Northwestern.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/business/tulane-university-chicago-early-decision.html

Chicago AOs don't get a million pay either, the number is $967,000.

You should really learn the difference between an AO and a dean/VP. Dean/VP of enrollment management is a strategic position that helps set up the institution financially: https://graduate.northeastern.edu/knowledge-hub/university-admissions-jobs/

True. This is not your normal AO. It's a "Millionaire Master of Early Decision".
Noted. Good catch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since this was part of the criteria, this is dumb:

“AND possess an average composite ACT (25%tile) score of at least 30 or an average combined SAT (25%tile) score of at least 1370.”

You have test optional schools mixed in with schools that require every single student to submit scores.

A TO school’s score report means jack sh@t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who cares? “Most selective” just means “uses ED and other forms of yield protection to manipulate acceptance rate.” Is that really what you’re looking for in a college?

+ 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since this was part of the criteria, this is dumb:

“AND possess an average composite ACT (25%tile) score of at least 30 or an average combined SAT (25%tile) score of at least 1370.”

You have test optional schools mixed in with schools that require every single student to submit scores.

A TO school’s score report means jack sh@t.

Nonsensically stupid. Keep up the good work Karen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Amherst College
Barnard College
Bowdoin College
Claremont McKenna College
Colby College
Grinnell College
Hamilton College
Harvey Mudd College
Middlebury College
Pomona College
Swarthmore College
Williams College

Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Tufts University
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University

Categories of College Selectivity https://share.google/AI4xco3w504txRzma

You have no state schools here dolt,

[Anonymous]

For the few people who have not figured it out, state schools begin to appear in the Extremely Selective category.