What are T20 schools in the US?

The phrase "T20 schools" refers to the top 20 colleges and universities in the United States. The exact list that makes the top 20 depends on the ranking system and website, but common T20 examples include Harvard University, Princeton University, and Yale University. Below, we highlight what you need to know about T20 schools, College Raptor's choices, and more.

What are T20 schools?

T20 schools is a phrase commonly seen on social media, including Reddit, referring to the top 20 colleges and universities within the United States. The list of T20 schools depends on the ranking system or the individual you're speaking to.

Generally, these colleges are very competitive and considered to offer some of the best programs and career opportunities in the world.

College Raptor's T20 schools

Every year, we release our Best Colleges rankings, highlighting our choices for the top 50 schools in the country. These are schools that are well known for their outstanding programs, but we also consider other factors such as endowment, graduation rates, first year retention rates, and more when determining our rankings.

Here's a quick snapshot at our T20 schools for 2026 and their undergraduate acceptances rates for the most current admissions cycle:

1. Princeton University

• Location: Princeton, NJ
• Enrollment: 9,062
• Acceptance Rate: 4.6%

2. Harvard University

• Location: Cambridge, MA
• Enrollment: 28,329
• Acceptance Rate: 3.7%

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

• Location: Cambridge, MA
• Enrollment: 11,920
• Acceptance Rate: 4.9%

4. Yale University

• Location: New Haven, CT
• Enrollment: 14,776
• Acceptance Rate: 3.9%

5. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

• Location: Pasadena, CA
• Enrollment: 2,427
• Acceptance Rate: 2.6%

6. Stanford University

• Location: Stanford, CA
• Enrollment: 18,296
• Acceptance Rate: 3.6%

7. University of Chicago

• Location: Chicago, IL
• Enrollment: 18,215
• Acceptance Rate: 4.5%

8. University of Pennsylvania

• Location: Philadelphia, PA
• Enrollment: 27,113
• Acceptance Rate: 5.4%

9. Columbia University

• Location: New York City, NY
• Enrollment: 35,175
• Acceptance Rate: 3.9%

10. Brown University

• Location: Providence, RI
• Enrollment: 11,684
• Acceptance Rate: 5.4%

11. Dartmouth College

• Location: Hanover, NH
• Enrollment: 6,807
• Acceptance Rate: 5.4%

12. Duke University

• Location: Durham, NC
• Enrollment: 17,147
• Acceptance Rate: 5.7%

13. University of Notre Dame

• Location: Notre Dame, IN
• Enrollment: 13,086
• Acceptance Rate: 11.3%

14. Northwestern University

• Location: Evanston, IL
• Enrollment: 22,885
• Acceptance Rate: 7.2%

15. Vanderbilt University

• Location: Nashville, TN
• Enrollment: 13,525
• Acceptance Rate: 5.9%

16. Swarthmore College

• Location: Swarthmore, PA
• Enrollment: 1,623
• Acceptance Rate: 7.5%

17. Pomona College

• Location: Claremont, CA
• Enrollment: 1,766
• Acceptance Rate: 7.1%

18. Cornell University

• Location: Ithaca, NY
• Enrollment: 26,341
• Acceptance Rate: 8.4%

19. Bowdoin College

• Location: Brunswick, ME
• Enrollment: 1,881
• Acceptance Rate: 7.1%

20. Rice University

• Location: Houston, TX
• Enrollment: 8,770
• Acceptance Rate: 8.0%

How to increase your chances of acceptance to a T20 school

Getting into a T20 school is tough! Out of the top ranked colleges listed above, University of Notre Dame is the "easiest" to get into, with an 11.3% acceptance rate. However, that's still highly selective.

The fact is, these colleges and universities receive a lot of applications. For example, Harvard University consistently receives well over 50,000 applications each year and only accepts around 3% (give or take a little each year).

To increase your chances of receiving an acceptance letter to one of these T20 schools, you need a well-rounded college application. This means highlighting achievements such as:

• a high GPA with academic rigor
• strong SAT/ACT scores
• an impactful college essay
• demonstrated participation in your community through volunteer work
• extracurriculars
• strong letters of recommendation
• and more

In some cases, you might need to attend a college interview, too.

How to create your own T20 school list

While knowing the top ranked schools in the country can be helpful and informative, it's not the best list for a majority of future college students out there, especially since so few will be accepted. Plus, not all of these 20 schools are going to fit your education and career goals.

Instead, it's important to focus on what matters to you in a college and put together your own list of T20 colleges, depending on your wants, needs, and goals. You should consider:

• Your intended major: Make sure the school has your intended major and research the program to make sure it's a fit for you
• Financial aid needs: Does the school you're considering offer financial aid? If so, will their offer help you cover the cost of attendance?
• Location: Where do you want to go to school? Compare local vs. cross-country, different climates, and urban vs. rural.
• Extracurricular activities: Your school should have clubs, sports, or organizations that interest you, especially if you plan on competing in a sport.
• School size: Would you do better at a large school or a smaller college?
• Other wants and needs: What's important to you in a college? You might think about religious affiliations, campus offerings, or something else.

T20 schools are the top in the nation, offering outstanding educational programs, unique opportunities, top research facilities, and more. Many graduates go onto top jobs in their field. However, T20 colleges and universities are also highly competitive. For many future college students, you'll want to create your own top 20 list to find the best schools for your education, goals, and career. College Match makes it easy! Get started here for free.

Visit the Citizens Student Hub for application tips, important deadlines, helpful tools, and everything else you need to help you find and get into your dream school.