Harvard University is number one dream university: Princeton Review

In a recent Princeton Review survey of college-bound students, Harvard once again secured the top spot this year as the most desirable university in 2025, second only to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Even as Harvard University’s long battle with the government and resulting federal funding cuts unfold, current college applicants cite the prestigious Ivy League school as their ultimate “dream” school.

Most recently, in February, the Trump administration sued Harvard University, accusing it of failing to respond to an investigation into the school’s admissions practices.

The ongoing legal dispute has done little to damage Harvard’s reputation, said Robert Franek, editor-in-chief of the Princeton Review.

“The increased attention to Harvard, especially in the last year, certainly hasn’t hurt the Harvard brand,” he says.

The number of applications continues to skyrocket and acceptance rates are near new lows. Harvard University’s acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 is less than 4%, down from more than 10% two decades ago. Data for the current admissions cycle is not yet available.

But even if they don’t get admitted, “sticker shock” is the No. 1 stressor when it comes to college, the Princeton Review found, for both students and their families. The 2026 College Hopes and Worries Survey was conducted among more than 9,400 students and parents.

In fact, the list price is mind-boggling. When you factor in tuition, fees, room and board, books, transportation, and other expenses, the cost of attendance at some schools is now approaching six figures a year.

A separate report released this month by JPMorgan Asset Management found that college tuition has increased 914% since 1983, outpacing all other household expenditures.

“The most common question we get from families is when is the economy going to slow? History has shown that it isn’t,” said Tricia Scarlata, head of education savings at JPMorgan Asset Management.

“There will always be people who want to go to the Ivies,” Scarlata said. “All of our children have dreams. It’s great to think big, but we have to be realistic. The debt that people owe is huge.”

To cover the increasing costs, most students borrow money to pay for college, leading to ballooning student loan balances.

According to a study by JPMorgan Asset Management, education debt jumped 343% from 2005 to 2025, and 97% of graduates who took out loans in the past 10 years said their debt delayed their major goals in life.

While many of the nation’s most elite schools offer generous financial aid packages to ensure affordability for eligible students, some schools are less likely to offer scholarships in the form of merit aid, although some schools cover the entire cost to low-income families, said Franek of the Princeton Review.

For example, Harvard University has no merit-based awards, but the school says tuition is free for undergraduates with household incomes of $200,000 or less.

“The Ivies and many Ivies close to them are so competitive that we don’t need to award scholarships based on merit,” Franek said. “That said, these schools meet 100% of the demonstrated financial needs of their students and families.”

According to the Princeton Review, financial aid is the most important factor for the majority of students and their families when deciding where to attend school and how to pay for it. The amount of aid offered is important, as is the breakdown of grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and student loans.

“As costs and student loans continue to rise, it is more important than ever for families to make informed choices,” Scarlata said.

Especially as artificial intelligence reshapes the workforce and eliminates entry-level opportunities for some new college graduates, “families are considering which degree will give their child the most earning power and which degree will get them a job upon graduation,” Scarlata said.

Franek said college-bound students and their parents are paying far more attention to the value of public and private universities. “It’s still very much about brand and reputation, but it’s incredibly pragmatic when it comes to fit and return on investment,” he said.

According to a 2025 study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a college’s ROI is determined by several factors, including the amount of financial aid offered and the student’s out-of-pocket costs, as well as the choice of major, future earning potential, and how long it takes to graduate.

Students and their families are “thinking more like consumers and investors than ever before,” Franek said. “My decision in college was an emotional one, but now it’s a financial strategy.”

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