The 16 most selective boarding schools in America

Attending a top-notch boarding school sets students up for lifelong success, but some of the most elite boarding schools are incredibly selective about which students are right for the experience.

Business Insider recently published a list of the most elite boarding schools in America. The ranking was based on three metrics weighted equally: endowment, acceptance rate, and average SAT score. Here we've re-ranked the schools based solely on acceptance rate to determine which boarding schools are the country's most selective.

Despite Phillips Exeter Academy's title as the No. 1 most elite boarding school for the second year in a row, it comes in at No. 8 on this list with a 19% acceptance rate, tied with Milton Academy. The Groton School, the No. 5 most elite boarding school, is tied with The Thacher School as the most selective, each with an acceptance rate of 12%.

Read on to see the 16 most selective boarding schools in America.

Additional reporting by Andy Kiersz.

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14. (TIE) The Governor's Academy

Location: Byfield, Massachusetts

Endowment: $75 million

Acceptance rate: 23%

Enrollment:406

At The Governor's Academy, each class is tailored toward helping students develop one of the school's seven essential skills, which include thinking critically, communicating effectively, and readily adapting to new situations. Students can also take advantage of the school's college counselors, who partner with them to help narrow down their choices and put together competitive applications.

14. (TIE) Georgetown Preparatory School

Location: North Bethesda, Maryland

Endowment: $20 million

Acceptance rate: 23%

Enrollment:492

The oldest Jesuit school in the country, Georgetown Prep focuses on helping each student build a strong mind, body, and spirit. The all-boys school provides ample opportunities for growth — in and out of the classroom — through numerous athletic teams, student publications, and extracurricular clubs, including speech and debate, chess, and student government.

14. (TIE) Choate Rosemary Hall

Location: Wallingford, Connecticut

Endowment: $318 million

Acceptance rate: 23%

Enrollment:865

Choate Rosemary Hall celebrated its 125th anniversary last year by ramping up its commitment to innovation. The school, which requires its students to bring iPads to class, dedicated a new mathematics and computer-science building that's LEED Gold-certified and home to Choate's award-winning Robotics Team and i.d.Lab — a tech-packed facility for creative thinking and innovation. There's also the Kohler Environmental Center, where juniors and seniors can enroll in the yearlong Environmental Immersion Program that combines sustainable living, study, and independent research.