The 25 Most Desirable Schools

When students get an acceptance letter from these schools, they are likely to send in their security deposit the next day. We scored desirability based on yield (the percentage of accepted students who enroll), admissions, test scores, endowment, student-to-faculty ratio, retention, and as well as climate and the quality of facilities, housing, and dining. Harvard's top spot may not be surprising, but Cooper Union? This tiny Manhattan art school makes it to the top 10 because  it's selective and its students get a full ride.

About Our Rankings:
Contributing editor Peter Bernstein and researcher Courtney Kennedy drew on dozens of sources to compile these rankings including information from the National Center for Education Statistics, The Washington Monthly, and College Prowler. A portion of the data they used is represented in the following school profiles, but for the full methodologies, see our FAQ here.  And if you're not a rankings fan, take a look at this piece by Colin Diver, the president of Reed College,  about why schools dislike rankings and how families can use them wisely as part of their college decision-making process. 
 
For more from College Prowler, visit their website.