The college admissions process is becoming more complex and competitive, with continued shifts in policy and behavior patterns from both admissions offices and students. Here’s a look at some of the most significant trends.
Application Numbers
Applications are easier than ever to submit thanks to platforms like the Common Application, and colleges continue seeing a flood of submissions. More students are applying to more schools, including those that are highly selective. The result is a greater number of deferred and waitlisted applicants as colleges seek to manage their admissions numbers, and more colleges being able to claim “selectivity” in admissions.
Testing Requirements
An increasing number of selective schools (including MIT, Yale, and Dartmouth) are bringing back standardized test requirements. Many schools remain test-optional, but the trend toward returning to requirement continues.
The Role of Technology
Both students and admissions offices are using AI. It’s clear that some students are using tools like ChatGPT to write their essays, but colleges aren’t taking it lying down. AI-generated essays are often easily identifiable by readers (as they lack the authentic voice and personal experience that admissions committees are looking for), but more frequently admissions offices are fighting fire with fire, utilizing AI to check for a student’s potential use of AI in essays. Now more than ever, it’s important for a student’s application to stand out by showcasing genuine personality and insight.
Beyond the Numbers
Beyond grades and test scores, colleges are looking for:
- what makes a student unique
- meaningful extracurriculars that demonstrate a student’s long-term passion and initiative
- leadership, engagement, and commitment
Institutional Goals
- Schools continue to prioritize student mental health and well-being, investing in resources and support systems to address the pressures students face.
- Colleges continue to seek to build a diverse student body across various dimensions, with socioeconomics, ethnicity, and first-generation status still being key factors.
- Legacy admissions practices continues to dwindle, however, due in part to legal challenges and public pressure. So while being a child of an alumnus may still be a factor at some schools, the emphasis is shifting toward students being admitted on merit alone.
Deadlines & Majors
Schools continue to admit a large portion of their incoming classes from an Early Decision applicant pool. This earlier deadline + commitment combo continue to give early applicants a strategic advantage.
For students applying to competitive fields like engineering or computer science, it’s important to note that more colleges where certain majors are more popular are admitting by major (rather than by school or college). This makes acceptances for these majors that much more selective, and should be considered by those applying to that major, but also by students hoping to gain acceptance through a “back door major”, as it can be difficult to switch into the preferred major even down the road.