Top 5 Best US Universities in 2021 and How to Apply

Top 5 best US universities in 2021 and admission requirements compiled by the publication CNBC.

Photo: Shutterstock

On September 13, US News & World Report released its annual ranking of the best colleges and universities in the United States.

US News calculates its ranking based on six categories, each of which is weighted differently: student performance (40%), faculty resources (20%), expert opinion (20%), financial resources (10%), student performance (7%) ) and donations from alumni (3%).

US News changed its methodology slightly this year to accommodate changes in standardized testing requirements. Previously, if less than 75% of students entering a given school submitted standardized test scores, US News reduced the significance of standardized test scores in the school's overall ranking by 15%. This year, with so many schools adopting optional testing policies in response to the coronavirus pandemic, US News lowered the threshold to 50%.

On the subject: How to enter a US university with full funding: personal experience

The top universities of this year have a lot in common. These are all prestigious schools with large donations, and four of the top five schools are members of the Ivy League. It is very difficult to enroll in all these universities, since all, without exception, enrolled students boast brilliant school records and high scores on standardized tests.

Princeton University has retained its place as the highest-ranked university in the country, thanks in part to a student-to-faculty ratio of just four students per faculty member, and also due to its high student retention rate. An estimated 98% of Princeton students graduate within six years, and importantly, low-income Princeton students receiving Pell grants also graduate at the same rate.

During its last admission season, Princeton enrolled 1498 students in the Class of 2025, including 22% who will be first-generation college students, up from 17% last year.

Here are US News' top 5 universities for 2022—and what it takes to get into them.

1. Princeton university

• Location: Princeton, NJ
• Average SAT score: 1450-1570
• Freshmen share in the top 10% of high school students: 89%
• Acceptance rate: 6%

2. Columbia university

• Average SAT score: 1470-1570
• Freshmen share in the top 10% of high school students: 96%
• Acceptance rate: 6%

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3. Harvard University

• Average SAT score: 1460-1580
• Freshmen share in the top 10% of high school students: 94%
• Acceptance rate: 5%

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Average SAT score: 1510-1580
• Percentage of freshmen in the top 10% of students in their high school class: 100%
• Acceptance rate: 7%

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5. Yale university

• Location: New Haven, Connecticut
• Average SAT score: 1460-1580
• Freshmen share in the top 10% of high school students: 94%
• Acceptance rate: 7%

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