Loyal readers of Ivy Coach’s college’s admissions blog know that elite college acceptance rates have been on a downward trend for the last few decades, with many hitting record-low acceptance in the previous few cycles. As the data continues to come in for the Class of 2030, Ivy Coach’s famously accurate crystal ball predicts it won’t show that it’s gotten any less cutthroat. In fact, we forecast that admissions rates will continue to dwindle just as the stock price of an elite college education continues to swell amidst a highly competitive job market and widespread global uncertainty about the future.

Today, we’d like to compare acceptance rates between the Class of 2029 and 2028 at the nation’s top schools (as ranked by US News). While many schools out there that aren’t on this list experienced dramatic declines in acceptance, these highly selective schools provide the best barometer for higher education at large, as they set the tone for all of the rest. Especially after a year of widespread turmoil and terrible PR for many of the most prestigious institutions in the nation, were there any fluctuations in acceptance? Let’s find out:

The Top Schools With the Most Dramatic Declines in Acceptance, 2024 — 2025

College / University	2026 US News Rank (“Best National Universities”)	Class of 2029 Overall Acceptance Rate	Class of 2028 Overall Acceptance Rate	Change in Acceptance
University of Chicago	#6	4%	4.48%	-10.70%
Dartmouth College	#13 (tie)	5%	5.41%	-7.60%
University of Pennsylvania	#7 (tie)	5%	5.38%	-7.10%
Cornell University	#12	8%	8.41%	-4.90%
Johns Hopkins University	#7	6%	6.20%	-3.22%
Brown University	#13	5%	5.16%	-3.10%
Emory University	#24	10%	10.29%	-2.80%
University of Notre Dame	#20 (tie)	11%	11.10%	-0.90%
Washington University in St. Louis	#20 (tie)	12%	12.06%	-0.50%
University of California, Berkeley	#15	11%	11.03%	-0.27%
Rice University	#17	8%	8.00%	0%
California Institute of Technology	#11	3%	~3.0%	0%
University of California, Los Angeles	#17	9%	8.97%	0.33%
University of Virginia	#24	17%	16.81%	1.20%
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor	#20	16%	15.64%	2.30%
Carnegie Mellon University	#20	12%	11.50%	4.34%
Georgetown University	#24	13%	12.33%	5%
Northwestern University	#7 (tie)	8%	7.50%	6.66%
Yale University	#4 (tie)	4%	3.73%	7.20%
Stanford University	#4	4%	3.70%	8%
Princeton University	#1	5%	4.62%	8.20%
Columbia University	#15	4%	3.86%	8.70%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	#2	5%	4.52%	10%
Harvard University	#3	4%	3.59%	11.40%
Duke University	#7	6%	5.10%	17.65%
Vanderbilt University	#17 (tie)	6%	5.10%	17.65%

University of Chicago takes the cake when it comes to diminishing acceptance rates for the past two admissions cycles, followed closely by our good friend Dartmouth and the University of Pennsylvania. None of these come close to the California Institute of Technology’s overall admissions rate for the Class of 2029 at 3%, lower than even Harvard. But even that hallowed Cambridge institution was less competitive to get into for the Class of 2029 than the Class of 2028, perhaps because of how public their maltreatment of Jewish students on campus has become the past many years, in addition to several other scandals. Duke and Vanderbilt both had the highest upticks in acceptance rates this past admissions cycle, though they still remain mighty competitive to get into. 

Ivy Coach’s Assistance With Securing Elite College Acceptance

Feeling overwhelmed by these statistics? Unsure of how your child will be able to secure a spot at their dream school in such a competitive environment? Don’t worry, our team of former elite college admissions officers has been helping guide students to top schools for over three decades. We at Ivy Coach understand the complexities of the admissions process and can help your child increase their chances of getting into their top choice school, allowing you to take a break from the heavy lifting. 

To get started, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch with an outline of our services.