Very selective colleges are those that accept less than 10 percent of their applicants. You’d think that getting into one of these schools would be a dream come true, but it can also be quite a nightmare. Here are some pros and cons to consider if you’re applying to one of these schools.
Pros
The student body at very selective colleges is often very diverse and interesting, with students from all over the world and from many different backgrounds.
If you have a 4.0 GPA or higher, you’ll probably get accepted no matter what your SAT scores are (though even those students who have perfect grades aren’t guaranteed admittance).
It’s easier to get into most very selective schools than other state schools or large private universities because there are fewer applicants overall — especially if you have good grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities.
Cons
Very selective colleges have extremely high tuition rates compared to state schools or community colleges. For example, the annual cost for tuition at Harvard University is $50,000 per year — more than double what it costs to attend UCLA ($20,000) or UC Berkeley ($11,000).
Pros And Cons Of Very Selective Admissions Colleges
The term “very selective” is a bit of a misnomer. It’s not as if there are only 10 or 20 colleges that meet this description. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of colleges that accept fewer than half of their applicants. And the differences between them are vast.
For example, Princeton University’s acceptance rate for the class of 2022 was 6.4%, yet Boston College’s was 78%. These two institutions aren’t just different from one another; they’re worlds apart in terms of selectivity and prestige.
So what can you expect from very selective colleges? What should you be prepared for when you’re applying? And what can you do to improve your chances?
Pros
The first benefit is obvious: You’ll be accepted into one of the best schools in the country or world! But beyond that, there are many other perks associated with attending a highly selective college. Here are some of them:
Smaller classes — The average class size at Harvard University is just 14 students per class; Yale University has an average class size of 18 students per course; Stanford University has an average class size of 23 students per course; Brown University has an average
