Is UMass Amherst or Brandeis harder to get into?

Brandeis is harder to get into overall. It is a smaller private research university with a more selective applicant pool, and in admissions conversations it is typically viewed as more competitive than UMass Amherst. UMass Amherst is still a well-regarded flagship public university, but overall it is less selective across the full university than Brandeis.

One big difference is institutional size and mission. Brandeis enrolls a much smaller undergraduate population and evaluates applicants for a more limited number of spots, which tends to make admission tighter. UMass Amherst is much larger, so while some of its programs can be quite competitive, the university as a whole admits a broader range of students.

Another factor is applicant profile. Brandeis tends to attract students applying to highly selective private universities, so it is often compared with schools in a more competitive admissions band.

For a simple overall comparison, think of Brandeis as the tougher admit at the university-wide level, while UMass Amherst can still be quite competitive in certain colleges or majors.