These 8 US colleges are more selective than some Ivy League schools

This Christian college in Missouri has a lower acceptance rate than Cornell, the Ivy with the highest acceptance rate and requires students to show financial need for admission. Students work 15 hours a week on campus and get free tuition in return.

Located in southern California, Claremont is a small liberal arts college and was ranked 3rd in the nation for happiest students by the Princeton Review. Its acceptance rate is lower than Cornell's.

Also referred to as West Point or Army, cadets enrolled have their tuition paid by the US Army. In return, they have an active-duty service obligation. Its admissions rate is lower than the rates for Dartmouth and Cornell.

Based in Pasadena, Caltech focuses on science and engineering. Its acceptance rate is lower than Cornell's, Dartmouth's, UPenn's, and Brown's.

The 125-year-old school is situated in Chicago's Hyde Park community. Its admissions rate is lower than the rates for Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth, and Cornell.

Also referred to as Navy, students enrolled have their tuition paid by the US Navy, and, in return, they have an active-duty service obligation. This school is more selective than Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth, Cornell, and Princeton.

MIT's mascot is the beaver due to the school's "remarkable engineering and mechanical skill and its habits of industry." Its admissions rate is lower the rates for Brown, UPenn, Dartmouth, and Cornell.

Stanford is the most selective college in the US — aside from Curtis College of Music in Philadelphia, which has an acceptance rate of around 4% but is more of a conservatory than a traditional university.