Admissions Info
※ Harvard · Princeton · Stanford · Penn have not officially disclosed their acceptance rates. The figures below are based on each school’s official announcements and school newspaper reports (March–April 2026).
Ivy League — Official Figures
Acceptance rates, applicant numbers, admitted students, and key highlights for each school.
Yale University
Yale Daily News (Official)
Acceptance Rate
4.24%
Last yr 4.75% → down
Applicants
54,919
2nd largest ever
Admitted
2,328
Brown University
Brown Official Release
Acceptance Rate
5.35%
Last yr 5.7% → down
Applicants
47,937
+12% YoY
Admitted
2,564
Dartmouth College
The Dartmouth (Official)
Acceptance Rate
5.8%
Last yr 6.0% → down
Applicants
28,863
2nd largest ever
Admitted
1,687
Columbia University
Columbia Spectator (Official)
Acceptance Rate
4.2%
Last yr 4.9% → down
Applicants
61,031
All-time record
Admitted
2,581
Cornell University
Cornell Daily Sun + Official
Admitted (Official)
5,776
Last yr 5,824 → slight drop
Est. Rate
~6.9%
Official in summer
Penn (UPenn)
Daily Pennsylvanian — rate undisclosed
Applicants
61,000+
Last yr 72,000 → -15%
Rate
N/A
Undisclosed since 2022
MIT + Johns Hopkins + Duke + Vanderbilt
MIT
MIT Admissions Official Blog
Acceptance Rate
4.58%
Similar to 4.56% last yr
Applicants
28,349
Admitted
1,299
Johns Hopkins University
hub.jhu.edu Official
Total Admitted
2,795
EDI 553 + EDII 260 + RD 1,982
Rate
N/A
Fall CDS
Duke University
Duke Today + Duke Chronicle
Acceptance Rate
4.7%
Same as last yr 4.7%
Applicants
61,935
All-time record
Admitted
2,930
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt Hustler (Official)
RD Rate
2.8%
Last yr 3.3% → all-time low
ED Rate
11.9%
EDI+EDII
Applicants
56,447
All-time record
Key Trends & Strategy Points
Major changes from this cycle and strategic takeaways for each family.
1
SAT/ACT Required Again
Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, MIT, Penn, and Harvard have all reinstated SAT/ACT requirements this cycle. The test-optional era is effectively coming to an end.
→ Strategy: Aim for 1500+ to remain competitive. Don’t delay preparation.
2
ED Rates 3–4x Higher Than RD
Duke ED 13.8% vs RD 3.7%, Vanderbilt ED 11.9% vs RD 2.8%. The advantage of Early Decision was again clearly confirmed this cycle.
→ Strategy: ED is your most powerful strategic tool. But it’s binding — verify financial aid packages in advance.
3
Record Applicants — More Competition
Columbia, Penn, and Duke all set all-time applicant records. Acceptance rates continue declining every year, making strategic planning increasingly critical.
→ Strategy: Realistically increase the proportion of safety schools in your list and build a strategic school portfolio.
4
Vanderbilt’s Rise — Beyond “Ivy Alternative”
Vanderbilt’s RD rate of 2.8% is lower than Brown (5.35%), Dartmouth (5.8%), and Cornell (~6.9%). It’s no longer just an “Ivy alternative” — it’s harder to get into than some Ivies.
→ Strategy: Don’t classify Vanderbilt as a safety school. Prepare for it as you would your top choice.
5
Best Financial Aid Era Yet
Yale (free under $100K), Dartmouth (free under $175K), JHU (free under $200K). Elite universities are expanding their financial aid thresholds every year.
→ Strategy: Don’t give up on applying due to cost concerns. Depending on family income, the actual cost may be lower than a state school.
6
Political Variables — Watch Dartmouth
The Trump administration’s federal funding pressure has affected Harvard, Columbia, Duke and others, potentially impacting yield rates and waitlist management.
→ Strategy: Dartmouth is currently seen as the Ivy least affected by this pressure, offering a relatively stable admissions environment.
Sources: MIT Admissions Blog (mitadmissions.org) · Vanderbilt Hustler · The Daily Pennsylvanian (thedp.com) · hub.jhu.edu · Duke Today + Duke Chronicle · Cornell Daily Sun + news.cornell.edu · Columbia Spectator · Yale Daily News · The Dartmouth · Brown Official Release | All figures based on official school announcements or student newspaper reports (March–April 2026)
