A NEW RANKING OF AMERICAN COLLEGES
ON LAISSEZ-FAIRE PRINCIPLES, 1999-2000
Third Annual Edition, Revised

"It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances."
--Oscar Wilde

FLASH! -- Dog bites man . Harvard number one . Caltech stays put in fifth .

PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION

     This extensive revision adds National Merit Scholars for the class of
2002, which is the statistical class treated throughout this edition of
Laissez-Faire. National Merit Scholars are discussed under their heading in
the Introduction, and a list of top NMS colleges has been added to the
Appendix. Following a suggestion of Gary Glen Price, I have eliminated a
paragraph of pointless matter in the "Chief competitors" section of the
Introduction.

CONTENTS
Introduction
Key to the college profiles
     Description
     Cost for the 1999-2000 year
     Chief competitors for applicants
     Number of applicants
     Percent accepted
     Percent yield
     25th-75th percentile test scores
     Percent in top tenth of high school class
     National Merit Scholars
     Percent from out of state
     Percent of freshmen returning as sophomores
     U.S. News selectivity rank
The 95 ranked colleges
A further 161 colleges arranged by test scores
Colleges for which percentile test scores are unavailable
Appendix
     ACT-SAT conversion
     The 55 colleges with toughest acceptance rates
     The 54 colleges with highest sum of 25th and 75th percentile scores
     The 44 colleges with best freshman retention
     The 55 colleges with the most externally sponsored
           National Merit Scholars in the class of 2002
     The 54 most expensive colleges

INTRODUCTION

     The Laissez-Faire Ranking identifies quality with selectivity. It takes
the historical and etymological view that a college is a "chosen company"
and attempts to rank colleges by the membership they attract. It lets the
best applicants point to the best colleges. Bright kids pay attention to
selectivity when they look at colleges because they want to go where their
peers are going. With their matriculation, they help compose a superior
community, thereby confirming received opinion.

     In two previous introductions to Laissez-Faire I've wasted space on
criticism of U.S. News, and as a traditionalist I'll do it again here.
Researchers at Cornell University -- which U.S. News has ranked 14th, 6th,
and 11th in recent years -- have concluded that the magazine exerts an
influence on the pecking order in Heisenbergian fashion ("Study Asserts
Influence of National College Rankings," Cornell Daily Sun, Sept. 22, 1999).
But influence exerted tomorrow is not the same as accuracy achieved today,
and U.S. News is always inaccurate today -- not to mention fickle. That
fickleness finally attracted journalistic notice this year, when U.S. News
suddenly and marvelously promoted Caltech from ninth place to first, seven
points clear of Harvard on a hundred-point scale. If Caltech is that much
better now, then it must have been better in every previous year, right back
to U.S. News Year One (1983). It's a retroactive promotion that voids all
predecessor rankings. Next year, look for furious arithmetical backpedaling.

     My e-mail suggests that, however pointless an exercise the
Laissez-Faire Ranking may be, it assembles a database relating to
selectivity that many people have found convenient. My thanks again go to
Jeremy Thorp Fox of Stanford University for making this database available
on the Web at
http://www.stanford.edu/~jerfox
Click the "New Ranking of American Colleges" link.

     This year Laissez-Faire contains 46 more colleges than last year -- 256
in all. My aim has been to make it inclusive for colleges that are selective
to an appreciable degree, but I have eked it out with the addition of
schools whose middling SAT rank is misleading. These schools fall into five
categories: leading public universities; the most selective historically
black colleges; the most selective art and music colleges, several of which
do not require test scores; schools with an admirable mission, such as Berea
College; and innovative schools that may be indifferent to standardized
tests, such as Prescott College. To anticipate a question, Deep Springs
College, with an enrollment of 26 men, was excluded because it is a two-year
school.

KEY TO THE COLLEGE PROFILES

     Each profile comprises the following:

DESCRIPTION

     Included are date of foundation, whether public or private, whether
single-sex, whether specialty school, whether church-affiliated. Foundation
dates are sometimes fictional, having reference to predecessor academies,
seminaries, and the like. Religious affiliation may be close, distant, or
merely traditional.

COST FOR THE 1999-2000 YEAR

     This is the sum of tuition, room and board. For public colleges, both
in-state and out-of-state costs are given. Very roughly, and with obvious
exceptions such as Rice and Cooper Union, this is an indicator of market
position for private colleges. Regional differences in cost of living exert
a strong influence, with schools in the Northeast costing more than
comparable ones elsewhere. (See "The 54 most expensive colleges" in the
Appendix.)

CHIEF COMPETITORS FOR APPLICANTS

     The colleges with which it most often shares applicants are listed. My
source is the Fiske Guide to the Colleges 2000, edited by Edward B. Fiske,
the best comprehensive guide in the bookstores. Fiske's caveat on this
information reads in part: "Overlapping does not necessarily work both ways.
College A might list College B as an overlap, but College B's biggest
competitors might be Colleges X, Y, and Z. This is especially true in the
case of institutions that are considered 'safety' schools."

NUMBER OF APPLICANTS

     More is better, all else being equal, because more applicants means
greater choice -- a simple notion that's easily overlooked. But this rule is
invoked only when comparing like with like -- Wesleyan (5727 applicants)
with Washington and Lee (3330), not Southern Cal (21399) with Harvey Mudd
(1517).

     Figures here and for the next five categories are for the class of
2002, the latest figures available to books edited in 1999. Every number was
cross-checked against two or more guide books or Web sites, with U.S. News's
America's Best Colleges 2000 and the College Board's College Handbook 2000
emerging as the most accurate sources.

PERCENT ACCEPTED

     Lower is better. A low number requires a relatively large number of
applicants and the certainty of a good yield. For schools with a national
appeal, a simple ranking by this criterion wouldn't be far off the actual
pecking order. The exceptions are schools with self-selective applicant
groups, such as Chicago and St. John's (Md.), which needed to accept 61 and
83 percent respectively to fill their freshman class. The "self-selective"
argument is perhaps more persuasive on behalf of St. John's than Chicago,
which is why change is afoot at the latter school. (See "The 55 colleges
with toughest acceptance rates" in the Appendix.)

PERCENT YIELD

     Higher is better. This is the percentage of people accepted by a
college who enroll. Some parochial places get a wonderful yield, and some
very good schools that cast a wider net get a bad yield. For schools with a
national appeal, a yield near 50 percent is excellent. Johns Hopkins and
Emory get only 28 percent. Washington University and Carnegie Mellon enroll
less than one-quarter of the people they accept. Harvard's 79 percent is the
clearest proof of its preeminence. Schools with a narrower appeal -- service
academies, music schools, art schools, schools with strong church
affiliation -- are often skewed favorably.

     Non-niche and non-specialized schools in the Laissez-Faire Ranking with
yields above 50% are Brigham Young 92%, Harvard 79%, Princeton 69%, Stanford
64%, Texas A&M 64%, Yale 62%, North Carolina 57%, New College (Fla.) 56%,
Texas 56%, Brown 55%, MIT 55%, Columbia 54%, Missouri 54%, Notre Dame 54%,
Virginia 54%, Georgia 52%, Dartmouth 51%, Florida 51%, and Illinois 51%.

     In the introductory matter to U.S. News's America's Best Colleges 2000,
the editors remind rankings-conscious admissions departments that efforts to
improve yield "simply to move up a rank or two would be silly; yield
accounts for a mere 1.5 percent of the overall ranking." It ought to count
for more: yield is a telling statistic and Laissez-Faire pays more attention
to it than does U.S. News.

25th-75th PERCENTILE TEST SCORES

     Higher is better. ACT composite scores are substituted where a majority
of applicants submitted them. Despite the doubts about standardized tests,
they weigh heavily with many admissions departments. The individual
test-taker may feel cheated by his SAT result, but it's fair to say that
hundreds of scores considered en bloc give a good picture of the student
body.

     Many colleges no longer require SAT-I or ACT test scores, including
these on the Laissez-Faire list: Antioch, Bard, Bates, Bowdoin, California
Institute of the Arts, College of the Atlantic, Connecticut College (only
SAT-II required), Dickinson, Eastman School of Music, Franklin and Marshall,
Hampshire, Juilliard, Lewis and Clark, Manhattan School of Music, Middlebury
(SAT II may substitute for SAT-I), Muhlenberg, Prescott, St. John's (Md.),
St. John's (N.M.), Susquehanna, Union  (SAT-II may substitute for SAT-I),
Univ. of Dallas, and Wheaton (Mass.).

     Schools that waive the test scores requirement lose nothing by the
tactic. The applicant pool expands and no high-scorers are lost from the
mix. At Bowdoin and Bates, students who eschew the SAT are tested after
matriculation and score about 150 composite points below classmates who did
submit scores, which is no surprise. The most selective colleges are in a
position to be idiosyncratic about test scores, preferring a class of all
the talents to a class of all the swots. A handful of schools at the top
reject a majority of the SAT perfect-scorers who apply. (See "The 54
colleges with highest sum of 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores" in the
Appendix.)

PERCENT IN TOP TENTH OF HIGH SCHOOL CLASS

     Higher is better. U.S. News weights this statistic heavily, but it is
only included here reluctantly and was left out of the earliest
Laissez-Faire Ranking. The statistic is more or less significant according
to the peculiarities of a school's location and, for public schools,
responsibilities under a charter. The University of California at Davis
beats Stanford in the category, 95% to 87%, but the 25th-75th percentile SAT
scores at Davis were 1040-1280, compared to 1360-1540 at Stanford.

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS

     This is the number of National Merit Scholars in the class of 2002 who
are externally sponsored, that's to say not sponsored by their college,
according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. For example, there
are 146 Scholars in the class of 2002 at Yale, all of them externally
sponsored. In comparison, there are 165 Scholars at the University of
Florida, 18 externally sponsored and 147 sponsored by the university. So
that big and small schools may be compared, the percentage of Scholars in
the class is shown as well. Colleges with more than 3 percent National Merit
Scholars in the class of 2002 are Harvard 22.4% (370 Scholars), Caltech
15.0% (38), Stanford 12.6% (201), Rice 12.1% (78), Yale 11.2% (146),
Princeton 10.6% (124), MIT 9.9% (103), Swarthmore 8.8% (32), Harvey Mudd 7.0
(14), Dartmouth 5.1% (56), Brown 4.8% (70), Columbia Univ. 4.7% (45),
Amherst 4.5% (20), Duke 4.2% (71), Williams 3.9% (21), Northwestern 3.7%
(70), Case Western Reserve 3.0% (25), and Pomona 3.0% (12). (See "The 55
colleges with the most externally sponsored National Merit Scholars in the
class of 2002" in the Appendix.)

PERCENT FROM OUT OF STATE

     Higher is better. With allowances made for the size of the state, this
is an occasionally useful indicator. Any assessment of Texas A&M's
selectivity must begin with the fact that its primary responsibility is
educating Texans. Only five percent of its undergraduates come from out of
state.

     State schools in the Laissez-Faire Ranking with the highest
out-of-state enrollments are Delaware 66%, Vermont 66%, North Carolina
School of the Arts 58%, Colorado 45%, Evergreen State 45%, Penn State 42%,
Mary Washington 38%, William and Mary 36%, Maryland 35%, New College (Fla.)
35%, Wisconsin 35%, Iowa 34%, Georgia Tech 33%, Minnesota 33%, Indiana 32%,
Virginia 32%, James Madison 31%, and Missouri 30%.

PERCENT OF FRESHMEN RETURNING AS SOPHOMORES

     Higher is better. A so-to-speak retrospective assessment of the
students that a school attracts. This figure indicates, to a lesser extent,
the students' satisfaction with their choice of college and, to a greater
extent, the college-worthiness of the students a school attracts. Less good
colleges attract, and lose, people who perhaps shouldn't be in college at
all. (See "The 44 colleges with best freshman retention" in the Appendix.)

U.S. NEWS SELECTIVITY RANK

     The figure is taken from America's Best Colleges 2000 and is provided
for purposes of contrast only. U.S. News's anomalies are owing mainly to its
overemphasis of high school class rank, with, e.g., branches of the
University of California especial beneficiaries. For selectivity rank, U.S.
News gives test scores 40% weight, class rank 35%, acceptance rate 15%, and
yield 10%. Acceptance rate and yield are precisely calculable, and test
scores are complete for that large majority of schools that require them.
But Class rank depends on variously incomplete figures from a range of
regional and cultural settings. Berkeley obtains class rank from 100% of its
applicants, nine tenths of whom are California residents. Harvard, drawing
applicants from good secondary schools around the world, obtains 96%.
Swarthmore and Amherst also have cosmopolitan applicant pools, but obtain
only 65% and 47% respectively. Two good Tennessee schools, University of the
South (Sewanee) and Vanderbilt, obtain only 56% and 52% respectively.

THE 95 RANKED COLLEGES

Schools sharing a rank are listed alphabetically.

FIRST

Harvard University. 1636, private, $32164; shares applicants most often with
Princeton, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Brown; 16818 applied, 12% accepted, 79%
yield, middle half scored 1400-1580 SAT, 90% in top tenth of class, 370
external National Merit Scholars (22.4% of class), 85% not from
Massachusetts, 96% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 1st among
national universities.

SECOND (3 schools)

Princeton University. 1746, private, $31599; shares applicants most often
with Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT; 13006 applied, 13% accepted, 69% yield,
middle half scored 1360-1540 SAT, 93% in top tenth of class, 124 external
National Merit Scholars (10.6% of class), 84% not from New Jersey, 98% of
freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 2nd among national universities.

Stanford University. 1885, private, $30939; shares applicants most often
with Harvard, Yale, Brown, MIT, Princeton; 18885 applied, 13% accepted, 64%
yield, middle half scored 1360-1540 SAT, 87% in top tenth of class, 201
external National Merit Scholars (12.6% of class), 61% not from California,
98% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 5th among national
universities.

Yale University. 1701, private, $31940; shares applicants most often with
Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Brown, Univ. of Pennsylvania; 11947 applied,
18% accepted, 62% yield, middle half scored 1360-1540 SAT, 95% in top tenth
of class, 146 external National Merit Scholars (11.2% of class), 93% not
from Connecticut, 98% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 3rd
among national universities.

FIFTH (2 schools)

California Institute of Technology. 1891, private, $25476; shares applicants
most often with MIT, Harvard, Stanford, California--Berkeley, UCLA; 2944
applied, 18% accepted, 47% yield, middle half scored 1420-1570 SAT, 100% in
top tenth of class, 38 external National Merit Scholars (15.0% of class),
57% not from California, 92% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank
4th among national universities.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1861, private, $31900; shares
applicants most often with Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Cornell
Univ.; 8676 applied, 22% accepted, 55% yield, middle half scored 1400-1560
SAT, 95% in top tenth of class, 103 external National Merit Scholars (9.9%
of class), 90% not from Massachusetts, 97% of freshmen return; U.S. News
selectivity rank 6th among national universities.

SEVENTH (6 schools)

Amherst College. 1821, private, $31819; shares applicants most often with
Yale, Brown, Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth; 4491 applied, 23% accepted, 43%
yield, middle half scored 1320-1480 SAT, 80% in top tenth of class, 20
external National Merit Scholars (4.5% of class), 88% not from
Massachusetts, 97% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 3rd among
national liberal arts colleges.

Brown University. 1764, private, $32280; shares applicants most often with
Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cornell Univ., Princeton; 15490 applied, 17%
accepted, 55% yield, middle half scored 1290-1500 SAT, 88% in top tenth of
class, 70 external National Merit Scholars (4.8% of class), 96% not from
Rhode Island, 97% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 8th among
national universities.

Columbia University--Columbia College. 1754, private, $32706; shares
applicants most often with Harvard, Yale, Brown, Stanford, Univ. of
Pennsylvania; 12251 applied, 14% accepted, 54% yield, middle half scored
1290-1490 SAT, 87% in top tenth of class, 45 external National Merit
Scholars (4.7% of class), 75% not from New York, 97% of freshmen return;
U.S. News selectivity rank 7th among national universities.

Dartmouth College. 1769, private, $31983; shares applicants most often with
Brown, Harvard, Princeton, Cornell Univ., Yale; 10143, applied, 21%
accepted, 51% yield, middle half scored 1350-1520 SAT, 88% in top tenth of
class, 56 external National Merit Scholars (5.1% of class), 97% not from New
Hampshire, 96% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 9th among
national universities.

Swarthmore College. 1864, private, $31690; shares applicants most often with
Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Brown; 4585 applied, 19% accepted, 41%
yield, middle half scored 1310-1540 SAT, 83% in top tenth of class, 32
external National Merit Scholars (8.8% of class), 88% not from Pennsylvania,
95% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 1st among national
liberal arts colleges.

Williams College. 1793, private, $31520; shares applicants most often with
Harvard, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, Yale; 4528 applied, 26% accepted, 45%
yield, middle half scored 1300-1500 SAT, 81% in top tenth of class, 21
external National Merit Scholars (3.9% of class), 85% not from
Massachusetts, 97% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 2nd among
national liberal arts colleges.

THIRTEENTH (3 schools)

Duke University. 1838, private, United Methodist, $31009; shares applicants
most often with Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Brown; 13942 applied,
28% accepted, 43% yield, middle half scored 1300-1490 SAT, 89% in top tenth
of class, 71 external National Merit Scholars (4.2% of class), 85% not from
North Carolina, 97% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 12th
among national universities.

Rice University. 1891, private, $21346; shares applicants most often with
Stanford, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Duke; 6463 applied, 24% accepted, 42%
yield, middle half scored 1310-1530 SAT, 89% in top tenth of class, 78
external National Merit Scholars (12.1% of class), 45% not from Texas, 95%
of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 10th among national
universities.

University of Pennsylvania. 1740, private, $31592; shares applicants most
often with Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Cornell Univ., Brown; 16658 applied,
29% accepted, 49% yield, middle half scored 1300-1480 SAT, 90% in top tenth
of class, 56 external National Merit Scholars (2.3% of class), 82% not from
Pennsylvania, 96% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 11th among
national universities.

SIXTEENTH (7 schools)

Cornell University. 1865, private, $31675; shares applicants most often with
Univ. of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Harvard, Brown, Yale; 19860 applied, 34%
accepted, 44% yield, middle half scored 1260-1450 SAT, 82% in top tenth of
class, 38 external National Merit Scholars (1.3% of class), 60% not from New
York, 95% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 17th among national
universities.

Georgetown University. 1789, private, Roman Catholic, $31988; shares
applicants most often with Harvard, Duke, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Boston
College, Univ. of Virginia; 13417 applied, 24% accepted, 47% yield, middle
half scored 1260-1450 SAT, 80% in top tenth of class, 16 external National
Merit Scholars (1.1% of class), 99% not from D.C., 95% of freshmen return;
U.S. News selectivity rank 14th among national universities.

Haverford College. 1833, private, Quaker, $31400; shares applicants most
often with Swarthmore, Brown, Amherst, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Williams; 2600
applied, 36% accepted, 34% yield, middle half scored 1280-1470 SAT, 83% in
top tenth of class, 9 external National Merit Scholars (2.8% of class), 80%
not from Pennsylvania, 95% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank
5th among national liberal arts colleges.

Johns Hopkins University. 1876, private, $31530; shares applicants most
often with Cornell Univ., Harvard, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Duke, Brown; 8578
applied, 41% accepted, 28% yield, middle half scored 1290-1480 SAT, 81% in
top tenth of class, 18 external National Merit Scholars (1.8% of class), 89%
not from Maryland, 95% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 21st
among national universities.

Middlebury College. 1800, private, $31600; shares applicants most often with
Dartmouth, Williams, Bowdoin, Amherst, Brown; 4436 applied, 32% accepted,
40% yield, middle half scored 1320-1450 SAT (SAT-II may substitute for
SAT-I, 53% submitted SAT-I), 73% in top tenth of class, 2 external National
Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 95% not from Vermont, 95% of freshmen
return; U.S. News selectivity rank 7th among national liberal arts colleges.

Northwestern University (Ill.). 1851, private, $30610; shares applicants
most often with Michigan--Ann Arbor, Illinois--Urbana, Washington Univ.,
Duke, Cornell Univ.; 15301 applied, 33% accepted, 38% yield, middle half
scored 1280-1460 SAT, 86% in top tenth of class, 70 external National Merit
Scholars (3.7% of class), 76% not from Illinois, 96% of freshmen return;
U.S. News selectivity rank 15th among national universities.

Pomona College. 1887, private, $30920; shares applicants most often with
Stanford, California--Berkeley, Harvard, UCLA, Brown; 3640 applied, 32%
accepted, 34% yield, middle half scored 1340-1500 SAT, 84% in top tenth of
class, 12 external National Merit Scholars (3.0% of class), 63% not from
California, 98% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 4th among
national liberal arts colleges.

TWENTY-THIRD

University of Chicago. 1891, private, $32204; shares applicants most often
with Harvard, Cornell Univ., Stanford, Northwestern, Columbia Univ.; 5520
applied, 61% accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored 1250-1460 SAT, 69% in
top tenth of class, 19 external National Merit Scholars (1.9% of class), 76%
not from Illinois, 93% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 31st
among national universities.

TWENTY-FOURTH (6 schools)

Bowdoin College. 1794, private, $31475; shares applicants most often with
Dartmouth, Williams, Middlebury, Colby, Brown; 3821 applied, 31% accepted,
36% yield, middle half scored 1240-1420 SAT (test scores not required, 82%
submitted SAT) , 73% in top tenth of class, 6 external National Merit
Scholars (1.4% of class), 85% not from Maine, 93% of freshmen return; U.S.
News selectivity rank 10th among national liberal arts colleges.

Carleton College. 1866, private, $28230; shares applicants most often with
Williams, Macalester, Brown, Amherst, Northwestern; 2871 applied, 56%
accepted, 33% yield, middle half scored 1270-1450 SAT, 66% in top tenth of
class, 10 external National Merit Scholars (1.9% of class), 77% not from
Minnesota, 95% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 14th among
national liberal arts colleges.

Harvey Mudd College. 1955, private engineering college, $30100; shares
applicants most often with California--Berkeley, MIT, Caltech, Stanford,
UCLA; 1517 applied, 42% accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 1390-1530
SAT, 87% in top tenth of class, 14 external National Merit Scholars (7.0% of
class), 46% not from California, 92% of freshmen return.

Juilliard School. 1905, private, performing arts college, $23775; 1598
applied, 8% accepted, 86% yield, percentile test scores N/A (test scores not
required, percent submitting scores N/A), percent in top tenth of class N/A,
no National Merit Scholars, 82% not from New York, 92% of freshmen return.

Wellesley College. 1870, private women's college, $30554; shares applicants
most often with Brown, Dartmouth, Smith, California--Berkeley, Williams;
3047 applied, 45% accepted, 43% yield, middle half scored 1240-1420 SAT, 69%
in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class),
82% not from Massachusetts, 95% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity
rank 12th among national liberal arts colleges.

Wesleyan University. 1831, private, $31630; shares applicants most often
with Brown, Yale, Harvard, Amherst, Williams; 5727 applied, 32% accepted,
39% yield, middle half scored 1230-1430 SAT, 66% in top tenth of class, 6
external National Merit Scholars (0.8% of class), 92% not from Connecticut,
93% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 13th among national
liberal arts colleges.

THIRTIETH (3 schools)

Claremont McKenna College. 1946, private; $27820; shares applicants most
often with Stanford, Pomona, California--Berkeley, UCLA, Georgetown; 3043
applied, 28% accepted, 33% yield, middle half scored 1250-1440 SAT, 73% in
top tenth of class, 4 external National Merit Scholars (1.5% of class), 45%
not from California, 92% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 9th
among national liberal arts colleges.

Grinnell College. 1846, private, $25060; shares applicants most often with
Carleton, Macalester, Oberlin, Swarthmore, Washington Univ.; 2011 applied,
58% accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored 1260-1440 SAT, 68% in top tenth
of class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (1.4% of class), 85% not from
Iowa, 92% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 16th among national
liberal arts colleges.

Washington and Lee University. 1749, private, $22655; shares applicants most
often with Univ. of Virginia, Wake Forest, Duke, William and Mary, Davidson;
3330 applied, 33% accepted, 42% yield, middle half scored 1260-1420 SAT, 77%
in top tenth of class, 4 external National Merit Scholars (0.9% of class),
89% not from Virginia, 94% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank
6th among national liberal arts colleges.

THIRTY-THIRD (5 schools)

Barnard College. 1889, private women's college, $31400; shares applicants
most often with NYU, Columbia Univ., Wellesley, Univ. of Pennsylvania,
Brown; 3841 applied, 36% accepted, 40% yield, middle half scored 1240-1400
SAT, 71% in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of
class), 63% not from New York, 94% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity
rank 11th among national liberal arts colleges.

Curtis Institute of Music. 1824, private music college, $0; number applied
N/A, 6% accepted, percent yield N/A, percentile test scores N/A (test scores
not required, percent submitting scores N/A), percent in top tenth of class
N/A, no National Merit Scholars, 90% not from Pennsylvania, percent of
freshmen returning N/A.

Davidson College. 1837, private, Presbyterian, $28568; shares applicants
most often with North Carolina--Chapel Hill, Univ. of Virginia, Duke, Wake
Forest, Washington and Lee; 3185 applied, 37% accepted, 41% yield, middle
half scored 1250-1410 SAT, 77% in top tenth of class, 10 external National
Merit Scholars (2.1% of class), 76% not from North Carolina, 95% of freshmen
return; U.S. News selectivity rank 8th among national liberal arts colleges.

Emory University. 1836, private, United Methodist, $30780; shares applicants
most often with Duke, Vanderbilt, Washington Univ., North Carolina--Chapel
Hill, Univ. of Pennsylvania; 9812 applied, 48% accepted, 28% yield, middle
half scored 1280-1450 SAT, 88% in top tenth of class, 13 external National
Merit Scholars (1.0% of class), 75% not from Georgia, 93% of freshmen
return; U.S. News selectivity rank 20th among national universities.

Vassar College. 1861, private, $31010; shares applicants most often with
Brown, Wesleyan Univ., Columbia Univ., Tufts, Cornell Univ.; 4797 applied,
43% accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 1240-1410 SAT, 65% in top tenth
of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars (0.5% of class), 70% not from
New York, 92% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 15th among
national liberal arts colleges.

THIRTY-EIGHTH (4 schools)

Bryn Mawr College. 1885, private women's college, Quaker, $31460; shares
applicants most often with Wellesley, Smith, Swarthmore, Haverford, Brown;
1599 applied, 60% accepted, 36% yield, middle half scored 1210-1420 SAT, 62%
in top tenth of class, 4 external National Merit Scholars (1.1% of class),
77% not from Pennsylvania, 88% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity
rank 22nd among national liberal arts colleges.

Macalester College. 1874, private, Presbyterian, $26448; shares applicants
most often with Carleton, Oberlin, Grinnell, Brown, Northwestern; 2886
applied, 56% accepted, 29% yield, middle half scored 1240-1430 SAT, 60% in
top tenth of class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (1.1% of class), 74%
not from Minnesota, 89% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 23rd
among national liberal arts colleges.

Smith College. 1871, private women's college; $30442; shares applicants most
often with Wellesley, Mount Holyoke, Brown, Bryn Mawr, Vassar; 3125 applied,
56% accepted, 39% yield, middle half scored 1190-1390 SAT, 56% in top tenth
of class, 7 external National Merit Scholars (1.0% of class), 84% not from
Massachusetts, 88% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 26th among
national liberal arts colleges.

University of California--Berkeley. 1868, public, $12306 in state, $21690
out of state; shares applicants most often with UCLA, Stanford, USC,
Harvard, Cal Poly--San Luis Obispo; 30042 applied, 28% accepted, 44% yield,
middle half scored 1230-1450 SAT, 95% in top tenth of class, 61 external
National Merit Scholars (1.6% of class), 10% not from California, 95% of
freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 13th among national
universities.

FORTY-SECOND (10 schools)

Bates College. 1855, private, $31400; shares applicants most often with
Bowdoin, Colby, Middlebury, Colgate, Dartmouth; 3527 applied, 38% accepted,
35% yield, middle half scored 1240-1390 SAT (test scores not required, 62%
submitted SAT), 53% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 91%
not from Maine, 93% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 20th
among national liberal arts colleges.

Carnegie Mellon University. 1900, private, $28730; shares applicants most
often with Cornell Univ., MIT, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Northwestern, Johns
Hopkins; 13187 applied, 42% accepted, 23% yield, middle half scored
1270-1470 SAT, 69% in top tenth of class, 29 external National Merit
Scholars (2.2% of class), 79% not from Pennsylvania, 91% of freshmen return;
U.S. News selectivity rank 27th among national universities.

Colby College. 1813, private, $31580; shares applicants most often with
Bowdoin, Middlebury, Bates, Dartmouth, Williams; 4056 applied, 34% accepted,
33% yield, middle half scored 1230-1390 SAT, 62% in top tenth of class, 2
external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 84% not from Maine, 93% of
freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 17th among national liberal arts
colleges.

Columbia University--The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied
Science. 1864, private engineering college, $32706; 2196 applied, 30%
accepted, 45% yield, middle half scored 1270-1440 SAT, 84% in top tenth of
class, 64% not from New York, 89% of freshmen return.

Oberlin College. 1833, private liberal arts and music college, $30442;
shares applicants most often with Brown, Wesleyan Univ., Carleton,
Swarthmore, Vassar; 4504 applied, 54% accepted, 30% yield, middle half
scored 1200-1400 SAT, 54% in top tenth of class, 8 external National Merit
Scholars (1.1% of class), 90% not from Ohio, 89% of freshmen return; U.S.
News selectivity rank 30th among national liberal arts colleges.

Reed College. 1909, private, $30700; shares applicants most often with
California--Berkeley, Stanford, California--Santa Cruz, Brown, Oberlin; 2010
applied, 75% accepted, 23% yield, middle half scored 1250-1430 SAT, 50% in
top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.3% of class), 88%
not from Oregon, 89% of freshmen return.

Tufts University. 1852, private, $32126; shares applicants most often with
Brown, Cornell Univ., Harvard, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Georgetown; 12366
applied, 33% accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored 1250-1420 SAT, 69% in
top tenth of class, 4 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 79%
not from Massachusetts, 95% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank
24th among national universities.

University of Notre Dame. 1842, private, Roman Catholic, $27980; shares
applicants most often with Boston College, Duke, Georgetown, Northwestern,
Michigan--Ann Arbor; 8578 applied, 42% accepted, 54% yield, middle half
scored 1240-1400 SAT, 84% in top tenth of class, 34 external National Merit
Scholars (1.8% of class), 89% not from Indiana, 97% of freshmen return; U.S.
News selectivity rank 18th among national universities.

University of Virginia. 1819, public, $8719 in state, $21192 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Duke, William and Mary, Virginia Tech,
North Carolina--Chapel Hill, Cornell Univ.; 15955 applied, 34% accepted, 54%
yield, middle half scored 1210-1410 SAT, 79% in top tenth of class, 38
external National Merit Scholars (1.3% of class), 32% not from Virginia, 97%
of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 19th among national
universities.

Washington University. 1853, private, $30947; shares applicants most often
with Northwestern, Duke, Emory, Stanford, Brown; 16199 applied, 37%
accepted, 24% yield, middle half scored 1250-1420 SAT, 77% in top tenth of
class, 22 external National Merit Scholars (1.5% of class), 88% not from
Missouri, 95% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 22nd among
national universities.

FIFTY-SECOND (5 schools)

Brandeis University. 1948, private, $32289; shares applicants most often
with Tufts, Brown, Harvard, Boston Univ., Univ. of Pennsylvania; 5526
applied, 57% accepted, 27% yield, middle half scored 1230-1400 SAT, 65% in
top tenth of class, 9 external National Merit Scholars (1.1% of class), 76%
not from Massachusetts, 90% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank
33rd among national universities.

Colgate University. 1819, private, $31255; shares applicants most often with
Dartmouth, Tufts, Cornell Univ., Bucknell, Boston College; 5771 applied, 43%
accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored 1190-1400 SAT, 68% in top tenth of
class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 67% not from New
York, 94% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 21st among national
liberal arts colleges.

College of William and Mary. 1693, public, $9576 in state, $21370 out of
state; shares applicants most often with Univ. of Virginia, Georgetown,
Duke, Cornell Univ., Virginia Tech; 6831 applied, 45% accepted, 42% yield,
middle half scored 1210-1400 SAT, 74% in top tenth of class, 20 external
National Merit Scholars (1.5% of class), 36% not from Virginia, 95% of
freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 23rd among national
universities.

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. 1859, private art and
engineering college, $18800 tuition and fees only; shares applicants most
often with NYU, Columbia, Cornell Univ., MIT, Pratt; 2294 applied, 13%
accepted, 70% yield, middle half scored 1320-1430 SAT, 25% in top tenth of
class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.5% of class), 45% not from New
York, 91% of freshmen return.

New York University. 1831, private, $32132; shares applicants most often
with Boston Univ., Univ. of Pennsylvania, Cornell Univ., Barnard, Columbia;
24568 applied, 35% accepted, 41% yield, middle half scored 1230-1400 SAT,
60% in top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars (0.1% of
class), 67% not from New York, 89% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity
rank 28th among national universities.

FIFTY-SEVENTH (5 schools)

Boston College. 1863, private, Roman Catholic, $30506; shares applicants
most often with Georgetown, Notre Dame, Boston Univ., Harvard, Univ. of
Pennsylvania; 16373 applied, 40% accepted, 35% yield, middle half scored
1200-1370 SAT, 60% in top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars
(0.1% of class), 76% not from Massachusetts, 94% of freshmen return; U.S.
News selectivity rank 36th among national universities.

Rhode Island School of Design. 1877, private art college, $27895; shares
applicants most often with Pratt, Parsons, Massachusetts College of Art,
Cooper Union, Syracuse; 2366 applied, 38% accepted, 43% yield, percentile
test scores N/A, 30% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit
Scholar (0.3% of class), 96% not from Rhode Island, 94% of freshmen return.

U.S. Naval Academy. 1845, public military college, $0, midshipmen receive
salary; 9813 applied, 16% accepted, 79% yield, middle half scored 1230-1390
SAT, 60% in top tenth of class, 95% not from Maryland, 94% of freshmen
return.

Vanderbilt University. 1873, private, $31630; shares applicants most often
with Duke, Emory, Univ. of Virginia, Wake Forest, North Carolina--Chapel
Hill; 9198 applied, 59% accepted, 28% yield, middle half scored 1230-1420
SAT, 63% in top tenth of class, 32 external National Merit Scholars (2.1% of
class), 86% not from Tennessee, 91% of freshmen return; U.S. News
selectivity rank 35th among national universities.

Wake Forest University. 1834, private, Baptist Convention of North Carolina,
$27320; shares applicants most often with North Carolina--Chapel Hill, Duke,
Univ. of Virginia, Vanderbilt, Emory; 6132 applied, 48% accepted, 34% yield,
middle half scored 1220-1390 SAT, 64% in top tenth of class, 10 external
National Merit Scholars (1.0% of class), 79% not from North Carolina, 93% of
freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 32nd among national
universities.

SIXTY-SECOND (10 schools)

Bard College. 1860, private, Episcopal, $31220; shares applicants most often
with NYU, Vassar, Oberlin, Wesleyan Univ., Brown; 2355 applied, 49%
accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored 1150-1370 SAT (test scores not
required, 90% submitted SAT), 58% in top tenth of class, no National Merit
Scholars, 75% not from New York, 85% of freshmen return; U.S. News
selectivity rank 29th among national liberal arts colleges.

Colorado College. 1874, private, $27390; shares applicants most often with
Colorado--Boulder, Middlebury, Whitman, Carleton, Univ. of Denver; 3763
applied, 45% accepted, 29% yield, middle half scored 1180-1360 SAT, 53% in
top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 74%
not from Colorado, 91% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 33rd
among national liberal arts colleges.

Connecticut College. 1911, private, $30595; shares applicants most often
with Tufts, Skidmore, Brown, Colby, Middlebury; 3425 applied, 41% accepted,
31% yield, middle half scored 1170-1360 SAT (only SAT-II required, 69%
submitted SAT-I), 51% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 84%
not from Connecticut, 89% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank
25th among national liberal arts colleges.

Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester. 1921, private music
college, $28298; number applied N/A, percent accepted N/A, percent yield
N/A, middle half scored 1010-1300 SAT (test scores not required, percent
submitting scores N/A), percent in top tenth of class N/A, no National Merit
Scholars, 83% not from New York, percent of freshmen returning N/A.

Hamilton College. 1812, private, $31250; shares applicants most often with
Colgate, Colby, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Williams; 3882 applied, 40% accepted,
30% yield, middle half scored 1150-1350 SAT, 53% in top tenth of class, no
external National Merit Scholars, 51% not from New York, 91% of freshmen
return; U.S. News selectivity rank 32nd among national liberal arts
colleges.

Kenyon College. 1824, private, Episcopal, $28750; shares applicants most
often with Oberlin, Carleton, Denison, Wesleyan Univ., College of Wooster;
2289 applied, 73% accepted, 27% yield, middle half scored 1190-1380 SAT, 51%
in top tenth of class, 8 external National Merit Scholars (1.8% of class),
81% not from Ohio, 90% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 46th
among national liberal arts colleges.

Mount Holyoke College. 1837, private women's college; $31459; shares
applicants most often with Smith, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, Vassar, Barnard;
2150 applied, 64% accepted, 34% yield, middle half scored 1140-1340 SAT, 54%
in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class),
80% not from Massachusetts, 93% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity
rank 43rd among national liberal arts colleges.

St. John's College (Md.). 1784, private, $29850; shares applicants most
often with Univ. of Chicago, Reed, Oberlin, Grinnell, Sarah Lawrence; 366
applied, 83% accepted, 44% yield, middle half scored 1220-1390 SAT (test
scores not required, percent submitting scores N/A), 29% in top tenth of
class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.7% of class), 86% not from
Maryland, 76% of freshmen return.

U.S. Air Force Academy. 1954, public military college, $0, cadets receive
salary; 10035 applied, 16% accepted, 74% yield, middle half scored 1210-1370
SAT, 56% in top tenth of class, 95% not from Colorado, 90% of freshmen
return.

Whitman College. 1859, private, $26806; shares applicants most often with
Puget Sound, Univ. of Washington, Willamette, Colorado College, Pomona; 2189
applied, 57% accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 1200-1390 SAT, 59% in
top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.5% of class), 57%
not from Washington, 89% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 27th
among national liberal arts colleges.

SEVENTY-SECOND (9 schools)

Bucknell University. 1846, private, $28350; shares applicants most often
with Penn State, Lehigh, Villanova, Cornell Univ., Lafayette; 6965 applied,
50% accepted, 27% yield, middle half scored 1170-1340 SAT, 55% in top tenth
of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 66% not from
Pennsylvania, 93% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 38th among
national liberal arts colleges.

College of the Holy Cross. 1843, private, Roman Catholic, $30230; shares
applicants most often with Boston College, Georgetown, Villanova, Notre
Dame, Dartmouth; 4348 applied, 48% accepted, 34% yield, middle half scored
1150-1350 SAT, 57% in top tenth of class, no external National Merit
Scholars, 67% not from Massachusetts, 95% of freshmen return; U.S. News
selectivity rank 31st among national liberal arts colleges.

Franklin and Marshall College. 1787, private, United Church of Christ,
$29450; shares applicants most often with Bucknell, Lafayette, Colgate,
Univ. of Pennsylvania, Lehigh; 3926 applied, 54% accepted, 24% yield, middle
half scored 1160-1350 SAT (test scores not required, 79% submitted SAT), 60%
in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class),
61% not from Pennsylvania, 96% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity
rank 34th among national liberal arts colleges.

New College of the University of South Florida. 1960, public, costs N/A;
shares applicants most often with Univ. of Florida, Florida State, Oberlin,
Eckerd, Brown; 360 applied, 68% accepted, 56% yield, middle half scored
1250-1420 SAT, 56% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar
(0.7% of class), 35% not from Florida, 82% of freshmen return.

Rhodes College. 1848, private, Presbyterian, $24173; shares applicants most
often with Vanderbilt, Tulane, Univ. of the South, Trinity (Conn.),
Davidson; 2374 applied, 76% accepted, 23% yield, middle half scored
1180-1380 SAT, 48% in top tenth of class, 7 external National Merit Scholars
(1.7% of class), 75% not from Tennessee, 86% of freshmen return.

St. John's College (N.M.). 1964, private, $28400; see St. John's (Md.) for
applicant pool; 284 applied, 86% accepted, 35% yield, middle half scored
1200-1390 SAT (test scores not required, percent submitting scores N/A), 29%
in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 89% not from New Mexico,
83% of freshmen return.

Sarah Lawrence College. 1926, private, $33247; shares applicants most often
with NYU, Oberlin, Smith, Bard, Vassar; 1977 applied, 49% accepted, 31%
yield, middle half scored 1130-1340 SAT, 33% in top tenth of class, 1
external National Merit Scholar (0.3% of class), 87% not from New York, 90%
of freshmen return.

Trinity College (Conn.). 1823, private, $31380; shares applicants most often
with Tufts, Brown, Georgetown, Colgate, Wesleyan Univ.; 4185 applied, 44%
accepted, 28% yield, middle half scored 1150-1350 SAT, 44% in top tenth of
class, no National Merit Scholars, 81% not from Connecticut, 93% of freshmen
return; U.S. News selectivity rank 47th among national liberal arts
colleges.

U.S. Military Academy. 1802, public military college, $0, cadets receive
salary; 12442 applied, 13% accepted, 77% yield, middle half scored 1160-1340
SAT, 50% in top tenth of class, 92% not from New York, 92% of freshmen
return.

EIGHTY-FIRST (6 schools)

Case Western Reserve University. 1826, private, $24824; shares applicants
most often with Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington Univ.,
Univ. of Rochester; 4390 applied, 74% accepted, 26% yield, middle half
scored 1250-1460 SAT, 70% in top tenth of class, 25 external National Merit
Scholars (3.0% of class), 41% not from Ohio, 90% of freshmen return; U.S.
News selectivity rank 34th among national universities.

College of the Atlantic. 1969, private, $24885; shares applicants most often
with Marlboro, Hampshire, Colby, Bowdoin, Evergreen State; 242 applied, 53%
accepted, 44% yield, middle half scored 1170-1360 SAT (test scores not
required, percent submitting scores N/A), 36% in top tenth of class, no
National Merit Scholars, 83% not from Maine, 88% of freshmen return.

Georgia Institute of Technology. 1885, public, $8808 in state, $16050 out of
state; shares applicants most often with Georgia, MIT, Duke, Georgia State,
Emory; 6855 applied, 75% accepted, 49% yield, middle half scored 1210-1410
SAT, percent in top tenth of class N/A, 25 external National Merit Scholars
(1.0% of class), 33% not from Georgia, 86% of freshmen return; U.S. News
selectivity rank 43rd among national universities.

New England Conservatory of Music. 1867, private music college, $28400; 620
applied, 38% accepted, 50% yield, percentile test scores N/A, percent in top
tenth of class N/A, no National Merit Scholars, 69% not from Massachusetts,
95% of freshmen return.

University of California--Los Angeles. 1919, public, $11390 in state, $21194
out of state; shares applicants most often with California--Berkeley,
Stanford, California--San Diego, USC, California--Irvine; 32792 applied, 33%
accepted, 39% yield, middle half scored 1170-1380 SAT, 97% in top tenth of
class, 18 external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 6% not from
California, 95% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 16th among
national universities.

University of Michigan--Ann Arbor. 1817, public, $12495 in state, $26119 out
of state; shares applicants most often with Michigan State, Northwestern,
Cornell Univ., Duke, Univ. of Pennsylvania; 21324 applied, 59% accepted, 42%
yield, middle half scored 1160-1380 SAT, 63% in top tenth of class, 37
external National Merit Scholars (0.7% of class), 28% not from Michigan, 94%
of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 30th among national
universities.

EIGHTY-SEVENTH (9 schools)

Boston University. 1839, private, $32230; shares applicants most often with
NYU, Boston College, Northeastern Univ., Univ. of Massachusetts, Tufts;
25678 applied, 60% accepted, 27% yield, middle half scored 1170-1350 SAT,
53% in top tenth of class, 12 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of
class), 80% not from Massachusetts, 85% of freshmen return.

Peabody Conservatory of Music, Johns Hopkins Univ. 1857, private music
college, $30535; 544 applied, 55% accepted, 32% yield, percentile test
scores N/A, percent in top tenth of class N/A, no National Merit Scholars,
percent not from Maryland N/A, 89% of freshmen return.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 1824, private, $30647; shares applicants
most often with Cornell Univ., MIT, Worcester Polytechnic, Carnegie Mellon,
Rochester Institute of Tech.; 4664 applied, 81% accepted, 30% yield, middle
half scored 1160-1370 SAT, 52% in top tenth of class, 2 external National
Merit Scholars (0.2% of class), 54% not from New York, 90% of freshmen
return.

Trinity University (Tex.). 1869, private, Presbyterian, $21444; shares
applicants most often with Texas--Austin, Texas A&M, Rice, Tulane,
Vanderbilt; 2811 applied, 75% accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored
1170-1370 SAT, 48% in top tenth of class, 7 external National Merit Scholars
(1.1% of class), 32% not from Texas, 86% of freshmen return.

Tulane University. 1834, private, $31028; shares applicants most often with
Emory, Boston Univ., Vanderbilt, Duke, Texas--Austin; 8014 applied, 79%
accepted, 23% yield, middle half scored 1170-1350 SAT, 47% in top tenth of
class, 11 external National Merit Scholars (0.7% of class), 89% not from
Louisiana, 86% of freshmen return.

U.S. Coast Guard Academy. 1876, public military and engineering college, $0,
cadets receive stipend; 5757 applied, 7% accepted, 56% yield, middle half
scored 1190-1350 SAT, 50% in top tenth of class, 88% not from Connecticut,
85% of freshmen return.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 1789, public, $7422 in state,
$16588 out of state; shares applicants most often with North Carolina State,
Duke, Univ. of Virginia, Appalachian State, Wake Forest; 17236 applied, 35%
accepted, 57% yield, middle half scored 1130-1340 SAT, 69% in top tenth of
class, 38 external National Merit Scholars (1.1% of class), 17% not from
North Carolina, 94% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 28th
among national universities.

University of Rochester. 1850, private, $30357; shares applicants most often
with Cornell Univ., Brown, SUNY--Binghamton, Northwestern, Washington Univ.;
8869 applied, 62% accepted, 17% yield, middle half scored 1210-1400 SAT, 56%
in top tenth of class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (0.5% of class),
43% not from New York, 93% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank
47th among national universities.

University of the South. 1857, private, Episcopal, $24310; shares applicants
most often with Vanderbilt, Rhodes, Wake Forest, Washington and Lee,
Davidson; 1792 applied, 69% accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored
1150-1330 SAT, 55% in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars
(0.5% of class), 79% not from Tennessee, 88% of freshmen return; U.S. News
selectivity rank 44th among national liberal arts colleges.

 [END OF RANKED COLLEGES]

161 OTHER SELECTIVE OR INTERESTING COLLEGES
ARRANGED BY SUM OF 25th AND 75th PERCENTILE TEST SCORES
(Colleges for which test scores are unavailable are listed at the end)

SAT SUM 2780

Webb Institute. 1889, private engineering college, tuition paid by full
scholarship, $6250 room and board; 71 applied, 41% accepted, 79% yield,
middle half scored 1310-1470 SAT, 75% in top tenth of class, no National
Merit Scholars, 78% not from New York, 90% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2700

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. 1874, private engineering college,
$25477; shares applicants most often with Purdue, Illinois--Urbana, MIT,
Washington Univ., Notre Dame; 3194 applied, 74% accepted, 18% yield, middle
half scored 1260-1440 SAT, 70% in top tenth of class, 2 external National
Merit Scholars (0.5% of class), 50% not from Indiana, 91% of freshmen
return.

SAT SUM 2600

Stevens Institute of Technology. 1870, private, $28404; shares applicants
most often with Rutgers, New Jersey Institute of Tech., Rensselaer, Lehigh,
MIT; 1990 applied, 66% accepted, 27% yield, middle half scored 1140-1460
SAT, 59% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 32% not from New
Jersey, 85% of freshmen return.

Wheaton College (Ill.). 1860, private, interdenominational Christian,
$20010; shares applicants most often with Taylor, Calvin, Grove City,
Messiah, Harvard; 1910 applied, 56% accepted, 54% yield, middle half scored
1200-1400 SAT, 57% in top tenth of class, 8 external National Merit Scholars
(1.4% of class), 79% not from Illinois, 92% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2540

Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 1865, private, $29020; shares applicants
most often with MIT, Rensselaer, Boston Univ., Univ. of Massachusetts,
Northeastern Univ.; 3158 applied, 78% accepted, 28% yield, middle half
scored 1160-1380 SAT, 46% in top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit
Scholars (0.4% of class), 51% not from Massachusetts, 88% of freshmen
return.

SAT SUM 2530

Grove City College. 1876, private, Presbyterian, $11440; 2274 applied, 47%
accepted, 58% yield, middle half scored 1190-1340 SAT, 57% in top tenth of
class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (0.8% of class), 45% not from
Pennsylvania, 90% of freshmen return.

University of Richmond. 1830, private, Virginia Baptist General Association,
$23660; shares applicants most often with Univ. of Virginia, William and
Mary, Wake Forest, Boston College, Vanderbilt; 5714 applied, 44% accepted,
31% yield, middle half scored 1180-1350 SAT, 45% in top tenth of class, 7
external National Merit Scholars (0.9% of class), 83% not from Virginia, 93%
of freshmen return.

ACT SUM 57 (=SAT SUM 2530)

University of Missouri--Rolla. 1870, public university and engineering
college, $9222 in state, $17136 out of state; 1872 applied, 97% accepted,
41% yield, middle half scored 26-31 ACT, 51% in top tenth of class, 3
external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 30% not from Missouri, 79%
of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2510

Southwestern University (Tex.). 1840, private, United Methodist, $20660;
shares applicants most often with Texas--Austin, Trinity (Tex.), Texas A&M,
Austin College, Baylor; 1458 applied, 72% accepted, 36% yield, middle half
scored 1160-1350 SAT, 55% in top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit
Scholars (0.8% of class), 7% not from Texas, 84% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2500

Furman University. 1826, private, $23114; shares applicants most often with
Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, North Carolina--Chapel Hill, Clemson, Univ. of
South Carolina; 3270 applied, 67% accepted, 32% yield, middle half scored
1150-1350 SAT, 58% in top tenth of class, 11 external National Merit
Scholars (1.5% of class), 69% not from South Carolina, 90% of freshmen
return.

SAT SUM 2490

Lehigh University. 1865, private, $29780; shares applicants most often with
Penn State, Bucknell, Cornell Univ., Univ. of Pennsylvania, Lafayette; 8384
applied, 52% accepted, 26% yield, middle half scored 1150-1340 SAT, 54% in
top tenth of class, 4 external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 73%
not from Pennsylvania, 93% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank
49th among national universities.

Lewis and Clark College. 1867, private, Presbyterian, $26534; shares
applicants most often with Puget Sound, Univ. of Oregon, Reed, Willamette,
California--Santa Cruz, Whitman; 3349 applied, 67% accepted, 19% yield,
middle half scored 1150-1340 SAT (test scores not required, 72% submitted
SAT), 40% in top tenth of class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (1.2% of
class), 75% not from Oregon, 81% of freshmen return.

Manhattanville College. 1841, private, $26860; shares applicants most often
with SUNY--Purchase, Vassar, Sarah Lawrence, Fairfield, Manhattan College;
1512 applied, 62% accepted, 36% yield, middle half scored 1030-1460 SAT,
percent in top tenth of class N/A, no National Merit Scholars, 34% not from
New York, 76% of freshmen return.

St. Mary's College of Maryland. 1840, public, $13145 in state, $17845 out of
state; shares applicants most often with Maryland--College Park, Loyola
(Md.), James Madison, Mary Washington, William and Mary; 1485 applied, 66%
accepted, 34% yield, middle half scored 1150-1340 SAT, 48% in top tenth of
class, no National Merit Scholars, 19% not from Maryland, 87% of freshmen
return.

ACT SUM 56 (=SAT SUM 2490)

Hendrix College. 1876, private, United Methodist, $16055; shares applicants
most often with Arkansas, Rhodes, Central Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Washington
Univ.; 1077 applied, 83% accepted, 35% yield, middle half scored 25-31 ACT,
54% in top tenth of class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (1.6% of
class), 36% not from Arkansas, 80% of freshmen return.

Illinois Institute of Technology. 1890, private, $22850; shares applicants
most often with MIT, Illinois--Urbana, Caltech, Georgia Tech, Northwestern;
3041 applied, 61% accepted, 15% yield, middle half scored 26-30 ACT, 61% in
top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars (1.1% of class), 43%
not from Illinois, 83% of freshmen return.

Illinois Wesleyan University. 1850, private, United Methodist, $24350;
shares applicants most often with Illinois--Urbana, Northwestern, Washington
Univ., Augustana, Univ. of Chicago; 2631 applied, 59% accepted, 34% yield,
middle half scored 26-30 ACT, 52% in top tenth of class, 3 external National
Merit Scholars (0.6% of class), 13% not from Illinois, 92% of freshmen
return.

SAT SUM 2480

American University. 1893, private, United Methodist, $28355; shares
applicants most often with George Washington, Boston Univ., Georgetown, NYU,
Maryland--College Park; 6542 applied, 75% accepted, 26% yield, middle half
scored 1180-1300 SAT, 30% in top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit
Scholars (0.2% of class), 97% not from D.C., 86% of freshmen return.

Hampshire College. 1965, private, $32022; shares applicants most often with
Bard, Sarah Lawrence, Oberlin, NYU, Brown; 1865 applied, 64% accepted, 26%
yield, middle half scored 1120-1360 SAT (test scores not required, 77%
submitted SAT), 36% in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit
Scholars (0.6% of class), 86% not from Massachusetts, 74% of freshmen
return.

Thomas Aquinas College (Calif.). 1971, private, Roman Catholic, $20200; 187
applied, 61% accepted, 76% yield, middle half scored 1130-1350 SAT, 35% in
top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 58% not from California, 82%
of freshmen return.

University of California--San Diego. 1959, public, $11008 in state, $21182
out of state; shares applicants most often with California--Berkeley, UCLA,
California--Santa Barbara, Stanford, San Diego State; 28091 applied, 48%
accepted, 25% yield, middle half scored 1140-1340 SAT, 96% in top tenth of
class, 11 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 5% not from
California, 93% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 25th among
national universities.

University of Puget Sound. 1888, private, $25875; shares applicants most
often with Univ. of Washington, Lewis and Clark, Willamette, Whitman,
Colorado College; 4125 applied, 77% accepted, 22% yield, middle half scored
1140-1340 SAT, 46% in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars
(0.3% of class), 73% not from Washington, 85% of freshmen return.

University of Southern California. 1880, private, $29918; shares applicants
most often with UCLA, California--Berkeley, California--Santa Barbara,
California--San Diego, California--Irvine; 21399 applied, 45% accepted, 31%
yield, middle half scored 1140-1340 SAT, 61% in top tenth of class, 34
external National Merit Scholars (1.1% of class), 35% not from California,
92% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 39th among national
universities.

SAT SUM 2470

College of New Jersey. 1855, public, $12015 in state, $15332 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Rutgers, Villanova, Delaware, Penn State,
Princeton; 5603 applied, 56% accepted, 38% yield, middle half scored
1140-1330 SAT, 59% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 4% not
from New Jersey, 93% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2460

Pepperdine University. 1937, private, Church of Christ, $30080; shares
applicants most often with USC, UCLA, California-Santa Barbara, Univ. of San
Diego, Loyola Marymount; 4851 applied, 46% accepted, 30% yield, middle half
scored 1090-1370 SAT, 56% in top tenth of class, no external National Merit
Scholars, 44% not from California, 84% of freshmen return.

ACT SUM 55 (=SAT SUM 2455)

Brigham Young University--Provo. 1875, private, Mormon, $7180; shares
applicants most often with Ricks, Utah, BYU-Hawaii, Utah State, Arizona
State; 7937 applied, 77% accepted, 92% yield, middle half scored 25-30 ACT,
54% in top tenth of class, 37 external National Merit Scholars (0.7% of
class), 76% not from Utah, 88% of freshmen return.

Colorado School of Mines. 1874, public engineering college, $10163 in state,
$20489 out of state; shares applicants most often with Colorado--Boulder,
Colorado State, MIT, Texas A&M, Texas--Austin; 1950 applied, 77% accepted,
37% yield, middle half scored 25-30 ACT, 59% in top tenth of class, 4
external National Merit Scholars (0.7% of class), 24% not from Colorado, 84%
of freshmen return.

Kalamazoo College. 1833, private, American Baptist, $24975; shares
applicants most often with Michigan--Ann Arbor, Albion, Michigan State,
Northwestern, Hope; 1216 applied, 88% accepted, 41% yield, middle half
scored 25-30 ACT, 42% in top tenth of class, 5 external National Merit
Scholars (1.1% of class), 26% not from Michigan, 86% of freshmen return.

Lawrence University. 1847, private liberal arts and music college, $25644;
shares applicants most often with Wisconsin--Madison, Macalester,
Northwestern, Oberlin, Grinnell; 1256 applied, 82% accepted, 34% yield,
middle half scored 25-30 ACT, 43% in top tenth of class, 4 external National
Merit Scholars (1.1% of class), 53% not from Wisconsin, 85% of freshmen
return; U.S. News selectivity rank 48th among national liberal arts
colleges.

Truman State University. 1867, public, $7962 in state, $10762 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Missouri, St. Louis, Southwest Missouri
State, Illinois--Urbana, Washington Univ.; 4952 applied, 78% accepted, 38%
yield, middle half scored 25-30 ACT, 45% in top tenth of class, 1 external
National Merit Scholar (0.1% of class), 27% not from Missouri, 85% of
freshmen return.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 1867, public, $10306 in state,
$17398 out of state; shares applicants most often with Northwestern,
Michigan--Ann Arbor, Wisconsin--Madison, Purdue, Illinois--Chicago; 17961
applied, 71% accepted, 51% yield, middle half scored 25-30 ACT, 49% in top
tenth of class, 23 external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 8% not
from Illinois, 92% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 41st among
national universities.

SAT SUM 2450

University of Dallas. 1956, private, Roman Catholic, $19866; shares
applicants most often with Texas--Austin, Texas--Dallas, Texas A&M, North
Texas, Baylor; 902 applied, 82% accepted, 40% yield, middle half scored
1110-1340 SAT (test scores not required, 86% submitted SAT), 46% in top
tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.3% of class), 43% not
from Texas, 83% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2440

George Washington University. 1821, private, $31585; shares applicants most
often with Boston Univ., Georgetown, American Univ., NYU, Maryland--College
Park; 13086 applied, 49% accepted, 28% yield, middle half scored 1120-1320
SAT, 41% in top tenth of class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of
class), 96% not from D.C., 89% of freshmen return.

Scripps College. 1926, private women's college, $28840; shares applicants
most often with UCLA, California--San Diego, California--Berkeley, USC,
Claremont McKenna; 1045 applied, 78% accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored
1120-1320 SAT, 44% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar
(0.4% of class), 54% not from California, 88% of freshmen return.

Union College (N.Y.). 1795, private, $30573; shares applicants most often
with Hamilton, Colgate, Lafayette, Trinity (Conn.), Cornell Univ.; 3600
applied, 48% accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 1130-1310 SAT (SAT-II
may substitute for SAT-I, 97% submitted SAT-I), 47% in top tenth of class,
no National Merit Scholars, 54% not from New York, 92% of freshmen return;
U.S. News selectivity rank 49th among national liberal arts colleges.

University of Florida. 1853, public, $7250 in state, $16620 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Florida State, Central Florida, Miami,
Georgia, North Carolina--Chapel Hill; 18411 applied, 61% accepted, 51%
yield, middle half scored 1120-1320 SAT, 56% in top tenth of class, 18
external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 5% not from Florida, 91%
of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 46th among national
universities.

Villanova University. 1842, private, Roman Catholic, $28659; shares
applicants most often with Penn State, Boston College, Lehigh, Loyola (Md.),
Georgetown; 9278 applied, 62% accepted, 28% yield, middle half scored
1140-1300 SAT, 38% in top tenth of class, 8 external National Merit Scholars
(0.5% of class), 72% not from Pennsylvania, 93% of freshmen return.

Willamette University. 1842, private, United Methodist, $27522; shares
applicants most often with Puget Sound, Lewis and Clark, Whitman, Univ. of
Oregon, Washington State; 1638 applied, 89% accepted, 28% yield, middle half
scored 1110-1330 SAT, 46% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit
Scholar (0.2% of class), 53% not from Oregon, 89% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2430

Lafayette College. 1826, private, Presbyterian, $30035; shares applicants
most often with Bucknell, Lehigh, Colgate, Cornell Univ.; 4478 applied, 54%
accepted, 25% yield, middle half scored 1120-1310 SAT, 41% in top tenth of
class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.2% of class), 74% not from
Pennsylvania, 90% of freshmen return.

State University of New York--Binghamton Univ. 1946, public, $9932 in state,
$14832 out of state; shares applicants most often with SUNY--Albany, NYU,
SUNY--Stony Brook, Cornell Univ., SUNY--Buffalo; 17084 applied, 41%
accepted, 28% yield, middle half scored 1120-1310 SAT, 53% in top tenth of
class, no National Merit Scholars, 4% not from New York, 91% of freshmen
return.

Wheaton College (Mass.). 1834, private, $29880; shares applicants most often
with Skidmore, Connecticut College, Hobart and William Smith, Clark, Boston
Univ.; 2417 applied, 72% accepted, 25% yield, middle half scored 1110-1320
SAT (test scores not required, 24% submitted SAT), 25% in top tenth of
class, no National Merit Scholars, 65% not from Massachusetts, 84% of
freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2420

Oglethorpe University. 1835, private, $22000; shares applicants most often
with Georgia, Emory, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Mercer; 794 applied, 76%
accepted, 35% yield, middle half scored 1110-1310 SAT, 50% in top tenth of
class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.5% of class), 45% not from
Georgia, 80% of freshmen return.

ACT SUM 54 (=SAT SUM 2420)

Centre College. 1819, private, Presbyterian, $27850; shares applicants most
often with Kentucky, Transylvania, Georgetown, Rhodes, Univ. of the South;
1219 applied, 86% accepted, 28% yield, middle half scored 25-29 ACT, 53% in
top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.3% of class), 34%
not from Kentucky, 85% of freshmen return.

Knox College. 1837, private, $25116; shares applicants most often with
Illinois--Urbana, Northwestern, Grinnell, Washington Univ., Beloit; 1514
applied, 75% accepted, 24% yield, middle half scored 24-30 ACT, 50% in top
tenth of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars (1.1% of class), 50% not
from Illinois, 84% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2410

Austin College. 1849, private, Presbyterian,$20187; shares applicants most
often with Trinity (Tex.), Southwestern Univ. (Tex.), Rice, Texas--Austin,
Southern Methodist; 1046 applied, 74% accepted, 45% yield, middle half
scored 1100-1310 SAT, 49% in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit
Scholars (0.6% of class), 10% not from Texas, 84% of freshmen return.

Bennington College. 1932, private, $28150; shares applicants most often with
Bard, Hampshire, Smith, Sarah Lawrence, Oberlin; 683 applied, 61% accepted,
31% yield, middle half scored 1090-1320 SAT, 35% in top tenth of class, no
National Merit Scholars, 95% not from Vermont, 78% of freshmen return.

Christendom College. 1977, private, Roman Catholic, $15480; 135 applied, 94%
accepted, 53% yield, middle half scored 1090-1320 SAT, 37% in top tenth of
class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (1.5% of class), 78% not from
Virginia, 88% of freshmen return.

Drew University. 1867, private, United Methodist, $29572; shares applicants
most often with Rutgers, Trenton State, Princeton, Franklin and Marshall,
NYU; 2361 applied, 74% accepted, 20% yield, middle half scored 1090-1320
SAT, 48% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 48% not from New
Jersey, 89% of freshmen return.

Pennsylvania State University--University Park Campus. 1855, public, costs
N/A; shares applicants most often with Pittsburgh, Indiana Univ. of
Pennsylvania, Temple, Delaware, Rutgers; 23262 applied, 47% accepted, 38%
yield, middle half scored 1100-1310 SAT, 48% in top tenth of class, 12
external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 42% not from Pennsylvania,
93% of freshmen return.

State University of New York -- Genesco. 1871, public, $9010 in state,
$13910 out of state; shares applicants most often with SUNY--Binghamton,
Cornell Univ., Univ. of Rochester, SUNY--Buffalo, Boston College; 8396
applied, 50% accepted, 28% yield, middle half scored 1130-1280 SAT, 48% in
top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 2% not from New York, 91% of
freshmen return.

University of Maryland--College Park. 1856, public, $11015 in state, $17903
out of state; shares applicants most often with Penn State,
Maryland--Baltimore, Delaware, Towson State, Virginia Tech; 16837 applied,
64% accepted, 38% yield, middle half scored 1100-1310 SAT, 41% in top tenth
of class, 10 external National Merit Scholars (0.2% of class), 35% not from
Maryland, 87% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2400

Skidmore College. 1903, private, $31209; shares applicants most often with
Vassar, Colgate, Oberlin, Smith, Hamilton; 5444 applied, 49% accepted, 22%
yield, middle half scored 1120-1280 SAT, 28% in top tenth of class, no
National Merit Scholars, 74% not from New York, 89% of freshmen return.

University of Texas at Austin. 1883, public, $7982 in state, $14462 out of
state; shares applicants most often with Texas A&M, Baylor, Texas Tech,
Rice, Southwest Texas State; 16778 applied, 71% accepted, 56% yield, middle
half scored 1090-1310 SAT, 44% in top tenth of class, 53 external National
Merit Scholars (0.8% of class), 6% not from Texas, 88% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2390

Agnes Scott College. 1889, private women's college, Presbyterian, $22685;
shares applicants most often with Georgia, Emory, Smith, Duke, Tulane; 720
applied, 75% accepted, 38% yield, middle half scored 1080-1310 SAT, 48% in
top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.5% of class), 51%
not from Georgia, 81% of freshmen return.

Denison University. 1831, private, $27450; shares applicants most often with
Miami (Oh.), Wittenberg, Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, College of Wooster; 2821
applied, 76% accepted, 29% yield, middle half scored 1100-1290 SAT, 41% in
top tenth of class, 6 external National Merit Scholars (1.0% of class), 58%
not from Ohio, 83% of freshmen return.

DePauw University. 1837, private liberal arts and music college, United
Methodist, $24920; shares applicants most often with Indiana--Bloomington,
Denison, Miami (Oh.), Northwestern, Butler; 1762 applied, 76% accepted, 44%
yield, middle half scored 1090-1300 SAT, 47% in top tenth of class, 3
external National Merit Scholars (0.5% of class), 50% not from Indiana, 88%
of freshmen return.

Gettysburg College. 1832, private, Lutheran, $29676; shares applicants most
often with Bucknell, Dickinson, Franklin and Marshall, Lafayette, Richmond;
3641 applied, 72% accepted, 24% yield, middle half scored 1110-1280 SAT, 42%
in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 72% not from
Pennsylvania, 87% of freshmen return.

Mary Washington College. 1908, public, $8502 in state, $14932 out of state;
shares applicants most often with James Madison, Univ. of Virginia, William
and Mary, Richmond, Virginia Tech; 4591 applied, 53% accepted, 34% yield,
middle half scored 1110-1280 SAT, 44% in top tenth of class, no National
Merit Scholars, 38% not from Virginia, 83% of freshmen return.

University of Georgia. 1785, public, $7936 in state, $15178 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Georgia Tech, Emory, Auburn, North
Carolina--Chapel Hill, Clemson; 12728 applied, 66% accepted, 52% yield,
middle half scored 1100-1290 SAT, 53% in top tenth of class, 10 external
National Merit Scholars (0.2% of class), 10% not from Georgia, 87% of
freshmen return.

Wabash College. 1832, private men's college, $22710; shares applicants most
often with Indiana--Bloomington, Purdue, Butler, DePauw, Hanover; 767
applied, 73% accepted, 40% yield, middle half scored 1080-1310 SAT, 38% in
top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.5% of class), 30%
not from Indiana, 83% of freshmen return

SAT SUM 2380

Dickinson College. 1773, private, $29760; shares applicants most often with
Penn State, Bucknell, Gettysburg, Franklin and Marshall, Lafayette; 3030
applied, 74% accepted, 24% yield, middle half scored 1100-1280 SAT (test
scores not required, 86% submitted SAT), 45% in top tenth of class, no
National Merit Scholars, 55% not from Pennsylvania, 88% of freshmen return.

Earlham College. 1847, private, Quaker, $25082; shares applicants most often
with Oberlin, Macalester, Kenyon, Grinnell, College of Wooster; 1178
applied, 82% accepted, 32% yield, middle half scored 1060-1320 SAT, 37% in
top tenth of class, no external National Merit Scholars, 71% not from
Indiana, 84% of freshmen return.

Loyola College in Maryland. 1852, private liberal arts and business college,
Roman Catholic, $25560; 5816 applied, 67% accepted, 22% yield, middle half
scored 1090-1290 SAT, 33% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit
Scholar (0.1% of class), 77% not from Maryland, 93% of freshmen return.

ACT SUM 53 (= SAT SUM 2380)

Beloit College. 1846, private, $25068; shares applicants most often with
Grinnell, Macalester, Knox, Earlham, Oberlin; 1472 applied, 70% accepted,
29% yield, middle half scored 24-29 ACT, 40% in top tenth of class, 2
external National Merit Scholars (0.7% of class), 81% not from Wisconsin,
93% of freshmen return.

Birmingham-Southern College. 1856, private, United Methodist, $20958; shares
applicants most often with Alabama, Rhodes, Alabama-Birmingham, Auburn,
Samford; 757 applied, 96% accepted, 43% yield, middle half scored 24-29 ACT,
46% in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.6% of
class), 22% not from Alabama, 89% of freshmen return.

St. Olaf College. 1874, private, Evangelical Lutheran, $22570; shares
applicants most often with Gustavus Adolphus, Luther, Minnesota,
Wisconsin--Madison, Carleton; 2252 applied, 83% accepted, 40% yield, middle
half scored 24-29 ACT, 46% in top tenth of class, 6 external National Merit
Scholars (0.8% of class), 45% not from Minnesota, 89% of freshmen return.

University of Missouri--Columbia. 1839, public, $8370 in state, $15015 out
of state; shares applicants most often with Kansas, Illinois--Urbana,
Indiana--Bloomington, Washington Univ., Missouri--Rolla; 8782 applied, 81%
accepted, 54% yield, middle half scored 24-29 ACT, 33% in top tenth of
class, 4 external National Merit Scholars (0.1% of class), 18% not from
Missouri, 83% of freshmen return.

Wittenberg University. 1845, private, Evangelical Lutheran, $26112; shares
applicants most often with Miami (Oh.), Denison, College of Wooster, DePauw,
Ohio Wesleyan; 2487 applied, 92% accepted, 27% yield, middle half scored
25-28 ACT, 38% in top tenth of class, no external National Merit Scholars,
35% not from Ohio, 84% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2370

Syracuse University. 1870, private, $28184; shares applicants most often
with Boston Univ., NYU, Penn State, Cornell Univ., Massachusetts; 12115
applied, 58% accepted, 37% yield, middle half scored 1080-1290 SAT, 33% in
top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.0% of class), 56%
not from New York, 90% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2360

Allegheny College. 1815, private, United Methodist, $25660; shares
applicants most often with Penn State, Pittsburgh, Bucknell, Washington and
Jefferson, College of Wooster; 2951 applied, 82% accepted, 22% yield, middle
half scored 1090-1270 SAT, 40% in top tenth of class, no external National
Merit Scholars, 46% not from Pennsylvania, 85% of freshmen return.

Emerson College. 1880, private, communications and performing arts college,
$27956; 2850 applied, 63% accepted, 34% yield, middle half scored 1090-1270
SAT, 17% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 74% not from
Massachusetts, 81% of freshmen return.

Eugene Lang College, New School Univ. 1978, private, $28877; shares
applicants most often with Sarah Lawrence, NYU, Bard, Hampshire, Fordham;
503 applied, 60% accepted, 36% yield, middle half scored 1050-1310 SAT, 6%
in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 58% not from New York,
63% of freshmen return.

Occidental College. 1887, private, $29338; shares applicants most often with
Pomona, USC, UCLA, Claremont McKenna, California--San Diego; 2557 applied,
64% accepted, 23% yield, middle half scored 1060-1300 SAT, 43% in top tenth
of class, no external National Merit Scholars, 45% not from California, 88%
of freshmen return.

Ohio Wesleyan University. 1842, private, United methodist, $27500; shares
applicants most often with Denison, College of Wooster, Wittenberg, Miami
(Oh.), Ohio State; 2021 applied, 85% accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored
1060-1300 SAT, 35% in top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars
(0.6% of class), 46% not from Ohio, 79% of freshmen return.

Randolph-Macon Woman's College. 1891, private women's college, United
Methodist, $24090; shares applicants most often with Sweet Briar, Hollins,
Mary Washington, William and Mary, Univ. of Virginia; 634 applied, 89%
accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 1060-1300 SAT, 41% in top tenth of
class, no National Merit Scholars, 64% not from Virginia, 78% of freshmen
return.

SAT SUM 2350

College of Wooster. 1866, private, Presbyterian, $25950; shares applicants
most often with Denison, Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, Miami (Oh.), Wittenberg;
2093 applied, 83% accepted, 29% yield, middle half scored 1060-1290 SAT, 34%
in top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars (0.6% of class),
47% not from Ohio, 84% of freshmen return.

James Madison University. 1908, public, $9108 in state, $14714 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Univ. of Virginia, Virginia Tech, William
and Mary, George Mason, Radford; 13157 applied, 59% accepted, 38% yield,
middle half scored 1090-1260 SAT, percent in top tenth of class N/A, no
National Merit Scholars, 31% not from Virginia, 91% of freshmen return.

Marlboro College. 1946, private, $26310; shares applicants most often with
Hampshire, Bard, Bennington, Evergreen State, Sarah Lawrence; 345 applied,
71% accepted, 29% yield, middle half scored 1030-1320 SAT, 12% in top tenth
of class, no National Merit Scholars, 85% not from Vermont, 72% of freshmen
return.

Pitzer College. 1963, private, $30336; shares applicants most often with
California--San Diego, UCLA, Claremont McKenna, California--Santa Barbara,
Pomona; 1831 applied, 64% accepted, 18% yield, middle half scored 1060-1290
SAT, 34% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 50% not from
California, 81% of freshmen return.

Santa Clara University. 1851, private, Roman Catholic, $26430; shares
applicants most often with California-Davis, California--Berkeley, UCLA,
California--Santa Barbara, California-San Diego; 5653 applied, 68% accepted,
27% yield, middle half scored 1080-1270 SAT, 36% in top tenth of class, 1
external National Merit Scholar (0.1% of class), 39% not from California,
92% of freshmen return.

Wofford College. 1854, private, United Methodist, $21580; shares applicants
most often with Furman, Clemson, Univ. of South Carolina, College of
Charleston, Presbyterian; 1252 applied, 85% accepted, 28% yield, middle half
scored 1070-1280 SAT, 48% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit
Scholar (0.3% of class), 36% not from South Carolina, 88% of freshmen
return.

Yeshiva University. 1886, private, costs N/A; 1636 applied, 79% accepted,
52% yield, middle half scored 1060-1290 SAT, percent in top tenth of class
N/A, 3 external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 51% not from New
York, 84% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2340

Catholic University of America. 1887, private, Roman Catholic, $26737;
shares applicants most often with Loyola (Md.), Villanova, Georgetown,
Boston College, George Washington; 2140 applied, 82% accepted, 35% yield,
middle half scored 1060-1280 SAT, 38% in top tenth of class, no National
Merit Scholars, 96% not from D.C., 85% of freshmen return.

Goucher College. 1885, private, $27610; shares applicants most often with
Towson State, Maryland--College Park, Loyola (Md.), Skidmore; 1951 applied,
79% accepted, 20% yield, middle half scored 1060-1280 SAT, 29% in top tenth
of class, no National Merit Scholars, 64% not from Maryland, 82% of freshmen
return.

Houghton College. 1883, private, Wesleyan, $18890; shares applicants most
often with Messiah, Grove City, Gordon, Wheaton (Ill.), Roberts Wesleyan;
960 applied, 86% accepted, 38% yield, middle half scored 1050-1290 SAT, 40%
in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 44% not from New York,
88% of freshmen return.

Texas A&M University--College Station. 1876, public, $7538 in state, $12722
out of state; shares applicants most often with Texas--Austin, Baylor, Texas
Tech, Southwest Texas State, Rice; 13258 applied, 86% accepted, 64% yield,
middle half scored 1070-1270 SAT, 45% in top tenth of class, 38 external
National Merit Scholars (0.5% of class), 5% not from Texas, 88% of freshmen
return.

ACT SUM 52 (= SAT SUM 2340)

Augustana College (Ill.). 1860, private, Evangelical Lutheran, $22224; 2337
applied, 77% accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 23-29 ACT, 36% in top
tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.2% of class), 15% not
from Illinois, 86% of freshmen return.

Calvin College. 1876, private, Christian Reformed Church, $18095; shares
applicants most often with Hope, Grand Valley State, Dordt, Wheaton (Ill.),
Michigan--Ann Arbor; 1842 applied, 99% accepted, 54% yield, middle half
scored 23-29 ACT, 31% in top tenth of class, 4 external National Merit
Scholars (0.4% of class), 43% not from Michigan, 85% of freshmen return.

Miami University--Oxford. 1809, public, $11056 in state, $17516 out of
state; shares applicants most often with Ohio Univ., Ohio State,
Indiana--Bloomington, Dayton, Notre Dame; 11862 applied, 78% accepted, 37%
yield, middle half scored 24-28 ACT, 33% in top tenth of class, 3 external
National Merit Scholars (0.1% of class), 27% not from Ohio, 90% of freshmen
return.

Millsaps College. 1890, private, United Methodist, $21135; shares applicants
most often with Univ. of Mississippi, Mississippi State, Rhodes, Mississippi
College, Univ. of the South; 833 applied, 89% accepted, 39% yield, middle
half scored 23-29 ACT, 40% in top tenth of class, no National Merit
Scholars, 52% not from Mississippi, 83% of freshmen return.

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. 1889, public, $5854 in state,
$10854 out of state; shares applicants most often with New Mexico State, New
Mexico, Colorado School of Mines, MIT, Albuquerque Tech. and Voc.; 867
applied, 69% accepted, 38% yield, middle half scored 23-29 ACT, 27% in top
tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.5% of class), 27% not
from New Mexico, 71% of freshmen return.

Valparaiso University. 1859, private, Lutheran--Missouri Synod, $21086; 3018
applied, 80% accepted, 32% yield, middle half scored 23-29 ACT, 45% in top
tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.1% of class), 70% not
from Indiana, 88% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2330

Eckerd College. 1958, private, Presbyterian, $23180; shares applicants most
often with Univ. of Florida, South Florida, Rollins, Stetson, Florida
Institute of Tech.; 1773 applied, 76% accepted, 31% yield, middle half
scored 1040-1290 SAT, 27% in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit
Scholars (0.5% of class), 70% not from Florida, 78% of freshmen return.

Muhlenberg College. 1848, private, Lutheran, $25475; shares applicants most
often with Lafayette, Bucknell, Franklin and Marshall, Dickinson, Lehigh;
3037 applied, 65% accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored 1080-1250 SAT
(test scores not required, 87% submitted SAT), 32% in top tenth of class, no
National Merit Scholars, 67% not from Pennsylvania, 93% of freshmen return.

Providence College. 1917, private, Roman Catholic, $25300; 4571 applied, 70%
accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 1070-1260 SAT, 34% in top tenth of
class, 3 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 85% not from
Rhode Island, 92% of freshmen return.

Rochester Institute of Technology. 1829, private, $24489; shares applicants
most often with Buffalo, Rensselaer, Clarkson, Syracuse, Rochester; 7151
applied, 78% accepted, 40% yield, middle half scored 1060-1270 SAT, 28% in
top tenth of class, no external National Merit Scholars, 45% not from New
York, 85% of freshmen return.

Rutgers, The State Univ. of New Jersey--Rutgers College. 1766, public,
$12337 in state, $17267 out of state; shares applicants most often with
College of New Jersey, Montclair State, NYU, Penn State, Rowan; 23183
applied, 63% accepted, 35% yield, middle half scored 1050-1280 SAT, 33% in
top tenth of class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (0.1% of class), 13%
not from New Jersey, 90% of freshmen return.

University of California--Santa Barbara. 1909, public, $11273 in state,
$21267 out of state; shares applicants most often with UCLA, California-San
Diego, California--Berkeley, California--Davis, California-Irvine; 23696
applied, 61% accepted, 25% yield, middle half scored 1060-1270 SAT, 95% in
top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars (0.1% of class), 6%
not from California, 87% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 40th
among national universities.

SAT SUM 2320

Ithaca College. 1892, private liberal arts and health science college,
$26366; shares applicants most often with Syracuse, Boston Univ., NYU, Univ.
of Massachusetts, Penn State; 8105 applied, 70% accepted, 24% yield, middle
half scored 1060-1260 SAT, 31% in top tenth of class, 4 external National
Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 54% not from New York, 85% of freshmen
return.

University of California--Davis. 1905, public, $11335 in state, $21657 out
of state; shares applicants most often with California--Berkeley, UCLA,
California-San Diego, California-Santa Barbara, California-Irvine; 20753
applied, 66% accepted, 26% yield, middle half scored 1040-1280 SAT, 95% in
top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.1% of class), 3%
not from California, 90% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 42nd
among national universities.

Ursinus College. 1869, private, United Church of Christ, $26450; shares
applicants most often with Gettysburg, Muhlenberg, Villanova, Penn State,
Franklin and Marshall; 1722 applied, 76% accepted, 26% yield, middle half
scored 1060-1260 SAT, 40% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit
Scholar (0.3% of class), 30% not from Pennsylvania, 92% of freshmen return.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. 1872, public, $8383 in
state, $17400 out of state; shares applicants most often with Univ. of
Virginia, James Madison, William and Mary, George Mason, Radford; 16109
applied, 74% accepted, 39% yield, middle half scored 1060-1260 SAT, 31% in
top tenth of class, 6 external National Merit Scholars (0.1% of class), 26%
not from Virginia, 89% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2310

University of Colorado--Boulder. 1876, public, $8309 in state, $21089 out of
state; shares applicants most often with Univ. of Arizona, Vermont, Univ. of
Oregon, California--Santa Barbara, Wisconsin--Madison; 14146 applied, 85%
accepted, 36% yield, middle half scored 1050-1260 SAT, 24% in top tenth of
class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (0.1% of class), 45% not from
Colorado, 81% of freshmen return.

University of Miami (Fla.). 1925, private, $29132; shares applicants most
often with Univ. of Florida, Florida State, Florida International, Central
Florida, Boston Univ.; 11440 applied, 59% accepted, 27% yield, middle half
scored 1040-1270 SAT, 45% in top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit
Scholars (0.2% of class), 47% not from Florida, 81% of freshmen return.

University of Washington. 1861, public, $9482 in state, $17873 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Washington State, Western Washington,
California--Berkeley, Univ. of Oregon, Puget Sound; 13330 applied, 66%
accepted, 48% yield, middle half scored 1030-1280 SAT, 37% in top tenth of
class, 19 external National Merit Scholars (0.5% of class), 12% not from
Washington, 90% of freshmen return.

ACT SUM 51 (= SAT SUM 2305)

Albertson College. 1891, private, $20480; shares applicants most often with
Idaho, Boise State, Univ. of Washington, Puget Sound, Whitman; 772 applied,
86% accepted, 34% yield, middle half scored 22-29 ACT, 39% in top tenth of
class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.4% of class), 29% not from
Idaho, 81% of freshmen return.

Gustavus Adolphus College. 1862, private, Evangelical Lutheran, $21750;
shares applicants most often with St. Olaf, Minnesota, Wisconsin--Madison,
Luther, Carleton; 1895 applied, 82% accepted, 45% yield, middle half scored
23-28 ACT, 38% in top tenth of class, 7 external National Merit Scholars
(1.0% of class), 26% not from Minnesota, 90% of freshmen return.

Hope College. 1862, private, Reformed Church, $21054; shares applicants most
often with Michigan State, Calvin, Albion, Grand Valley State, Alma; 2031
applied, 93% accepted, 40% yield, middle half scored 23-28 ACT, 35% in top
tenth of class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 21% not
from Michigan, 86% of freshmen return.

Luther College. 1861, private, Evangelical Lutheran, $21100; 1704 applied,
90% accepted, 44% yield, middle half scored 23-28 ACT, 36% in top tenth of
class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 60% not from
Iowa, 88% of freshmen return.

Marquette University. 1881, private, Roman Catholic, $22298; shares
applicants most often with Wisconsin-Madison, Illinois--Urbana, St. Louis,
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Notre Dame; 5843 applied, 87% accepted, 34% yield,
middle half scored 23-28 ACT, 33% in top tenth of class, 2 external National
Merit Scholars (0.1% of class), 59% not from Wisconsin, 88% of freshmen
return.

St. Louis University. 1818, private, Roman Catholic, $23168; shares
applicants most often with Missouri, Truman State, Marquette, Washington
Univ., Creighton; 4732 applied, 69% accepted, 39% yield, middle half scored
23-28 ACT, 33% in top tenth of class, no external National Merit Scholars,
46% not from Missouri, 85% of freshmen return.

University of Wisconsin--Madison. 1849, public, $8900 in state, $17650 out
of state; shares applicants most often with Michigan--Ann Arbor,
Northwestern, Illinois--Urbana, Indiana--Bloomington, Boston Univ.; 16467
applied, 73% accepted, 46% yield, middle half scored 23-28 ACT, 46% in top
tenth of class, 28 external National Merit Scholars (0.5% of class), 35% not
from Wisconsin, 91% of freshmen return; U.S. News selectivity rank 45th
among national universities.

SAT SUM 2300

Alfred University. 1836, private, $27164; shares applicants most often with
SUNY--Genesco, Syracuse, Rochester Inst. of Technology, Ithaca, Clarkson;
1942 applied, 84% accepted, 34% yield, middle half scored 1050-1250 SAT, 27%
in top tenth of class, no external National Merit Scholars, 37% not from New
York, 82% of freshmen return.

Fordham University. 1841, private, Roman Catholic, $27550; shares applicants
most often with NYU, SUNY, Boston College, Manhattan College, St. John's
(N.Y.); 7630 applied, 65% accepted, 33% yield, middle half scored 1050-1250
SAT, 30% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.1% of
class), 40% not from New York, 88% of freshmen return.

Gordon College. 1889, private, nondenominational Christian, $21470; shares
applicants most often with Univ. of Massachusetts, Messiah, Wheaton (Ill.),
Boston Univ., Houghton; 971 applied, 81% accepted, 53% yield, middle half
scored 1040-1260 SAT, 29% in top tenth of class, 2 external National Merit
Scholars (0.5% of class), 70% not from Massachusetts, 84% of freshmen
return.

Guilford College. 1837, private, Quaker, $21740; shares applicants most
often with Elon, Earlham, North Carolina--Chapel Hill, North
Carolina--Greensboro, Hampshire; 1347 applied, 76% accepted, 31% yield,
middle half scored 1030-1270 SAT, 19% in top tenth of class, no National
Merit Scholars, 78% not from North Carolina, 78% of freshmen return.

Hollins University. 1842, private women's college, $22835; shares applicants
most often with Univ. of Virginia, James Madison, Sweet Briar, Virginia
Tech, Mary Washington; 650 applied, 83% accepted, 38% yield, middle half
scored 1040-1260 SAT, 26% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit
Scholar (0.5% of class), 72% not from Virginia, 79% of freshmen return.

Southern Methodist University. 1911, private, United Methodist, $25411;
shares applicants most often with Texas--Austin, Texas Christian,
Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Tulane; 4133 applied, 90% accepted, 35% yield, middle
half scored 1030-1270 SAT, 34% in top tenth of class, 5 external National
Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 37% not from Texas, 85% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2290

Gonzaga University. 1887, private, Roman Catholic, $22160; 1841 applied, 87%
accepted, 35% yield, middle half scored 1030-1260 SAT, 31% in top tenth of
class, 2 external National Merit Scholars (0.4% of class), 55% not from
Washington, 88% of freshmen return.

Hobart and William Smith Colleges. 1822, private, Episcopal, $31224; shares
applicants most often with Skidmore, Hamilton, Vermont, Colgate, Union
(N.Y.); 2597 applied, 75% accepted, 25% yield, middle half scored 1050-1240
SAT, 25% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 48% not from New
York, 83% of freshmen return.

Ripon College. 1851, private, United Church of Christ, $22640; shares
applicants most often with Wisconsin--Madison, Beloit, Lawrence Univ., St.
Norbert; 627 applied, 82% accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 1040-1250
SAT, 29% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 27% not from
Wisconsin, 78% of freshmen return.

Rollins College. 1885, private, $28570; shares applicants most often with
Univ. of Florida, Stetson, Miami (Fla.), Tulane, Emory; 1750 applied, 73%
accepted, 36% yield, middle half scored 1040-1250 SAT, 37% in top tenth of
class, no National Merit Scholars, 50% not from Florida, 79% of freshmen
return.

SAT SUM 2280

Mills College. 1852, private women's college, $25566; shares applicants most
often with California--Berkeley, California--Santa Cruz, Scripps, Smith,
California--Davis; 474 applied, 77% accepted, 35% yield, middle half scored
1020-1260 SAT, 34% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 37%
not from California, 73% of freshmen return.

Susquehanna University. 1858, private, Lutheran, $24870; shares applicants
most often with Gettysburg, Muhlenberg, Penn State, Elizabethtown, Bucknell;
2003 applied, 79% accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored 1030-1250 SAT
(test scores not required, 96% submitted SAT), 27% in top tenth of class, no
National Merit Scholars, 39% not from Pennsylvania, 87% of freshmen return.

University of North Carolina at Asheville. 1927, public, $6139 in state,
$12759 out of state; shares applicants most often with Appalachian State,
North Carolina--Chapel Hill, North Carolina State, North
Carolina--Wilmington, Western Carolina; 1983 applied, 67% accepted, 36%
yield, middle half scored 1030-1250 SAT, 25% in top tenth of class, no
National Merit Scholars, 16% not from North Carolina, 78% of freshmen
return.

SAT SUM 2270

California Polytechnic State Univ.--San Luis Obispo. 1901, public, in state
costs N/A, $13391 out of state; 14157 applied, 38% accepted, 43% yield,
middle half scored 980-1290 SAT, 51% in top tenth of class, no National
Merit Scholars, 3% not from California, 86% of freshmen return.

Fairfield University. 1942, private, Roman Catholic, $27375; shares
applicants most often with Boston College, Villanova, Providence, Holy
Cross, Loyola (Md.); 5608 applied, 66% accepted, 24% yield, middle half
scored 1040-1230 SAT, 21% in top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit
Scholar (0.1% of class), 78% not from Connecticut, 88% of freshmen return.

Morehouse College. 1867, private historically black men's college, $18708;
shares applicants most often with Howard, Hampton, Georgia, Clark Atlanta,
Georgia Tech; 2813 applied, 64% accepted, 46% yield, middle half scored
910-1360 SAT, 42% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 77% not
from Georgia, 82% of freshmen return.

University of California--Santa Cruz. 1965, public, in state costs N/A,
$22176 out of state; shares applicants most often with California--Santa
Barbara, California--San Diego, California--Berkeley, California--Davis,
UCLA; 13866 applied, 79% accepted, 21% yield, middle half scored 1020-1250
SAT, 96% in top tenth of class, no external National Merit Scholars, 8% not
from California, 81% of freshmen return.

University of Delaware. 1743, public, $9990 in state, $18360 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Penn State, Rutgers, Maryland--College
Park, Univ. of Virginia, Virginia Tech; 15482 applied, 67% accepted, 35%
yield, middle half scored 1030-1240 SAT, 26% in top tenth of class, 2
external National Merit Scholars (0.1% of class), 66% not from Delaware, 86%
of freshmen return.

University of Pittsburgh. 1787, public, $12464 in state, $19780 out of
state; shares applicants most often with Penn State, Duquesne, Indiana Univ.
of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon, Slippery Rock; 13580 applied, 68%
accepted, 34% yield, middle half scored 1030-1240 SAT, 25% in top tenth of
class, 5 external National Merit Scholars (0.2% of class), 21% not from
Pennsylvania, 83% of freshmen return.

University of Vermont. 1791, public, $13654 in state, $24862 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Univ. of New Hampshire, Univ. of
Massachusetts, Boston Univ., Boston College, Colorado--Boulder; 7365
applied, 82% accepted, 29% yield, middle half scored 1040-1230 SAT, 17% in
top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 66% not from Vermont, 82% of
freshmen return.

ACT SUM 50 (= SAT SUM 2270)

Albion College. 1835, private, United Methodist, $23454; shares applicants
most often with Michigan State, Michigan--Ann Arbor, Hope, Alma, Kalamazoo;
1622 applied, 89% accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 22-28 ACT, 30% in
top tenth of class, 3 external National Merit Scholars (0.7% of class), 10%
not from Michigan, 83% of freshmen return.

Cornell College. 1853, private, United Methodist, $24135; shares applicants
most often with Colorado College, Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Grinnell;
1075 applied, 83% accepted, 27% yield, middle half scored 22-28 ACT, 28% in
top tenth of class, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.4% of class), 73%
not from Iowa, 74% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2260

Clark University. 1887, private, $26970; shares applicants most often with
Boston Univ., Massachusetts, Brandeis, Wheaton (Mass.), Skidmore; 3019
applied, 80% accepted, 21% yield, middle half scored 1010-1250 SAT, 29% in
top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 56% not from Massachusetts,
83% of freshmen return.

Indiana University--Bloomington. 1820, public, $9704 in state, $18412 out of
state; shares applicants most often with Purdue, Ball State,
Illinois--Urbana, Wisconsin--Madison, Univ. of Iowa; 18668 applied, 84%
accepted, 43% yield, middle half scored 1010-1250 SAT, 21% in top tenth of
class, 12 external National Merit Scholars (0.2% of class), 32% not from
Indiana, 86% of freshmen return.

Wells College. 1868, private women's college, $18400; shares applicants most
often with Mount Holyoke, SUNY--Binghamton, Elmira, Wheaton (Mass.), St.
Lawrence; 299 applied, 92% accepted, 32% yield, middle half scored 1030-1230
SAT, 40% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 26% not from New
York, 77% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2250

Evergreen State College. 1967, public, $7922 in state, $14924 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Univ. of Washington, Western Washington,
Washington State, Univ. of Oregon, California--Santa Cruz; 1649 applied, 89%
accepted, 33% yield, middle half scored 1010-1240 SAT, percent in top tenth
of class N/A, no National Merit Scholars, 45% not from Washington, percent
of freshmen returning N/A.

Warren Wilson College. 1894, private, Presbyterian, $18044; 871 applied, 80%
accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored 1020-1230 SAT, 17% in top tenth of
class, no National Merit Scholars, 76% not from North Carolina, 62% of
freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2240

Antioch College. 1852, private, $23407; shares applicants most often with
Oberlin, Evergreen State, Hampshire, Bard, Earlham; 465 applied, 85%
accepted, 30% yield, middle half scored 1030-1210 SAT (test scores not
required, 66% submitted SAT), 16% in top tenth of class, no National Merit
Scholars, 75% not from Ohio, 68% of freshmen return.

Simon's Rock College of Bard. 1964, private, $29710; 267 applied, 82%
accepted, 71% yield, middle half scored 1000-1240 SAT, percent in top tenth
of class N/A, 2 external National Merit Scholars (1.3% of class), 88% not
from Massachusetts, 87% of freshmen return.

Sweet Briar College. 1901, private women's college, $23300; shares
applicants most often with Hollins, Randolph-Macon Women's College, Mount
Holyoke, Mary Washington, William and Mary; 441 applied, 91% accepted, 42%
yield, middle half scored 1020-1220 SAT, 40% in top tenth of class, no
National Merit Scholars, 66% not from Virginia, 81% of freshmen return.

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. 1943, public military and engineering college,
$0, midshipmen receive stipend; 955 applied, 41% accepted, 69% yield, middle
half scored 1010-1230 SAT, 24% in top tenth of class, 89% not from New York,
87% of freshmen return.

ACT SUM 49 (= SAT SUM 2240)

University of Iowa. 1847, public, $7368 in state, $14810 out of state;
shares applicants most often with Iowa State, Northern Iowa,
Illinois--Urbana, Wisconsin--Madison, Indiana--Bloomington; 11721 applied,
84% accepted, 40% yield, middle half scored 22-27 ACT, 20% in top tenth of
class, 8 external National Merit Scholars (0.2% of class), 34% not from
Iowa, 83% of freshmen return.

University of Minnesota--Twin Cities. 1851, public, $9319 in state, $17459
out of state; shares applicants most often with Wisconsin--Madison,
Minnesota--Duluth, Wisconsin--Eau Clair, St. Thomas, Marquette; 14473
applied, 77% accepted, 46% yield, middle half scored 22-27 ACT, 28% in top
tenth of class, 14 external National Merit Scholars (0.3% of class), 33% not
from Minnesota, 83% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2230

Maryland Institute College of Art. 1826, private art college, $24550; 1530
applied, 49% accepted, 39% yield, middle half scored 1010-1220 SAT, 15% in
top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 83% not from Maryland, 82%
of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2180

North Carolina School of the Arts. 1963, public performing arts college,
$7028 in state, $15660 out of state; 606 applied, 46% accepted, 61% yield,
middle half scored 970-1210 SAT, 13% in top tenth of class, no National
Merit Scholars, 58% not from North Carolina, 66% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2160

Howard University. 1867, private historically black university, $14680;
shares applicants most often with Hampton, Clark College (Ga.), Spelman,
Morgan State, Florida A&M; 5964 applied, 53% accepted, 42% yield, middle
half scored 840-1320 SAT, 20% in top tenth of class, 1 external National
Merit Scholar (0.1% of class), 93% not from D.C., 82% of freshmen return.

Massachusetts College of Art. 1873, public art college, $10730 in state,
$17590 out of state; 958 applied, 47% accepted, 48% yield, middle half
scored 960-1200 SAT, 13% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars,
28% not from Massachusetts, 84% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2150

Spelman College. 1881, private historically black women's college, $17445;
shares applicants most often with Clark Atlanta, Tuskegee, Hampton, Howard,
Xavier (La.); 3173 applied, 50% accepted, 32% yield, middle half scored
980-1170 SAT, 47% percent in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars,
77% not from Georgia, 90% of freshmen return.

ACT SUM 46 (=SAT SUM 2125)

Berea College. 1855, private, nondenominational Christian, $3885 paid by
grants and work; 1608 applied, 35% accepted, 74% yield, middle half scored
21-25 ACT, 33% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 56% not
from Kentucky, 69% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2120

Parsons School of Design, New School Univ. 1896, private art college, costs
N/A; 1471 applied, 46% accepted, 50% yield, middle half scored 940-1180 SAT,
percent in top tenth of class N/A, no National Merit Scholars, 60% not from
New York, 83% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2080

Hampton University. 1868, private historically black university, $14518;
5871 applied, 51% accepted, 39% yield, middle half scored 920-1160 SAT, 25%
in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 78% not from Virginia,
82% of freshmen return.

SAT SUM 2030

Pratt Institute. 1887, private art college, $26924; 3066 applied, 51%
accepted, 31% yield, middle half scored 870-1160 SAT, 20% in top tenth of
class, no National Merit Scholars, 63% not from New York, 92% of freshmen
return.

ACT SUM 43 (= SAT SUM 2010)

College of the Ozarks. 1906, private, Presbyterian, $2650 paid by grants and
work; 2916 applied, 14% accepted, 74% yield, middle half scored 18-25 ACT,
24% in top tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 33% not from
Missouri, 71% of freshmen return.

COLLEGES FOR WHICH PERCENTILE TEST SCORES ARE UNAVAILABLE

Art Center College of Design. 1930, private art college, costs N/A; 1139
applied, 64% accepted, 69% yield, percentile test scores N/A, percent in top
tenth of class N/A, 1 external National Merit Scholar (0.2% of class), 31%
not from California, 86% of freshmen return.

California Institute of the Arts. 1961, private art and music college,
$25074; 1250 applied, 43% accepted, 24% yield, percentile test scores N/A
(test scores not required, percent submitting scores N/A), percent in top
tenth of class N/A, no National Merit Scholars, 60% not from California, 86%
of freshmen return.

Cleveland Institute of Music. 1920, private music college, $24175; 320
applied, 37% accepted, 44% yield, percentile test scores N/A, 55% in top
tenth of class, no National Merit Scholars, 84% not from Ohio, 91% of
freshmen return.

Manhattan School of Music. 1917, private music college, $19680 tuition only;
582 applied, 40% accepted, 38% yield, percentile test scores N/A (test
scores not required, percent submitting scores N/A), percent in top tenth of
class N/A, no National Merit Scholars, 67% not from New York, 82% of
freshmen return.

Prescott College. 1966, private, $17070; shares applicants most often with
Evergreen State, Hampshire, Marlboro, Warren Wilson, Antioch; 746 applied,
84% accepted, percent yield N/A, percentile test scores N/A (test scores not
required, percent submitting scores N/A), percent in top tenth of class N/A,
no National Merit Scholars, 97% not from Arizona, 72% of freshmen return.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago. 1866, private art college, costs
N/A; 1069 applied, 78% accepted, 41% yield, percentile test scores N/A,
percent in top tenth of class N/A, no National Merit Scholars, 81% not from
Illinois, 75% of freshmen return.


APPENDIX

ACT-SAT conversion: 18-430, 19-455, 20-475, 21-495,
22-515, 23-530, 24-550, 25-570, 26-585, 27-605,
28-620, 29-640, 30-660, 31-680, 32-705

The 55 colleges with toughest acceptance rates

6% Curtis Inst. of Music
7% U.S. Coast Guard Academy
8% Juilliard
12% Harvard
13% Cooper Union, Princeton, Stanford, U.S. Military Academy
14% College of the Ozarks, Columbia Univ.
16% U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy
17% Brown
18% Caltech, Yale
19% Swarthmore
21% Dartmouth
22% MIT
23% Amherst
24% Georgetown, Rice
25% Mason Gross School of the Arts
26% Williams
27% Eastman School of Music (previous year)
28% Claremont McKenna, Duke, California--Berkeley
29% Univ. of Pennsylvania
30% Columbia--Fu Foundation School of Engineering
31% Bowdoin
32% Middlebury, Pomona, Wesleyan Univ.
33% Northwestern, Tufts, UCLA, Washington and Lee
34% Colby, Cornell Univ., Univ. of Virginia
35% Berea, NYU, North Carolina--Chapel Hill
36% Barnard, Haverford
37% Cleveland Inst. of Music, Davidson, Washington Univ.
38% Bates, Cal Poly--San Luis Obispo,
   New England Conservatory, Rhode Island School of Design
40% Boston College, Hamilton, Manhattan School of Music

The 54 colleges with highest sum of
25th and 75th percentile SAT scores
(*Test scores not required)

2990 Caltech
2980 Harvard
2960 MIT
2920 Harvey Mudd
2900 Princeton, Stanford, Yale
2870 Dartmouth
2850 Swarthmore
2840 Pomona, Rice
2800 Amherst, Williams
2790 Brown, Duke
2780 Columbia Univ., Univ. of Pennsylvania
2770 Johns Hopkins, *Middlebury (53% submitted scores)
2750 Cooper Union, Haverford
2740 Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern
2730 Emory
2720 Carleton
2710 Cornell Univ., Georgetown, Univ. of Chicago,
   Columbia Univ.--Fu Foundation School of Engineering
2700 Grinnell
2690 Claremont McKenna
2680 California--Berkeley, Reed, Washington and Lee
2670 Macalester, New College (Fla.), Tufts, Washington Univ.
2660 *Bowdoin (82% submitted scores), Davidson,
   Wellesley, Wesleyan Univ.
2650 Vanderbilt, Vassar
2640 Barnard, Notre Dame
2630 *Bates (62% submitted scores), Brandeis, Bryn Mawr, NYU
2620 Colby, Georgia Tech, U.S. Naval Academy, Univ. of Virginia

The 44 colleges with best freshman retention

99% Curtis Inst. Of Music (previous year)
98% Pomona, Princeton, Stanford, Yale
97% Amherst, Brown, Columbia Univ., Duke, MIT, Notre Dame,
   Univ. of Virginia, Williams
96% Dartmouth, Franklin and Marshall, Harvard, Juilliard,
   Northwestern, Univ. of Pennsylvania
95% California--Berkeley, Carleton, Cornell Univ., Davidson,
   Georgetown, Haverford, Holy Cross, Johns Hopkins,
   Middlebury, New England Conservatory of Music, Rice,
   Swarthmore, Tufts, UCLA, Washington Univ., Wellesley,
   William and Mary
94% Barnard, Boston College, Colgate, Michigan--Ann Arbor,
   North Carolina--Chapel Hill, Rhode Island School of Design,
   U.S. Naval Academy, Washington and Lee

The 55 colleges with the most externally sponsored
National Merit Scholars in the class of 2002

370 Harvard (22.4% of class)
201 Stanford (12.6%)
146 Yale (11.2%)
124 Princeton (10.6%)
103 MIT (9.9%)
78 Rice (12.1%)
71 Duke (4.2%)
70 Brown (4.8%), Northwestern (3.7%)
61 California--Berkeley (1.6%)
56 Dartmouth (5.1%), Univ. of Pennsylvania (2.3%)
53 Texas--Austin (0.8%)
45 Columbia Univ. (4.7%)
38 Caltech (15.0%), Cornell Univ. (1.3%),
   North Carolina--Chapel Hill (1.1%), Texas A&M (0.5%),
   Univ. of Virginia (1.3%)
37 Brigham Young (0.7%), Michigan--Ann Arbor (0.7%)
34 Notre Dame (1.8%), Southern California (1.1%)
32 Swarthmore (8.8%), Vanderbilt (2.1%)
29 Carnegie Mellon (2.2%), Univ. of Oklahoma (0.9%)
28 Wisconsin--Madison (0.5%)
25 Case Western Reserve (3.0%), Georgia Tech (1.0%)
23 Illinois--Urbana (0.4%), Iowa State (0.6%)
22 Washington Univ. (1.5%)
21 Williams (3.9%)
20 Amherst (4.5%), Michigan State (0.3%),
   William and Mary (1.5%)
19 Univ. of Chicago (1.9%), Univ. of Washington (0.5%)
18 Johns Hopkins (1.8%), Purdue (0.3%),
   Univ. of Arizona (0.3%), UCLA (0.4%), Univ. of Florida (0.3%)
16 Georgetown (1.1%)
15 Baylor (0.5%)
14 Arizona State (0.3%), Harvey Mudd (7.0%),
   Minnesota--Twin Cities (0.3%)
13 Emory (1.0%), Ohio State (0.2%)
12 Boston Univ. (0.3%), Indiana--Bloomington (0.2%),
   Penn State (0.3%), Pomona (3.0%)

The 54 most expensive colleges

$33200 Sarah Lawrence
$32700 Columbia Univ.,
   Columbia Univ.--Fu Foundation School of Engineering
$32200 Boston Univ., Brandeis, Brown, Univ. of Chicago
$32100 Harvard, NYU, Tufts
$32000 Hampshire
$31900 Dartmouth, Georgetown, MIT, Yale
$31800 Amherst
$31600 Cornell Univ., Middlebury, Swarthmore, Vanderbilt,
   Wesleyan Univ.
$31500 Colby, George Washington, Johns Hopkins, Princeton,
   Univ. of Pennsylvania, Williams
$31400 Barnard, Bates, Bowdoin, Bryn Mawr, Haverford,
   Mount Holyoke
$31300 Trinity (Conn.)
$31200 Bard, Colgate, Hamilton, Hobart and William Smith,
   Skidmore
$31000 Duke, Tulane, Vassar
$30900 Pomona, Stanford, Washington Univ.
$30700 Emory, Reed
$30600 Northwestern, Rensselaer
$30500 Boston College, Connecticut College,
   Peabody Conservatory of Music, Union, Wellesley

Newengland