Nigerians who seek to go to school in the United States of America (USA) should do themselves good when choosing a university to consider how selective the institution is and the type of applicants they seek.
According to research findings many well-known institutions in the USA such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford, are among the most selective, admitting only a fraction of the highest-quality candidates who apply.
Here are the 10 hardest USA universities to get into according to Intelligent.com an online magazine centred around a lifelong commitment to education, and continuous improvement, among others.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech):
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is one of the most difficult universities to get into in the United States. For the class of 2025, Caltech accepted 3.92 percent of first-year applicants.
That is about 320 students of the total students that applied to study in the institution. This institution though prestigious college but has an acceptance rate that is very low.
Each application is reviewed by two officers before it goes into faculty review. This is a process that is unique to Caltech.
Harvard University:
Harvard University is another university that is very hard to get into in the United States, and it is expected to remain so in 2025.
The university, an Ivy League institute, is known for its rigorous academic programmes and prestigious alumni, but it has an acceptance rate of around three percent.
This means that for every 100 applicants, only a few are admitted. The university looks for applicants with top grades, outstanding test scores, stellar extra-curriculars, strong letters of recommendation, and rigorous coursework.
Columbia University:
Columbia University is a private Ivy League institution with a highly competitive admissions process. It is one of the hardest universities to get into in the U.S.
In 2023, the university’s acceptance rate was 5.2 percent, and in 2024, the acceptance rate was 3.59 percent, while in 2025, the acceptance rate is 3.73 percent.
On the average Columbia University has an acceptance rate of around four percent. However, one of the remarkable things about it, is that students from around the world dream of studying at the university.
Read also: Top 10 universities in the world 2025
Princeton University:
Princeton University is one of the most difficult universities to get into in the United States.
The university is known to be one of the best in terms of research, faculty and academics, but boasts a low acceptance rate of only four percent.
Most of the students admitted into Princeton University have SAT scores between 1500 and 1580 or an ACT score of 34 and 35.
The university seeks students who are committed to leadership activities and can contribute meaningful ideas.
Stanford University:
Stanford University is one of the hardest institutions to get into in America, and one of the most selective universities in the world.
The university’s acceptance rate for 2025 is at 3.95 percent; that is after 55,471 students applied for the school, and only 2,190 were admitted. Stanford has one of the hardest admissions processes in the country. It accepts TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE for English language tests.
However, for the undergraduate programmes, the university accepts the SAT or ACT. For graduate programmes, it accepts the GRE or GMAT.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology:
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is considered one of the hardest universities to get into in the U.S.
MIT looks for students who are academically excellent and passionate, especially in science and technology. The university’s acceptance rate for the class of 2025 is 4.03 percent.
University of Chicago:
The University of Chicago (UChicago) is one of the most difficult institution to get into in America.
The school ranks 21st globally in the QS World University Rankings 2025, and is an intellectual powerhouse that focuses on rigorous inquiry and a unique undergraduate core curriculum.
In 2025, the acceptance rate was 6.5 percent, making it a hard to reach school for many applicants.
Yale University:
Yale University is one of the hardest institutions to get into in the U.S. The university ranks as the second hardest Ivy League school to get into in 2025. Its single-choice early action option limits students to applying early to only one school in the Ivy League.
In 2024-2025, it had an acceptance rate of 3.7 percent making it the second hardest Ivy League institution to get into.
Brown University:
Brown University is one of the hardest universities to get into in America. The university looks for students with potential, academic interests, diversity, and first-generation university students.
The university’s acceptance rate has been dropping in recent years. In 2025, it had an acceptance rate of 5.4 percent.
Dartmouth College:
Dartmouth College is considered one of the harder universities to get into in the United States. It has a medical school, a school of engineering, and a school of business.
The university has over 60 majors in humanities, engineering, arts, and performing arts. Dartmouth has an acceptance rate of around six percent.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
