The world of college admissions is undergoing a transformation.
Since the pandemic, many institutions have reevaluated their emphasis on SAT and ACT test scores, an imperfect but, yes, “standardized” way to compare students across the board. This has led to a shift in the application dynamics.
With the benefit of a few years of observations, how does this change things?
The Surge in Applications
Without the hurdle of standardized test scores, many students have become emboldened to apply to colleges they might once have considered out of reach. This has resulted in a swelling of application numbers, making the acceptance rates at many institutions plummet.
This has created a vicious cycle: as acceptance rates drop, students respond by casting wider nets, applying to even more schools to increase their chances, which in turn drops acceptance rates again, and so on and so forth.
Why is This Happening?
Several factors play into this trend:
The economic challenges of the past few years have made students more strategic, applying to multiple colleges to secure the best financial aid offers.
The rise of virtual campus tours and online events have made geographical barriers less relevant, broadening horizons for many applicants.
Institutions are adopting a more holistic review process, leading to uncertainty among students about what exactly colleges prioritize.
A surge in global applications has introduced more competition, with international students vying for spots in U.S colleges.
How Can Students Navigate This New Terrain?
If you’re a junior, sophomore, freshman, there are a few things you can do for the similar environment you’re likely to face down the road:
Take SAT or ACT: Yes, they’re optional, but if you can score well, they will still help your application stand out. If you don’t score well enough to benefit yourself at a given school, you don’t need to send it there. Learn the tests and give yourself plenty of practice!
Prep Hard for AP Exams: In the absence of SAT and ACT scores, schools will look closely at AP scores, since these are also popular standardized tests that happen to also reflect academic achievement in courses that are supposed to be at a college level of difficulty.
Specialize: Students who can focus their interests will stand out. Don’t plan to just study computer science or business or whatever. Get specific. Cybersecurity or AI? Entrepreneurship or finance? Then take classes and participate in extracurriculars to prove it. This goes for any major. Even if you end up moving into a different specialty or doing something else with the major, your focus will pay off for you and your applications.
If you’re already a senior in the midst of applications, you have a few options:
Write Great Essays: Personal statements and admissions essays have taken on a new level of importance. Without test scores to differentiate applicants, the essay provides a critical opportunity for students to showcase their unique stories, experiences, and aspirations. To save time, write them in the optimal order.
Diversify Your Applications: Don't just lean on the top-tier institutions. Applying to 15-20 institutions, rather than the traditionally suggested 8-10, can offer a safety net. Apply to a blend of reach, target, match, and safety schools to hedge against the increasing unpredictability.
Apply Early: Use early decision or early action options to your advantage. This can help keep your list of schools to a manageable number. Early Decision in particular, can provide a small boost at some schools (though less than people think) at the expense of less financial aid flexibility.
Consider a Gap Year or Start Local: Use a gap year to build experiences, work, volunteer, or even start a project. Alternately, consider starting at a community college, even if it’s just a few classes. It can be a strategic way into four-year institutions.
To sum it up, while the college application process in 2023 might seem daunting, it's the same game as always. With the right strategies and mindset, students can navigate this evolving landscape confidently.