There's no single "nicest" school because it's subjective, but top contenders for beauty, prestige, or facilities often include Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge, or beautiful campuses like the University of Sydney, while elite private schools like Eton College (UK) and Institut Le Rosey (Switzerland) offer top-tier experiences, with rankings changing yearly based on academics, environment, and reputation.
Results 2026
There isn't one single #1 hardest school, as rankings fluctuate, but Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) consistently appear at the very top of lists for lowest acceptance rates (often below 4-5%), requiring exceptional academic performance and unique qualifications from applicants. Caltech is often noted for its intense focus on STEM and tiny class sizes, while Harvard remains the most famous symbol of extreme selectivity.
There's no single "best" school as it depends on needs (public/private, co-ed/single-sex, focus area), but top performers often include James Ruse Agricultural High School (NSW), North Sydney Girls/Boys High (NSW), Sydney Grammar School (NSW), Conservatorium High School (NSW) (for music), and Perth Modern School (WA) for selective public options, while private schools like Redlands (NSW), Kingswood College (VIC), and Scotch College (VIC) consistently rank high.
For example, if your grade has 100 students, and your GPA is better than 90 of them, then you are ranked number 10, and you're in the top 10 percent of your graduating class. It's important to note that class rank is evaluated multiple times throughout a student's high school career.
Australia's "top 8 schools" generally refers to the Group of Eight (Go8), a coalition of leading research universities, including University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, UNSW Sydney, ANU, Monash, UQ, UWA, and Adelaide; however, rankings vary, with Times Higher Education (THE) often placing Melbourne, Sydney, Monash, and ANU at the very top in recent years, followed by UNSW, UQ, UWA, and Adelaide.
Objectively speaking, neither the University of Oxford nor the Ivy League is “harder”. The admission rate of the University of Oxford is relatively higher than that of many Ivy League schools, it has a highly challenging interview process and the restriction that one can only apply to one university in the UK.
Here are the best global universities
Well, if there are 400 people in your grade, you will be collectively ranked from 1 to 400. The number-one-ranked student will have the highest GPA, while the lowest-ranked student (#400) will have the lowest GPA. In most schools, class rank is recalculated and updated each semester.
Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest higher education institution in the United States, and is widely regarded in terms of its influence, reputation, and academic pedigree as a leading university in not just the US but also the world.
Australia ranks highly globally for education, particularly in higher education where its system is considered third strongest (after the US & UK), with many universities in top 100/50 subject rankings. For K-12, Australian students perform well in PISA tests, ranking in the top 10 for reading, science, and math in recent assessments, though system-wide proficiency varies, notes the ABC News. Overall, Australia is a top destination for international students and boasts a highly educated population, per the Australian Government DFAT and Secret Brisbane.
Harvard University, with a $50.9 billion endowment as of 2022, is the wealthiest university in the world.
Overview. Harvard University is a private institution that was founded in 1636. In the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, Harvard University is ranked No. #3 in National Universities.
GCSE Requirements:
Minimum of 7 GCSEs at grade 7/A or above. Most successful applicants have 8-10 GCSEs at grade 8-9/A* English and Maths must be grade 7/A minimum. Subject-specific GCSEs often required at grade 8/A*
Australian National University (ANU)
The Australian National University (ANU) is widely regarded as the toughest university to gain admission to in Australia, known for its rigorous academic standards and prestigious reputation.
Cost of Studying
When comparing costs, Oxford is significantly more affordable. The average tuition fee for international students at Oxford ranges from £27,840 to £39,010 (INR 30.68–43 Lakhs) per annum. Harvard's tuition fee for international students, by comparison, is around USD 51,143 (INR 42.84 Lakhs) per annum.
American universities like Harvard, Stanford, and Penn lead in producing billionaire alumni. Most wealth comes from technology startups and entrepreneurial ventures (e.g., Microsoft, Google, DoorDash, Baidu).
Sierra Canyon School (SCS) is a private, coeducational university-preparatory day school located in Los Angeles, California. Sierra Canyon enrolls students in preschool through grade 12.
Cornell is considered the “easiest” Ivy League to get into because it has the highest Ivy League acceptance rate.
The University of Melbourne is a truly unique environment. We're creating a range of sustainable facilities and precincts to enable ground-breaking discoveries, now and into the future.
On Western Australia's remote south coast, Jerdacuttup Primary School has only six students enrolled. But the teachers, parents and children are determined to keep the doors open.