Is it Really Harder to Get into College These Days?
Ask anyone connected to a senior in high school if it’s harder to get into college these days and you are likely to get a resounding “Yes”. However, if you take a look at the reality of college admissions in terms of numbers, you might find yourself hesitating for a moment before you answer that question.
On the one hand, there is no denying that admission to the highly selective colleges in the U.S. is much more difficult to achieve now than it was two decades ago. Highly publicized college rankings, along with students’ willingness to travel far from home for college and a general perception that some schools are more equal than others, have driven more students to apply to these colleges. It’s a simple case of supply and demand. The more students who apply, the harder it is to get in and the higher the bar is set.
However, a recent study published by Caroline M. Hoxby with the National Bureau of Economic Research, presented data which showed that if you look beyond the sphere of those highly selective colleges, you will find that it is actually somewhat easier to get into college than it once was. In fact, a somewhat less qualified student has a better chance of getting into college than in the past. The reason? There are many, but the overriding factor is most likely economics. Colleges need to have students in order to survive. As students have chosen to attend colleges further away from home, some local colleges have had to find new sources of students. By broadening their admissions criteria, a school can draw from a larger pool of applicants to fill their seats. The result is a school is able to continue serving the people in the local community and students, who at one time would not have been admitted, get the opportunity to prove they have what it takes to be successful in college. It can be a win-win situation – especially for students who started to hit their academic stride later in their high school career. It should be noted that a college’s decision to accept a broader range of students is in no way a reflection on the quality of education being offered by that institution.
So, the answer to the question posed above is a resounding Yes and No. To be honest, the standards for getting into college have remained the same for the majority of colleges in the U.S. and an average student has just as good of a chance of getting into a good college as they had ten years ago. The differences have more to do with numbers of applicants to a particular school than anything else.
February 19th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Getting into college can be very challenging, haveing worked as an Admissions Advisor for a University I’ve seen first hand how difficult it can be for potential students.
The one thing that I’ve helped students do is to find unique things to set themself apart. When a college looks at hundreds if not thousands of applicants for a particular semester or session. After all the logistical inforamtion is evaluated, like testing, grades, etc. we looked for what set a student apart. As colleges have broadened their scope of students they’re accepting they’re looking for potential students who can really offer something back.
Colleges are graded too, the difference is that they’re graded on how their students performed, what demographics the college is accepting, and job placement, so they’re looking for students who will be a good representation of the college. They want a good report card too.
Their grade comes from financial supporters and the Accrediting body.
So even if you and the next several students are all equal they will be looking at what makes you an excellent choice. When you can answer this colleges will notice.
Be yourself, demonstrate that you’re the best possible candidate they can choose and you’ll have more colleges accept you, then you can call the shots on where you go and who accepts you.
Sophie
February 26th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
We have seen this as well. With enrollment higher at most colleges than ever before, it is important that students set themselves apart and stand out from the rest of the pack. Wondering what schools are looking for? Our admission counselor, Pam, gives you an idea of what the admission office wants to see from you when you apply: http://www.youtube.com/gobutleru#p/u/12/-j5LAbfqauw.
March 30th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Find out more about the inner working of an Ivy League Admissions Committee from a former Admissions Officer at Brown University. Andrea Van Niekerk, an Admissions Officer for 10 years at Brown, discusses her experience with the Admissions Process in this enlightening podcast:
http://www.iadmissions.com/?page=WhatHappensInAnAdCom