A Look at Ten Recent Admissions Trends

 

 by Katherine O'Brien, ThD Candidate, Founder of Celtic College Consultants

Admissions trends are interesting. With thousands of colleges, each having its own slant or take on how to evaluate applications and select which students to issue admissions invitations, which to waitlist, and which to decline, pinpointing their rationale is impossible. Nonetheless, as my colleagues and I share our notes and observations on the outcomes for the Class of 2023, various trends emerge. I have gathered and categorized the comments of many colleagues. I am grateful for their public candor, sharing what they have seen with others in our professional communities.

1. Increased Use of Enrollment Management Tools

Underlying much of what we see happening are statistical analysis tools used by most colleges to predict yield (the likelihood of each candidate to attend that college if s/he is admitted). This is used to help admissions offices offer the correct number of acceptances in order to yield the number of students the college desires to have for the next class. This information is nuanced in many ways, for example, to ensure that a particular college or major within a university has an appropriate number of students or that the percentage of in state and out of state students is what they desire it to be or to balance the full pay students with students who need deep discounts in order to attend (revenue yield). Correlated to this is the increase we have seen in the laws enacted in many states, setting forth regulations regarding various aspects of college admissions.

2. Larger than Usual Tuition and other Cost Increases

Ascribed to COVID costs and inflation, costs have increased at an increasing rate. Numerous schools now have a cost of attendance of over $90,000 per year. To have the total cost of one year of college nearing the six figure mark is a fact which leads many families to remove those schools from their lists. Either they fear they will not be able to afford even the net cost at these schools (or their student will feel out of place because designer clothes, etc. will not be their norm) or they are affluent families simply unwilling to spend so much on college. College costs have long increased at a rate exceeding other costs and income increases; the jumps in those increases in recent years has been notable, breathtaking even.

 

3. The Common App is Less Common than it was just a couple of years ago

The Common Application is a platform used by more than 1,000 colleges and universities. It includes common information (demographics, activities, courses and grades, and a main essay) which is sent to every college the student lists. Colleges also include particular questions and supplemental essays which are specific to the college or the major or program the student is applying to. In the past couple of years, the number of these mini-essays has increased significantly. The inclusion of various diversity questions among those supplemental essays has also increased significantly.

 

4. Student Abilities, A Huge Increase in both Superstars and Poor Communicators

On one end of the spectrum, high achieving students are accomplishing truly incredible things. However, the number of these superstars is also increasing significantly. This means that the pool of top notch students has broadened. Students typically fail to recognize this shift so do not respect the reality of the admissions pools they join. 

On the other end, for several years now, we have noticed a precipitous drop in the caliber of student writing. Composing a sentence has become a major challenge for many. Writing a coherent paragraph is a major accomplishment for most. The introspection and internal reflection required to write truly excellent personal statements, admittedly difficult for teens, has become even more elusive. 

5. Application Inflation

At the same time as we are seeing a swelling in the number of top applicants, we are also seeing an uptick in the number of applications each is submitting. Both of these factors lead to increasingly selective admissions results. Keep in mind that selective admissions tends to work like a magnet for those colleges, attracting even more top notch applicants. Applying to wonderful schools that your peers are not applying to is a prudent practice.

 

6. Early Decision and Early Application shifts

For high fliers, ED has become a key strategy. Previously, most of us widely discouraged ED applications, because of the commitment they entail, to all but the most dedicated to a particular school students. Now, with many, many colleges and universities filling half or more of their classes from the ED pools, applying Early Decision is key for our top notch students. 

Among our EA applicants, we are seeing farm more deferrals, followed by waitlist placements, rather than acceptances. These factors are making us rethink the advice we give our students.

 

7. Grade Inflation is Rampant/Test Optional Policies are Smoke and Mirrors

Somehow, 70% of high school students appear to have a 4.0 or higher GPA. One of my colleague mused, wondering if an A now indicates that a student has completed all assignments and requirements. I recently shared the school profile with a student who thought she was a tremendous catch for any college. I showed her that she was in the middle of the pack in her own high school, furthermore in the applicant pool. This sort of reality check is needed all around.

Related to this is the steady return to requiring test scores for admissions. Test optional policies, in many cases, truly are a secret code. They mean: send us your scores, unless you are low income, or have some other significant impediment to taking the tests. If you have such an impediment, it better be evident on the application, along with validation for your academic prowess, whether that be college courses and grades or IB or AP scores... For those of you still unsure, be aware that a higher percentage of the pool of students who apply with ACT or SAT scores is admitted than of the pool of students who do not include those scores.

 

8. Alternative Avenues to Admissions are Significantly Increasing

Perhaps this is happening in order to have these students not impact the enrollment yield and admissions rate percentages. We are noticing a significant increasing in alternative pathways to college, including summer start, spring start, guaranteed transfer, and first semester abroad programs. One of my colleagues commented about these, capturing the sentiments many of us detect underneath these acceptances, "start here as a second class citizen, so we don't have to count you in our admission rates, etc." (Karime Jankauskas)

 

9. An increase in Rejections and Wait List Placements

Following from several of the points above, we are all seeing an increase in rejections, particularly unexpected rejections, this year. Several commented that they have seen this, even with demonstrated interest. This trend is particularly difficult for families who have a limited college budget so have chosen schools where their student is overqualified. They are rejected because the colleges don't believe they will actually attend that college, that the applicant is using them as a super-safety school. This is also related to the flood of superstars in the applicant pool as well as various other factors mentioned above.

 

10. Students Ignoring Advice

This has always been something with which we have to contend. It goes with the territory of working with teens. However, we are noticing a significant increase in students ignoring advice, data, and facts from ourselves, trained, seasoned professionals, as well as from other informed adults in their lives. Instead, we are seeing an increase in students doing their own thing, applying to schools never discussed, etc.

 

 

College admissions has never been a straightforward process. One trend which has not changed is that students working with a college consultant fare better in admissions and in their college careers. They are better prepared, have more appropriate college lists, and more polished and authentic applications.

To discuss working with Katherine, kindly email her to inquire regarding her availability. In order to provide top quality personalized services, she limits her cohorts for each graduating class. Her email address is: KOB@CelticCollegeConsultants.com

EA, ED, RD, Rolling - Breaking Open the Admissions Options

 by Katherine O'Brien, MA CCPS

Founder, Celtic College Consultants

Applying to college seems pretty straightforward, at least from the outside. However, with various application options, testing options, recommendation options, and admissions options, there is a lot to sort out before you even begin.

N.B. Before I begin to describe these admissions options, please take note that some colleges have scholarship consideration or priority deadlines. 

Admissions Options - EA

Early Action is offered by hundreds of colleges. This application option has an early deadline so requires planning ahead. Testing needs to be done early, recommendations need to be gathered, and essays polished well in advance of the November 1 deadline (Check your prospective colleges to verify their deadline(s)!) Some schools even offer EA1 and EA2 - two rounds of early action.

Why apply EA? To show your serious interest in a college, to show your ability to be organized and get work done well in a timely fashion. Because you want to know that you are accepted before Christmas. To get the whole college application process over and done with. In order to take advantage of higher acceptance rates.

Why not apply EA? Because you've had some academic struggles during high school and want to show your wonderful fall senior grades to prospective colleges. Because you want to get your test scores higher to improve your chances at acceptance. Because your summer was full of incredible activities and preparing strong applications and essays just wasn't possible. Because you got started on the whole deciding you want to go to college, then making a college list, figuring out possible majors, and applying in August and need more time. Because you are involved in time intensive activities fall semester and didn't get your essays written over the summer so you can't create great applications in this time frame.

Admissions Options - ED

Early Decision is similar to early action. Some colleges offer this application option. Like EA, ED deadlines early and some colleges offer two rounds of it. ED differs in a very significant way, however. First, a student can only apply to one college using ED.  In that application, applicants and their parents agree to pull all other applications and attend this college if they are accepted.  Colleges love this application option because they know that the students they accept will be attending their college. In fact, the colleges with ED programs tend to fill 1/3 to 1/2 (or more!) of their incoming class from the ED pool.

Why apply ED? The acceptance rate is MUCH higher than the subsequent RD round. Apply ED if you are a legacy student, recruited athlete (or debater, musician, etc.), etc. For non-recruited or special category applicants, the acceptance rate is hard to determine. Because some portion of this applicant pool is accepted at a very high rate, the rate of acceptance for other students is impossible to determine. Apply ED if you are COMPLETELY sure that this one college is THE college for you AND you have the grades, scores, accomplishments, recommendations, and top quality essays ready in time.

Why not apply ED? Because this application is binding, do NOT apply ED if you are not 100% sure you will thrive at the selected college. There is fine print which will allow a student to get out of an ED commitment for financial reasons, but this path is rarely taken. Do NOT apply ED if you cannot afford to attend the college. Most colleges with ED options will require the CSS PROFILE form to also be submitted by the ED deadline. The PROFILE form is what these colleges have chosen to use to determine how they will allocate their institutional aid funds. ED colleges typically provide a preliminary financial aid package to accepted students. Additionally, if you need more time to re-take the SAT or ACT or want your fall semester grades to be considered, ED is not your best option. If you are applying without the help of a college consultant like myself, know that nearly all ED applicants are working with someone so you are at a disadvantage. They typically use tutors for test prep, too.

Admissions Options - RD

RD stands for regular decision. Most applicants choose RD. RD deadlines range from 12/1 to 6/1. While there is additional time to apply, deadlines must still be met and applications must be complete.

Why apply RD? Apply RD in order to include senior fall grades and test scores, to have more time to gather recommendations and to write and polish application essay(s). 

Why not apply RD? If you want to take advantage of higher acceptance rates and get the application process finished so you can enjoy the rest of your senior year, don't wait for RD deadlines. Please note that students can apply RD even before the EA or ED deadlines. RD applicants won't receive their decisions as quickly, but they will still receive them. (Every school has its own policy on when and how admissions decisions are made and communicated.)

Admissions Options - Rolling

Rolling Decision deadlines tend to be very late, often 7/1 or 8/1 or even the day before Fall semester classes begin. Don't be fooled, waiting that long will make getting in more difficult; as the admissions season progresses, fewer and fewer seats in the freshman class are available.

Why apply Rolling? If all else falls through, or "life happens" and you are only able to get your applications pulled together in late Spring of Senior year, then rolling decision schools will be a good choice for you.

Why not apply Rolling? Because you want to show colleges that you are prepared well ahead of time, are a strong prospective student for them, that you are serious about going to college, etc. (Not that students who apply late are not those things...)

Having options is a good thing. Understanding them and making well informed decisions and plans to use the options before you advantageously is very helpful as one seeks to accomplish one's goals in life. The prudent use of coaches, mentors, guides, etc. to help you select the majors, programs, and schools that are best suited to your learning style and personal and professional goals, as well to help you craft the best possible application possible is key. Email me at kob@CelticCollegeConsultants.com to request an initial consultation if you are an 8th - 11th grade student (or the parent of one) and you'd like to discuss your situation and the options for assistance as you move forward.

New Financial Aid Rules & SAT date Add STRESS to the Application Season

New Financial Aid Rules & SAT date are Adding Stress to the already Stressful Application Season

The Class of 2017 was the first to experience the new FAFSA schedule, with the federal financial aid application being available for the first time on October 1^st rather than on January 1^st. This change was touted to be beneficial to both families and the financial aid offices.  Another change was the use of the prior-prior-year’s (PPY) income information.  This alleviated the difficulties which arose when the IRS couldn’t process returns fast enough to get the information to the FAFSA processor and, in turn, to the financial aid offices, to ensure that financial aid awards would not need to be adjusted once the information was available.  By using 2015 tax return information in October, 2016, the IRS had sufficient time to process those returns.

Because of those changes, financial aid awards were expected to be sent out to applicants much earlier, allowing families more time to determine how to take care of their portion of the bill.  Financial aid officers had hoped to have more time to counsel parents and students, helping them find a satisfactory solution.  However, as of mid-February, students are not reporting receiving their awards yet.  Most are still awaiting the news.  Hopefully this is due to the adjustments needed in the financial aid offices and earlier awards will be forthcoming in subsequent years.  After all, many colleges and universities have long set their next school year’s tuition rates in January.  That process will need to shift to September or earlier in order to enable the financial aid office to create award letters as early as November.  Down the hall, admissions offices are already preparing longer marketing campaigns to entice admitted students to commit to their schools.  Families are often surprised to see the admissions letter contain information regarding submitting a deposit to commit to the school since the financial aid award hasn’t yet been received.  But this is standard practice.  Remember, colleges are businesses trying to attract customers/students. 

Now that the FAFSA can be filed any time after October 1, this year’s seniors found themselves extra busy during the early months of the application season.  Since many schools with early action and/or early decision admissions programs required the FAFSA to be filed by November 1, the very same date the admissions applications were due, students found themselves spinning like whirling dervishes trying to get everything submitted on time.  Finishing early applications due October 15^th or November 1^st along with getting the FAFSA filed and, in some cases, the PROFILE, was very difficult for many students and their families.  Parents were oftentimes caught off guard by the early financial aid application deadlines. 

Since the financial aid applications are not available until October 1, future student applicants will need to focus on completing their applications for admissions earlier… and on getting all the details taken care of.  Many applicants consider writing the application essays to be the most difficult part of the application process.  However, ensuring that transcripts and test scores are sent out, not to mention the recommendation letters, can make students lose their cool.  There are many, many details to keep track of.  Add in the schools which follow up the financial aid forms with additional requirements like sending in tax forms or other documentation and it’s no wonder families are stressed out. 

To top it off, the SAT has added an August sitting.  This has been long requested and is good news.  The Class of 2018 will be able to take the SAT August 26^th and/or the ACT on September 9^th, both in time for even the earliest of the application deadlines.  But that only packs their schedule even more tightly in the Fall.  Students will need to start the application process even sooner and be very well organized in order to fulfill all the requirements by their various deadlines.  Given how very few have developed those skills at age 17, the need for hiring a college consultant is becoming increasingly apparent.

To discuss your situation and how she can help you, schedule an initial consultation with college admissions and financial aid expert, Katherine O'Brien, MA CCPS,  here. Her website is www.CelticCollegeConsultants.com