Is Notre Dame or Columbia harder to get into?

Columbia is generally harder to get into overall. It is one of the most selective schools in the country, and its applicant pool tends to be especially dense with top academic profiles, strong extracurricular achievement, and international interest. Notre Dame is also very competitive, but in an overall head-to-head comparison, Columbia is typically viewed as the more selective of the two.

For a student comparing the two, Columbia attracts a very large number of applicants who are specifically targeting highly selective urban Ivy-caliber schools, which pushes selectivity to an even higher level. The academic bar is extremely high, and even many exceptionally qualified applicants are turned away. If you are building a list, Columbia should usually be treated as the tougher admissions reach.

Notre Dame still belongs in the highly selective category, and it can be especially hard to enter for students who are a weaker cultural or institutional fit. It often appeals most to applicants who are genuinely excited by its Catholic identity, strong undergraduate community, and traditional campus experience. For students who align well with that environment, it may feel like a more distinct kind of selectivity rather than simply a less intense version of Columbia.