Brooklyn, NYprivate nonprofityeshivasholomshachna.com
Yeshiva Sholom Shachna is a tiny, ultra-Orthodox Jewish institution in Brooklyn with an open-door admissions policy—literally every applicant gets in. Focused exclusively on Talmudic studies, it operates more like a traditional yeshiva than a conventional college, with minimal costs but equally minimal graduation rates (just 18%). Its 118 undergraduates live a cloistered, devout life in a no-frills urban setting.
Yeshiva Sholom Shachna might be the least selective institution in higher education: every applicant is admitted, with sources variously reporting a 100% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. (from 49 applications in 2024) or 86.95%. No SAT/ACT scores are required, and there’s no public data on average GPAs. The school appears to function more as a community yeshiva than a selective college, with an enrollment of just 132 students.
This is a single-major institution: Talmudic studies is the only offering, taught in a traditional yeshiva style with a 20:1 student-faculty ratio. Graduation rates are strikingly low—sources conflict, reporting either 18% or 38%—suggesting many students treat it as a transitional religious study program rather than a degree-granting college. No academic or extracurricular diversions exist beyond Torah study.
With 118 undergraduates in an urban Brooklyn setting, campus life revolves around religious observance. Housing costs $4,700/year—likely for shared dormitories near the yeshiva. There are no mentions of athletics, Greek life, or conventional clubs; the Niche reviews section is barren, suggesting a tightly insular community. This is a place for students deeply embedded in Haredi Judaism, not those seeking a typical college experience.
The 18% graduation rate (per College Board) is among the lowest nationally, though other sources suggest 38%. No data exists on post-graduation earnings or careers—unsurprising given the school’s focus on rabbinical training rather than secular employment. Retention metrics are similarly absent, likely reflecting the yeshiva’s role as a temporary study hub for devout students.
Tuition is $19,094 before aid, but the average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. drops to $7,551 after scholarships and grants. Institutional aid averages $9,533/year, with federal grants adding $4,179. The ultra-low costs reflect the yeshiva’s nonprofit religious mission—though the actual price may vary given the lack of detailed public data.
Yeshiva Sholom Shachna is singular in its lack of pretense: no selective admissions, no academic variety, no campus amenities. It’s a pure throwback to the Eastern European yeshiva model, transplanted to Brooklyn. The 100% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. and sub-20% graduation rate would doom a conventional college, but here, they reflect a total prioritization of religious study over credentialing. For Haredi Jews seeking uninterrupted Torah learning, it’s a rare American option—for everyone else, it’s utterly irrelevant.