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Ranking private schools by lowest admissions rate

Find the most difficult private schools to get into

What are the hardest private schools to gain admission to? Schools with the lowest acceptance rates are generally in high demand, and being accepted at these institutions can appear quite prestigious. Lower admission rates often indicate a school's rigorous academic standards (although other factors may play a role). Below, we cautiously present a ranked list of schools that are difficult to get into. We must, however, emphasize that there are more important things that you, the parents, should concern yourselves with as you search for a school for your child.

What factors cause the school's acceptance rate to rank among the lowest? The application process for schools will vary from one school to another, which is to say, schools can be competitive for different reasons. In general, schools look at your child's current academic standing and grades. There may be an aptitude test, and there may be other aspects of the screening process. Schools with less than a 100% admissions rate (like those below) will turn prospective students away based on those factors. Parents may also find this list helpful to know if a school they are interested in is, in fact, more challenging to get accepted into.

There are many other factors in the school choice process that should take precedence. Other factors include the overall fit of the school, its size, the quality of the teachers and much more. Families should take a long time to weigh all the pros and cons of the schools they are considering.

Schools with the lowest admission rate

School Location Grades Acceptance
rate
1 Mulgrave School West Vancouver, BC PS to 12 17%
2 University of Toronto Schools Toronto, ON 7 to 12 20%
3 York School Toronto, ON JK to 12 20%
4 Collingwood School West Vancouver, BC JK to 12 22%
5 Crescent School Toronto, ON 3 to 12 25%
6 Metropolitan Preparatory Academy Toronto, ON 7 to 12 30%
7 Branksome Hall Toronto, ON JK to 12 30%
8 Crestwood Preparatory College Toronto, ON 7 to 12 30%
9 Havergal College Toronto, ON JK to 12 30%
10 Southpointe Academy Delta, BC K to 12 30%
11 TFS - Canada's International School Toronto, ON NS to 12 30%
12 Appleby College Oakville, ON 7 to 12 32%
13 De La Salle College Toronto, ON 5 to 12 33%
14 Sterling Hall School Toronto, ON JK to 8 35%
15 Bishop Strachan School Toronto, ON JK to 12 40%
16 Chisholm Academy Oakville, ON 7 to 12 40%
17 Royal St. George's College Toronto, ON 3 to 12 40%
18 St. Jude's Academy Mississauga, ON JK to 12 40%
19 Holy Trinity School Richmond Hill, ON JK to 12 45%
20 Chaoyin Bilingual School Richmond, BC K to 7 45%
21 Hudson College Toronto, ON JK to 12 48%
22 Greenwood College School Toronto, ON 9 to 12 50%
23 Study Westmount, QC K to 11 50%
24 Abelard School Toronto, ON 7 to 12 50%
25 St. Clement's School Toronto, ON 1 to 12 50%


Frequently Asked Questions

Which private school has the lowest acceptance rates?
The private school with the lowest acceptance rate is Mulgrave School. The school has an overall accepance rate of 17%.

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From OUR KIDS, Canada’s Guide to Private Schools,
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