Frequently Asked Questions

Hardest CUNY Schools to Get Into

The hardest CUNY options to get into are generally Baruch College, Hunter College, City College of New York (especially the Grove School of Engineering), Queens College, Brooklyn College, and Macaulay Honors College. These campuses usually have the most competitive applicant pools and strongest admitted-student profiles within CUNY.

However, they are still public universities, and admission decisions depend heavily on your coursework, grades, and fit for specific majors or honors programs.

Overview: How Hard Is It to Get Into CUNY?

CUNY (the City University of New York) is a large public system with 25 campuses whose selectivity varies widely.

Some colleges admit most applicants with a high school diploma, while others are competitive and expect strong academics, especially in college-prep coursework.

So when we talk about the “hardest” CUNYs to get into, we’re really talking about the top tier of selectivity within that system.

Here is the key point:

Within CUNY, a handful of 4-year colleges are clearly more selective than the rest.
Honors programs (especially Macaulay Honors) are far more competitive than general admission.
Acceptance rates and score ranges move over time, so look at ranges and patterns instead of one fixed number.

The Hardest CUNY Campuses to Get Into

CUNY does not release perfectly uniform, real-time selectivity data for every campus, but patterns are clear from recent public reports and campus-level data.

Below are the CUNY colleges that are generally regarded as the most selective for first-year applicants.

Baruch College

Baruch is widely viewed as one of the most selective CUNY colleges, especially for business-related majors.

Programs: Business (Zicklin School), public affairs, and arts and sciences.
Why it’s hard to get in: Its Manhattan location, business reputation, and strong value draw large, competitive applicant pools.
Competitiveness: Admitted students typically have a strong B+/A- average in a rigorous college-prep curriculum, with solid math preparation.

For admission, Baruch places heavy emphasis on your transcript—especially math and quantitative readiness for business and finance tracks.

Hunter College

Hunter is another top-tier CUNY in terms of selectivity, with strengths in liberal arts, sciences, and pre-health.

Programs: Liberal arts, sciences, education, nursing, and robust pre-med preparation.
Why it’s hard to get in: Its academic reputation and health-related pathways attract many motivated students.
Competitiveness: Successful applicants usually have mainly A’s and B’s in a solid honors or college-prep course load.

Pre-med and nursing pathways at Hunter typically expect especially strong performance in biology, chemistry, and math.

Queens College

Queens College is moderately to highly selective, with some majors and honors tracks more competitive than others.

Programs: Liberal arts, education, music, and sciences.
Why it’s hard to get in: It offers respected academics and a more traditional campus experience within NYC.
Competitiveness: Admitted students often fall in the solid B+/A- range in core subjects.

Honors programs, specialized majors, and talent-based tracks can be more selective than overall campus admission.

Brooklyn College

Brooklyn College is known for strong arts and humanities, film, and several STEM and pre-professional areas.

Programs: Arts, film, humanities, education, and sciences.
Why it’s hard to get in: Its creative programs and Brooklyn location make some departments especially in demand.
Competitiveness: Admitted students usually show a solid academic foundation with consistent B/B+ grades or better in college-prep courses.

Programs like film and certain arts concentrations can be significantly more competitive than the general admit profile.

City College of New York (CCNY)

City College houses both traditional liberal arts and highly competitive professional schools like the Grove School of Engineering.

Programs: Engineering, architecture, sciences, liberal arts, and other professional programs.
Why it’s hard to get in: Engineering and architecture draw strong STEM students regionally and nationally.
Competitiveness: Engineering applicants typically need strong math and science grades, including readiness for calculus.

Applying to the Grove School of Engineering is generally more selective than applying to many non-STEM programs at CCNY.

What About Macaulay Honors College?

Macaulay Honors College is, by far, one of the most selective paths within the CUNY system.

It is not a separate campus but an honors program offered at several CUNY colleges, including Baruch, Hunter, Brooklyn, Queens, City College, Lehman, and College of Staten Island.

Here is why it stands out as one of the hardest “CUNY admissions” options overall:

Significant financial support for in-state students: Macaulay has historically offered very generous tuition support, which increases demand among top New York students.
Extra benefits: Priority registration, special seminars, research and internship support, and a close-knit honors community.
Selective review: Macaulay evaluates applicants at a level closer to strong private colleges than typical CUNY admissions.

Put simply, earning admission to Macaulay at a campus is usually much harder than being admitted to that campus’s regular program.

How CUNY Selectivity Varies Across the System

CUNY includes highly selective, moderately selective, and more accessible colleges, especially when you compare 4-year and 2-year campuses.

So, how do the hardest campuses sit in that broader context?

Most selective (within CUNY): Baruch, Hunter, City College (especially the Grove School of Engineering), Brooklyn, Queens, and Macaulay Honors College.
Moderately selective: Colleges like Lehman, College of Staten Island, and others that admit many students but still expect solid preparation.
Less selective or open-admissions options: Community colleges and some 4-year campuses open to a wider range of academic profiles.

The bottom line:

When people ask about the “hardest CUNY to get into,” they almost always mean this top cluster of senior colleges, plus Macaulay.

What Makes a CUNY Campus Harder to Get Into?

Selectivity is shaped by more than just reputation or rankings.

Several structural factors influence how competitive a CUNY campus or program feels.

Location: Manhattan and highly accessible campuses tend to draw larger applicant pools.
Program strength: Standout programs, such as business at Baruch or engineering at CCNY, raise demand.
Capacity: Limits on housing, labs, and small classes can reduce the number of available spots.
Honors and special programs: Honors tracks, joint degrees, and specialized majors raise the bar significantly.

But there is a catch:

Even at less selective CUNYs, majors like nursing, engineering, or selective arts programs can be harder to enter than the overall college.

What Credentials Do You Need for the Hardest CUNYs?

Because policies and applicant pools change, always confirm current data on each college’s site.

Still, there are clear trends in what successful applicants to the most selective CUNYs tend to share.

Academic rigor: Honors, AP/IB, College Now, or dual-enrollment courses in core subjects strengthen your profile.
Consistent grades: Mostly A’s and B’s in English, math, science, and social studies.
Math strength: For business or STEM, at least through precalculus in high school; calculus is a plus.
Course completion: Four years of English, three to four years of math, lab sciences, and foreign language when available.

For Macaulay Honors and the most competitive majors, admitted students often exceed these baselines with top grades, leadership, and strong essays.

Are SAT/ACT Scores Required for CUNY?

In recent admission cycles, many CUNY campuses have used test-optional or test-flexible policies, especially for first-year applicants.

This often means you may be able to apply without SAT or ACT scores, though exact rules can differ by campus, major, and year.

What does this mean for you?

Strong scores can help: If your scores match or exceed typical ranges reported by the college, submitting them can boost your application.
If scores are weaker: A strong transcript and course rigor may speak better for you under test-optional policies.
Program-specific rules: Some majors or special programs may still recommend or require scores; always double-check.

Because policies shift, you should confirm current testing requirements on each campus’s admissions page before deciding.

Beyond GPA: Other Factors the Hardest CUNYs Consider

At the more selective CUNYs, admissions is not strictly formula-based.

While GPA and course rigor weigh heavily, other factors can separate similarly qualified applicants.

Grade trends: Upward trends or resilience after setbacks can strengthen your story.
School context: Reviewers consider your high school’s rigor and the opportunities available to you.
Extracurriculars: Consistent involvement in clubs, work, family responsibilities, or community service.
Essays and short answers: For honors or special programs, writing can demonstrate clarity of goals and fit.
Recommendations: Macaulay Honors and certain majors use letters to understand your academic and personal strengths.

All of this helps admissions officers gauge whether you’re prepared to succeed at a demanding CUNY campus.

How to Improve Your Chances at the Hardest CUNYs

You can’t control how many others apply, but you can control the strength and strategy of your application.

Here are practical ways to become more competitive for selective CUNY campuses.

1. Build a Strong High School Course Plan

Choose courses that show you’re ready for college-level work, especially in areas tied to your intended major.

Take the most rigorous math you can handle confidently, especially for business, STEM, or economics.
Add lab sciences, such as biology, chemistry, and physics, if you’re interested in pre-health or engineering.
Continue foreign language through at least level 3–4 when available.
Use AP/IB or dual-enrollment options thoughtfully; depth matters more than sheer quantity.

Selective CUNYs will notice whether you challenged yourself relative to what your school offers.

2. Raise Your Academic Performance

If your grades are not yet where you’d like them, there is still room for progress.

Identify specific weak spots—especially in math and writing—and get help early.
Use office hours, tutoring, or online resources to clear up confusion before it snowballs.
Create a weekly study routine that includes review, not just last-minute homework.
Retake key classes if your school allows and you can realistically earn a stronger grade.

Selective CUNYs often value an upward trend and evidence of resilience.

3. Decide Whether to Submit Test Scores

If CUNY is test-optional when you apply, choose a strategy that puts your strengths forward.

Compare your scores with any published middle 50% ranges on each college’s website.
If you are at or above the median, submitting scores can reinforce your academic readiness.
If your scores fall well below typical ranges, it may be better to lean on strong grades and rigor instead.

Remember, you can send scores to some CUNYs and not others, depending on where they strengthen your application.

4. Craft Strong Essays for Honors and Special Programs

Macaulay Honors and other selective programs often place serious weight on essays.

Answer each prompt directly and specifically, drawing on real experiences.
Explain why CUNY—and a particular campus or program—aligns with your goals.
Highlight impact and initiative in a few areas, rather than listing everything you’ve done.
Revise your essays multiple times and seek feedback from a teacher, counselor, or mentor.

A thoughtful essay can distinguish you from others with similar transcripts.

5. Build a Smart CUNY College List

Because you can apply to multiple CUNY colleges in one system, use that flexibility strategically.

Include a mix of more selective, moderately selective, and safer CUNYs based on your academics.
Research where your intended major is strongest, not just which campus is most well-known.
Consider Macaulay or campus honors programs if your profile is near the top of admitted ranges.

This balanced approach helps you aim high while maintaining solid options at other CUNYs.

Common Myths About the Hardest CUNYs

Misunderstandings about CUNY selectivity can lead to poor planning.

Clarifying the biggest myths will help you set better expectations and strategy.

Myth: “CUNY is easy to get into, so I don’t need to try that hard.” The most selective campuses admit many strong students and are far from guaranteed admits.
Myth: “If I’m not a straight-A student, I can’t get into Baruch or Hunter.” Many admitted students have a mix of A’s and B’s; trends, course rigor, and context matter.
Myth: “Macaulay Honors is only for valedictorians.” Macaulay seeks high achievers, but also looks for curiosity, leadership, and use of opportunities.

So what should you take from this?

Treat applications to the hardest CUNYs with the same seriousness you’d bring to any competitive college: careful planning, strong academics, and a realistic list.

When and How to Apply to the Hardest CUNYs

Timelines and application platforms matter, especially if you’re applying to a mix of CUNY and non-CUNY schools.

Most first-year applicants use the CUNY Application, while some special programs and pathways may intersect with other platforms.

Know your deadlines: Macaulay Honors usually has an earlier deadline than many regular CUNY admissions.
Gather materials early: Request transcripts, test scores (if any), and recommendations well before deadlines.
Track campus-specific requirements: Some majors require portfolios, auditions, or extra forms.

Submitting early in the cycle can help you access more program and campus options, especially in high-demand majors.

How Empowerly Can Support Competitive CUNY Applicants

If you’re aiming for Baruch, Hunter, City College, Queens, Brooklyn, or Macaulay Honors, a clear plan can significantly improve your odds.

Empowerly counselors help students build realistic CUNY lists, strengthen academic and extracurricular profiles, and craft compelling essays, especially for honors and selective majors.

If you want personalized feedback on where you’re most competitive in the CUNY system and how to boost your application, schedule a free consultation with Empowerly to map out your next steps.