Top Tier Admissions
The 2026 college admissions cycle has seen acceptance rates plummet to unprecedented lows, particularly among top-tier institutions. As former Dean of Admissions at Dartmouth, here’s how I read between the lines of these numbers — and what it means for your family. Is Anybody Getting In? The overall acceptance rates at a range of the […]
The University of Virginia (UVA), a flagship public research university in Charlottesville and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, admitted 10,287 students to the Class of 2030 from a record 82,118 applications, according to the Cavalier Daily. The applicant pool grew 27% in a single year—the largest increase in the university’s history—pushing UVA’s overall acceptance rate […]
The University of Southern California, a private research university in Los Angeles ranked among the top 25 nationally, offers more than 150 majors across signature schools including Marshall (business), Viterbi (engineering), and Cinematic Arts. USC admitted 9,251 first-year students from a pool of 79,290 applicants to the Class of 2030—an overall acceptance rate of 11.7%, […]
Columbia University, an Ivy League institution in New York City founded in 1754, is defined by its Core Curriculum—rigorous, discussion-based seminars in literature, philosophy, art, and science central to the Columbia College experience. The university admitted 2,581 students from 61,031 applicants to the Class of 2030 for an overall acceptance rate of 4.23%, down from […]
Harvard University, an Ivy League institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the oldest university in the United States and consistently ranks among the most selective in the world. Harvard released Regular Decision offers for the Class of 2030 on March 27, 2026—but for the second consecutive year, the university withheld all admissions statistics, including acceptance rates, […]
The Senior Year Roadmap
Every deadline from August to May – test dates, applications. decisions – in one place. Signup to download the full 9-page Senior Year Roadmap (PDF)