So, kid, you wanna apply to the University of Texas at Austin? Alright, alright, alright. (Note: although this blog is not a car commercial, we’d still like you to imagine the iconic rumble of a Matthew McConaughey voiceover here). As the #1 public university in the lone-star state, and among the top ten U.S. public universities overall, UT-Austin has academic rigor and top-tier undergraduate research opportunities while offering all the excitement of Division 1 athletics, state school spirit, and a booming student population. UT-Austin may have over 40k undergraduates, but they’re still selective, especially when it comes to out-of-state applicants. The overall admit rate is 32%, which means the percentage of students living outside of Texas who get in is even lower. 

Lafayette College is a small liberal arts college in the city of Easton, Pennsylvania along the Delaware River just about between Philadelphia and New York City. They say they are small enough to offer personal attention, while large enough to offer the resources and opportunities of a larger institution — and we have to agree. The tight-knit student body of 2729 represents 44 states and territories, and 60 countries, and have access to a vast array of academic programs, extracurriculars, and student events. The overall acceptance rate is 33.6%, and the Early Decision acceptance rate is 43.4%.

Colgate University is a small private liberal arts college nestled in Hamilton, New York. It's often referred to as a "Hidden Ivy" and a "Little Ivy" because of their size, academic programs, and campus culture. In 2020, their acceptance rate was 27%. In 2023, it was 12%. Colgate is both test and supplement optional, which is probably why they had a huge increase in the number of applicants over the last three years. Before you start thinking, “Gee, time to send off my app with little to no work!” let us burst your bubble. There's no such thing as "optional" when it comes to admissions. With a 12% acceptance rate, you’re gonna have to write an essay or three.

Boston College, or BC as they’re commonly known, is a private Jesuit research university in Boston (read: Chestnut Hill). It’s a midsized school with just under 10,000 undergrads, and as you may have guessed – yes, many students who attend are indeed Catholic. Jesuits are all about “educating a personal as a whole,” and this extends outside the classroom as well. BC has gotten increasingly popular over the last few years, dropping to an all-time low 14% acceptance rate for the class of 2027. That’s right parents, BC isn’t a safety school anymore. Reasons for increased popularity might include their highly ranked business school, high levels of school spirit, or their continued test-optional policy.

Colorado College is a small liberal arts college in the city of Colorado Springs in — you guessed it — Colorado. It is, perhaps, the most Colorado of Colorado schools. At the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the school is known for attracting quirky, curious, and passionate students who love the outdoors almost as much as they love fully immersing themselves in their academic and artistic passions. The acceptance rate is 11.6%.

Haverford is a small liberal arts school eight miles from downtown Philadelphia. The school is known for creating intimate academic environments for students who are driven and inherently intellectual. One-third of the classes have less than 10 students, and the most popular majors include political science, economics, psychology, and the hard sciences. It is a highly-residential campus, but isn’t insular. While 98% of the 1,472 students live on campus, nearly half do at least one study abroad program. The Haverford acceptance rate is about 18%, and it is standardized test optional.