Rona Aydin is the founder of Oriel Admissions, a Princeton-based college admissions consulting firm serving families nationwide. An Oxford University graduate, Rona leads a team of former admissions officers from Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia who help students build standout applications to the most selective universities in the country. Her data-driven approach to college admissions strategy has helped hundreds of families navigate the increasingly competitive landscape at Ivy League and top-20 schools.
CMU's School of Computer Science admits under 5 percent regardless of residency, while UW Allen's direct-to-major pathway admitted 37 percent of Washington residents in 2025 but only 5 percent of out-of-state applicants. Compare the two and which to apply to.
UIUC admits computer science at under 7 percent and Georgia Tech's College of Computing below its roughly 16 percent campus rate, both direct-admit by major with switching in barred or controlled. Compare the two public CS powerhouses and which to apply to.
At UC Berkeley, EECS (College of Engineering) admits under 5 percent and is direct-admit, while the CS major in CDSS admits at roughly 8 to 10 percent. Here is how the two computer science paths differ for admissions and which to apply to.
Top computer science programs admit through three structures - direct-to-major (UW, Georgia Tech, UT Austin), by-college within engineering (Carnegie Mellon, Berkeley EECS), and admit-then-declare (Stanford, MIT). Which structure a school uses determines the entire CS application strategy.
All eight Ivy League schools accept the Common Application, and more than 1,000 colleges are members. A few elite holdouts like MIT and the University of California keep their own applications. Here is the full list of top schools and what actually decides elite admissions.
New Ivies, Public Ivies, Hidden Ivies, and Little Ivies are four distinct labels from different sources. What each one means, where it came from, how they overlap, and which is most useful for your college list.
The New Ivies is Forbes's annually updated list of 20 employer-favored universities, 10 public and 10 private. What the label means, how Forbes builds it, how it differs from Public and Hidden Ivies, and how affluent families should use it in admissions strategy.
Cornell Precollege Studies lets high schoolers earn transferable college credit in real Cornell courses, on campus or online. A 2026 strategy guide to cost (roughly $18,000-$20,000 residential), the credit advantage over non-credit programs, Cornell's by-college admissions, and whether it's worth it.
Harvard's Pre-College Program is a two-week, non-credit summer experience costing $6,100 in 2026. It is selective, gives an instructor evaluation rather than credit, and does not directly boost Harvard admissions. A strategy guide to cost, the credit vs. Secondary School Program distinction, and whether it is worth it.
Pre-college summer programs let high schoolers take university courses, but the Ivies differ sharply: Cornell, Columbia, Penn, and Yale offer credit; Brown and Harvard offer both tracks; Dartmouth is non-credit; Princeton has none. A comparison of enrollment, credit, cost, and real admissions value.
Columbia admitted 4.23% of applicants to the Class of 2030 versus Dartmouth's 5.8%, and both meet full need with no loans. A side-by-side comparison of selectivity, academics, financial aid for high earners, campus culture, and outcomes: New York City versus rural New Hampshire.
Harvard admitted 4.2% of applicants to the Class of 2029 versus Yale's 4.6%, and both now cover full tuition for families earning under $200,000. A side-by-side comparison of selectivity, academics, financial aid for high earners, campus culture, and outcomes to help you choose.
Harvard and Princeton admit at nearly identical rates (4.2% and 4.42%, Class of 2029), and both use non-binding early action. The clearest differences are focus and money: Harvard's breadth and global brand versus Princeton's undergraduate focus and the most generous aid in the Ivy League, free tuition up to $250,000.
Harvard's most recent official rate is 4.2% (Class of 2029) versus Penn's 4.92%; both withheld 2030. For high-income families cost is a near-tie, since both cover full tuition under $200,000. The real divide is academic identity: Harvard's liberal-arts breadth versus Penn's pre-professional power and Wharton.
Columbia admitted 4.23% (Class of 2030) and Princeton 4.42% (Class of 2029), nearly identical odds. The real differences are setting and money: urban New York with binding Early Decision versus an undergraduate-focused campus with non-binding early action and free tuition up to $250,000 for high-income families.
Yale admitted 4.24% of applicants to the Class of 2030 versus Cornell's 8.38% (Class of 2029), but Cornell admits by college and its top divisions run far lower. A comparison of selectivity, academics, financial aid for high earners, and fit, including where Yale's $200,000 free-tuition edge matters.