Physics is serious science, seriously. Most students take one physics class in high school, and then move on to, well, anything but physics. This isn’t because physics isn’t interesting — it undeniably is — but it is hard and studying physics early requires that you are a self-starter. There aren’t often many options for exploring it in a structured classroom setting while in high school. This means that high school students interested in a physics major in college tend to have heavily explored physics beyond the courses offered.

Contrary to Beyonce, this is Texas, and if you are looking for a great engineering school in the Lone Star State, Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering should be on your list. Located in Houston, TX, this private research university is an excellent choice for students interested in STEM. Rice is especially known for its great science programs, and one of its most popular majors is Mechanical Engineering. Rice doesn’t publish a separate acceptance rate for Brown, but their overall acceptance rate is around 8%. That number is probably lower for popular majors like the ones offered by Brown. Either way 8% is a highly competitive rate, and if you hope to get into Rice, you need to be a top candidate. But how? We are glad you asked! There are a couple of steps you need to take if you want to be a great Rice applicant.

You are a junior, and this is your moment. You probably already know this, but junior year matters a lot. Your grades need to be at the highest they’ve ever been, and you are studying hard for the SAT or ACT, and likely taking one of those a few times. College conversations are amplifying in volume at school, and it’s likely that you are hearing from a school counselor, parents, and peers that you need to buckle down and figure out your path.

The University of Texas at Austin (usually just called UT Austin) is one of the most popular public research universities in America. On top of this, engineering majors through the Cockrell School of Engineering are among the most popular majors offered. What does this mean for hopeful engineers trying to be Longhorns? Well, it means you have to be an elite candidate.

The University of Notre Dame (usually just called Notre Dame but technically named The University of Notre Dame du Lac) is a private Catholic research university. Located in the aptly named Notre Dame, Indiana, the university is made up of seven schools and colleges, one of which is the College of Engineering. If you are dreaming of being a Notre Dame engineer, you need to be a competitive applicant. While Notre Dame doesn’t release a separate acceptance rate for their engineering school, the overall acceptance rate was just 11% last year. This is a very competitive rate, meaning if you hope to get into Notre Dame, you need to be a top candidate. Luckily, we have some tips to help you build a Notre Dame-worthy application.

During the 2024–2025 admissions cycle, Barnard College reported an acceptance rate of 8.84%, marking one of the most selective years in the school’s history. But a single percentage only tells us so much. How is that number calculated? And what’s actually driving it? While schools like Barnard do release some of the data behind their admissions outcomes, understanding the real story requires digging deeper. We analyze admissions data from highly selective colleges each year to help our students understand the landscape and position themselves as strategically as possible.

During the 2024–2025 admissions cycle, Rice University posted an acceptance rate of 7.99%, one of their lowest ever. But that headline number doesn’t really tell the whole story. How is that percentage calculated? And what trends drive it downward year after year? While Rice does make portions of its admissions data public, truly understanding what’s going on requires a deeper dive. Each year, we analyze this underlying data to help students approach selective admissions with clarity, pragmatism, and a smart strategy.

During the 2024–2025 admissions cycle, Boston College admitted 16.2% of applicants. For families who remember BC as a far more accessible option decades ago, that number can feel jarring. But a single percentage doesn’t really explain how selective Boston College has become, or why. While BC does release some admissions information publicly, understanding what’s actually driving these outcomes requires a little bit more analysis and, yes, even some math (women in STEM!!). Each year, we break down this data so students can see the full picture and approach the process with clearer expectations and a smarter strategy.