As students apply to their dream schools, acceptance is almost too good to pass up.
That’s reflected at a number of highly competitive colleges where the majority of admitted students enrolled in fall 2017. Yield, which refers to the percentage of accepted students who enroll, was at 80 percent or higher at a few of the nation’s top schools, according to U.S. News data.
Harvard University in Massachusetts boasted a yield of 82.8 percent, the highest of any National University, a category of schools that offer a wide range of undergraduate majors as well master’s and doctoral degrees.
U.S. News data show that Harvard only accepted 5 percent of applicants in fall 2017, making it one of the most selective colleges in the country, compared with a national average acceptance rate of 66 percent among all ranked schools that participated in the U.S. News Best Colleges survey. Only one other school — Stanford University in California, which also commanded a high yield — had a 5 percent acceptance rate.
Harvard’s popularity among applicants rose, as its yield improved from 78.8 percent in the previous year.
[Read: How Many Colleges Should I Apply to?]
The United States Naval Academy in Maryland had the highest yield among National Liberal Arts Colleges, schools that emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half of their degrees in the liberal arts. At 87.4 percent, the Naval Academy tops all ranked National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges that submitted data to U.S. News. The school’s yield is up slightly from the 86.9 percent reported in fall 2016. Like other top colleges, the Naval Academy had a low acceptance rate: 8 percent.
Two liberal arts colleges with high yield figures — the Naval Academy and Berea College in Kentucky — provide a tuition-free education, easing the financial burden on students and their families as the cost of school continues to rise across the nation.
[Read: What You Need to Know About College Tuition Costs.]
Acceptance rates vary at institutions that have yield rates of 50 percent or higher. Per U.S. News data, among all ranked colleges and universities, only 13 had an acceptance rate below 10 percent, including many of the schools that appear below. Others on this list are less selective, such as the University of Nevada–Las Vegas, which accepted 81 percent of applicants, and the University of Wisconsin–Parkside, which reported an 80 percent acceptance rate.
The colleges and universities listed in the tables below reported a minimum yield of 50 percent for fall 2017. The rate can be affected by students’ early decision or early action options, since some of those programs bind students to attend if accepted. These data reflect first-time, first-year, degree-seeking students only.
National Universities Where Most Accepted Students Enroll
National Liberal Arts Colleges Where Most Accepted Students Enroll
| School (state) | Students accepted | Students who enrolled in fall 2017 | Yield |
| United States Naval Academy (MD) | 1,376 | 1,203 | 87.4% |
| Louisiana State University–Alexandria | 648 | 560 | 86.4% |
| Pine Manor College (MA) | 95 | 75 | 78.9% |
| Berea College (KY) | 600 | 432 | 72.0% |
| Bard College at Simon’s Rock (MA) | 206 | 148 | 71.8% |
| Principia College (IL) | 122 | 85 | 69.7% |
| Thomas Aquinas College (CA) | 138 | 90 | 65.2% |
| Soka University of America (CA) | 182 | 107 | 58.8% |
| Pomona College (CA) | 756 | 412 | 54.5% |
| Claremont McKenna College (CA) | 658 | 352 | 53.5% |
| Wesleyan College (GA) | 144 | 74 | 51.4% |
| University of Wisconsin–Parkside | 1,399 | 712 | 50.9% |
| Barnard College (NY) | 1,190 | 603 | 50.7% |
| Bowdoin College (ME) | 988 | 501 | 50.7% |
The acceptance and yield data above are correct as of Jan. 14, 2019. For additional admissions data, complete rankings and much more, access the U.S. News College Compass.
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Universities, Colleges Where Students Are Eager to Enroll originally appeared on usnews.com
