Little Ivies: Class of 2028 Acceptance Rates

The term “Little Ivies ” has been around since at least 1955, and refers to a group of small, private liberal arts colleges mostly clustered in New England whose history, prestige, endowments, and highly selective acceptance rates are comparable to the Ivy League. The “Little Ivies” are perfect for exceptional students looking for a more intimate and personalized on-campus experience that often focuses exclusively on undergraduate degrees.

Typically, all 11 schools in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) are considered “Little Ivies.” Other well-known and prestigious small liberal arts colleges (SLACs) that are often added to this category include Vassar College and Swarthmore College. Below we will highlight the 2028 acceptance rate data of five of our favorites!

Set your child up for college admissions success today

Schedule A Consultation

Get Our Brochure

LITTLE IVIES: CLASS OF 2028 ACCEPTANCE RATES

Williams College (Williamstown, Massachusetts)

Located in a small town in the Berkshires, Williams was ranked #1 in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report “Best Liberal Arts Colleges.” Williams received 15,411 applications for the Class of 2028 and it accepted a record low 7.52% of students. The college also received a historic high 1,068 early applications and accepted 249 students for an early acceptance rate of 23%.

Amherst College (Amherst, Massachusetts)

Despite having a student body of less than 2,000 students, over 13,700 applied to the Class of 2028, resulting in a 9% overall acceptance rate. This acceptance rate is comparable to last year, both of which are slightly higher than the historic-low of 7% for the Class of 2026.

Bowdoin College (Brunswick, Maine)

After receiving a record-high 13,200+ applications, a 20% increase from last year, Bowdoin admitted a record-low 7% of students to the Class of 2028. Bowdoin had a combined early decision acceptance rate of 13.47% (they offer both Early Decision 1 and 2). The 924 admitted students join 12 who deferred their enrollment from last year.

Colby College (Waterville, Maine)

Colby offered admission to 1,275 students from a historically large pool of 19,188 candidates for an overall acceptance rate of 6.64%. Approximately 15% are first-generation college students, 94% were projected to graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class, while the median SAT was 1510 and the median ACT was 34.

Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, Pennsylvania)

This year, 975 students were admitted to Swarthmore from just over 13,000 applicants to the Class of 2028 for an acceptance rate of 7.46%, slightly higher than last year’s 6.84%. 34% of admitted students will be first-generation college attendees and 68% attended public or charter schools. Swarthmore intends to yield a first-year class of about 415 students. Engineering is the most popular intended major of admitted students, followed by computer science, political science, English literature, and biology. The college will remain test-optional for at least one more admissions cycle.

TTA Takeaway: For many small liberal arts colleges, including the Little Ivies, admissions officers review roughly 1,000 applications in the early round (compared to nearly 10,000 at most Ivy League institutions). With fewer applicants, a strong academic profile and high-impact extracurriculars can get you a closer read in the early round at these colleges. It’s also easier to connect with your admissions officer and receive more personalized attention from faculty, coaches, and student representatives on campus. Since many of these schools offer evaluative interviews, don’t forget to use the summer to prepare!

At Top Tier Admissions, we are committed to making the college admissions process more transparent. Easy access to clear data helps families understand trends in college admissions to make more informed decisions. We’re collecting acceptance rate data at selective schools and providing insight and analysis of our own. For historical data, see our collection of Ivy League and Top College Acceptance Rates and Admissions Statistics, including the Class of 2028 Ivy League admissions data and admissions stats for a range of additional selective schools.

Want To Read More About SLACs?

If you enjoyed this post, follow us on Instagram @toptieradmissions for more tips and subscribe to our blog for expert insights & college admissions news!

Author
Recent Posts

Siena Swift

Creative Content Coordinator at Top Tier Admissions

Siena is a Pomona College graduate and award-winning student journalist with a passion for impactful communication and global education. After guiding prospective students as a tour guide at Pomona and spearheading sustainability initiatives across the Claremont Colleges, Siena honed her skills in social media strategy and event programming as an admissions office intern. Since graduating, she has worked with Top Tier Admissions, where she now serves as the Creative Content Coordinator. In this role, Siena manages social media strategies, creates engaging content, and supports webinars. Her work combines her love for communication, education, and creativity, all while contributing to the growth and engagement of the Top Tier Admissions community.