Acceptance Rate and Application Statistics
The following table compares the admission related statistics including number of applicants, admitted, and enrolled between best Political Science schools. The average acceptance rate of best Political Science schools is 10.88% and the average admission yield (enrollment rate) is 41.15%.
Stanford University has the tighest (lowest) acceptance rate of 3.61% and Massachusetts Institute of Technology has the highest yield (enrollment rate) of 85.83% among best Political Science schools. The numbers in parenthesis() in below table represent the number and rate by gender (men/women). The statistics is based on the latest data from IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education for academic year 2024-2025.
| Rank | Name | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled | Acceptance Rate | Enrollment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | 54,008 (25,613/28,372) | 1,970 (920/1,050) | 1,647 (767/880) | 4% (4%/4%) | 84% (83%/3%) |
| 2 | Princeton University | 40,468 (20,563/19,883) | 1,868 (903/965) | 1,410 (693/717) | 5% (4%/5%) | 75% (77%/4%) |
| 2 | Stanford University | 57,326 (29,602/27,724) | 2,067 (1,015/1,052) | 1,693 (835/858) | 4% (3%/4%) | 82% (82%/3%) |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 98,310 (48,101/50,209) | 15,373 (6,684/8,689) | 7,278 (3,199/4,079) | 16% (14%/17%) | 47% (48%/8%) |
| 4 | Yale University | 57,517 (24,951/32,540) | 2,227 (1,136/1,091) | 1,554 (782/772) | 4% (5%/3%) | 70% (69%/2%) |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | 124,242 (60,612/63,630) | 13,639 (5,473/8,166) | 6,272 (2,705/3,567) | 11% (9%/13%) | 46% (49%/6%) |
| 7 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 60,115 (26,607/32,507) | 2,400 (1,122/1,226) | 1,558 (795/736) | 4% (4%/4%) | 65% (71%/2%) |
| 8 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 28,232 (17,210/8,975) | 1,284 (606/612) | 1,102 (542/497) | 5% (4%/7%) | 86% (89%/6%) |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego | 134,450 (63,349/71,101) | 35,917 (14,810/21,107) | 7,330 (3,155/4,175) | 27% (23%/30%) | 20% (21%/6%) |
| 10 | Duke University | 51,795 (24,298/27,497) | 2,957 (1,388/1,569) | 1,740 (824/916) | 6% (6%/6%) | 59% (59%/3%) |
| 10 | University of California-Los Angeles | 146,272 (67,788/78,484) | 13,114 (5,468/7,646) | 6,610 (2,629/3,981) | 9% (8%/10%) | 50% (48%/5%) |
| Average | 77,521 (37,154/37,154) | 8,438 (3,593/4,834) | 3,472 (1,539/1,925) | 10.88% (9.7%/13.0%) | 41.15% (42.8%/39.8%) | |
SAT Scores Comparison
The average SAT score of best Political Science schools is 1538. By subject, the average score of the SAT EBRW(Evidence-based Reading and Writing) is 755 and the average SAT Math score is 783.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology has the highest SAT scores of 1,560 and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor has the lowest SAT scores of 1,460 among best Political Science schools. The following table compares SAT Scores between best Political Science schools for the academic year 2024-2025.
| Rank | Name | Submit%* (Submit#**) | SAT Total | Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | Math |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | 54% (892) | 1550 | 760 | 790 |
| 2 | Princeton University | 56% (783) | 1550 | 760 | 790 |
| 2 | Stanford University | 51% (857) | 1550 | 760 | 790 |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 51% (3,697) | 1460 | 720 | 740 |
| 4 | Yale University | 61% (950) | 1540 | 760 | 780 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | Test Score is NOT considered for University of California-Berkeley admission. | |||
| 7 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 45% (680) | 1550 | 760 | 790 |
| 8 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 83% (911) | 1560 | 760 | 800 |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego | Test Score is NOT considered for University of California-San Diego admission. | |||
| 10 | Duke University | 48% (824) | 1540 | 760 | 780 |
| 10 | University of California-Los Angeles | Test Score is NOT considered for University of California-Los Angeles admission. | |||
| Average | 56.13% | 1538 | 755 | 783 | |
ACT Scores Comparison
The average ACT score of best Political Science schools is 35. By subject, the average ACT English score is 35 and the ACT math score is 35.
The following table compares ACT Scores between best Political Science schools for academic year 2024-2025.
| Rank | Name | Submit%* (Submit#**) | Composite | English | Math |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | 19% (321) | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| 2 | Princeton University | 21% (303) | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| 2 | Stanford University | 19% (324) | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 18% (1,274) | 33 | 35 | 33 |
| 4 | Yale University | 25% (384) | 34 | 35 | 34 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | Test Score is NOT considered for University of California-Berkeley admission. | |||
| 7 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 18% (267) | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| 8 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 29% (322) | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego | Test Score is NOT considered for University of California-San Diego admission. | |||
| 10 | Duke University | 30% (526) | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| 10 | University of California-Los Angeles | Test Score is NOT considered for University of California-Los Angeles admission. | |||
| Average | 22.38% | 35 | 35 | 35 | |
*Number of first-time degree/certificate-seeking students submitting SAT scores.
**Percent of first-time degree/certificate-seeking students submitting SAT scores.
Application Requirements
The following table list and compare the requirements when applying best Political Science schools based on academic year 2024-2025 data.
| Rank | Name | HS GPA | HS Rank | HS Record | Prep. Program | Rec. | Compe. | SAT/ACT | TOEFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | ✓ | ✓ | ✔ | ✓ | ✔ | ✓ | ✔ | ✓ |
| 2 | Princeton University | ✓ | ✓ | ✔ | ✓ | ✔ | ✓ | ✓ | ✔ |
| 2 | Stanford University | ✓ | ✓ | ✔ | ✓ | ✔ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | ✓ | ✓ | ✔ | ✓ | ✔ | ✗ | ✓ | ✔ |
| 4 | Yale University | ✓ | ✓ | ✔ | ✗ | ✔ | ✓ | ✓ | ✔ |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | ✔ | ✗ | ✔ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✔ |
| 7 | Columbia University in the City of New York | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 8 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | ✓ | ✓ | ✔ | ✓ | ✔ | ✗ | ✔ | ✓ |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego | ✔ | ✗ | ✔ | ✔ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✔ |
| 10 | Duke University | ✔ | ✗ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| 10 | University of California-Los Angeles | ✔ | ✗ | ✔ | ✔ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✔ |
✔: Required △: Considered but not Required ✔: Recommended ✗: Neither Required nor Recommended
- HS GPA: High School or Secondary School GPA
- HS Rank: High School or Secondary School Rank
- HS Record: High School or Secondary School Record
- Prep. Program: Completion of College Preparatory Program
- Rec.: Recommendations
- Comp.: Formal demonstration of competencies (e.g., portfolios, certificates of mastery, assessment instruments)
The ranking data is provided by CollegeEvaluator.
Top Colleges By Subject
- Tightest Schools To Admit (Lowest Acceptance Rate)
- Affordable Schools To Admit (Highest Acceptance Rate)
- Most Favored Schools (Highest Yield)
- Colleges with Low Yield
- Expensive Colleges (Highest Tuition & Fees)
- Inexpensive Colleges (Lowest Tuition & Fees)
- Colleges with Most Students
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- Colleges with Highest Graduation Rates
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- Low Student to Faculty Ratio
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*Number of first-time degree/certificate-seeking students submitting SAT scores.
**Percent of first-time degree/certificate-seeking students submitting SAT scores.