Anonymous
Post 05/14/2026 07:18     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Penn state, any UNC, Indiana, Wisconsin, uconn, suny Binghamton, Midwestern slacs like macalaster, maybe oberlin
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 23:56     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Anonymous wrote:Michigan and UNC (in state)


UNC in-state is not easy for kids in the Triangle and Charlotte areas, too 5% at many schools. Literally need near perfect stats, huge IB / AP course load. Also, many others self-select and don’t apply once they know they have no shot.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 23:14     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Anonymous wrote:Man, this board loves to gatekeep which schools are “elite” or “prestigious” or “selective” more than anything.


Yep. It's truly comical.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 19:18     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
OP - good question:

Purdue, Penn State, RPT, CWRU, Rochester etc could fit the bill
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 18:49     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Wisconsin
Indiana
Florida State
Texas A & M
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 18:14     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Schools that punch above their acceptance rate: Case Western, Rochester, Michigan State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Carleton, Mount Holyoke
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 17:21     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Kenyon
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 14:58     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Anonymous wrote:Come on, man. OP used the word “prestigious” in a sloppy way, and clearly doesn’t mean schools like Case, Michigan, or Carlton. OP gave Purdue & Penn State as examples…solid, respectable schools that even your weird uncle has heard of, and that you don’t need to be a curated unicorn to get into.

So, Indiana, Iowa, Colorado, Arizona, Florida State, Syracuse, Michigan State, Miami of Ohio, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wisconsin.


Op here. Curated unicorn made me laugh. Yes, the schools even the most backwoods relative has heard of.

I’ll admit I had never heard of Case Western for example or Bard College. I’d heard of Penn state and Ithaca though.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 14:34     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Seeking to make a list of schools that are generally well-known, respected, or have strong “name recognition” but are not ultra-selective.

I’ve heard Penn State and Purdue are two. What are others?


Purdue is pretty darn selective for OOS students interested in engineering. Wouldn't put that on your list of easy schools if a STEM student.

But generally, most state flagships have a strong brand and are stats-oriented. Otherwise, every LAC below the "top ten" and things get easier around the Miami, GW, Lehigh, Tulane, Villanova level of schools among private universities.


SLACs don’t seem to fit because they lack the name recognition that is a big part of what the OP is looking go or.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 14:17     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Carleton is prestigious but not as crazy selective as ivies. 20% acceptance rate is reasonable.

Case Western is prestigious, acceptance rate around 35%. Rochester is similar.

UMD and VT are more prestigious than CWRU and have acceptance rates of 45 and 55%


I don't think UMD and VT are more prestigious than CWRU. They are about the same?


Not the same. Not close. People on this forum think the local state schools are better than they are. Are they hard to get into? Yes. But that has nothing to do with prestige.

What does?
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 14:16     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Anonymous wrote:GW isn’t a safety school, VT and UMD are not peers and neither are more prestigious than case western, and no, obviously UC Merced doesn’t have prestige just because US News wanted to give Pell grant and first gen kids love. Average sat is like a 200. Some of these posts are out there. And Rutgers, Uconn, Penn state etc aren’t prestigious. Remember?

Well, if you say so, it must be.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 12:42     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Anonymous wrote:Seeking to make a list of schools that are generally well-known, respected, or have strong “name recognition” but are not ultra-selective.

I’ve heard Penn State and Purdue are two. What are others?


Purdue is pretty darn selective for OOS students interested in engineering. Wouldn't put that on your list of easy schools if a STEM student.

But generally, most state flagships have a strong brand and are stats-oriented. Otherwise, every LAC below the "top ten" and things get easier around the Miami, GW, Lehigh, Tulane, Villanova level of schools among private universities.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 12:20     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
This would be more productive, OP, if you gave some more parameters. Looking for only large schools like those you listed? Certain majors? Location? Vibe? What type of student? Cost?
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 12:19     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
Man, this board loves to gatekeep which schools are “elite” or “prestigious” or “selective” more than anything.
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 12:05     Subject: Prestigious but High Acceptance Rate Schools?
GW isn’t a safety school, VT and UMD are not peers and neither are more prestigious than case western, and no, obviously UC Merced doesn’t have prestige just because US News wanted to give Pell grant and first gen kids love. Average sat is like a 200. Some of these posts are out there. And Rutgers, Uconn, Penn state etc aren’t prestigious. Remember?