2024! Prepare for Changing College Admission Trends!

Today, I’ll be sharing a post about the changing trends in college admissions for 2024.

While there are key factors that colleges consistently prioritize when selecting new students, some elements are adjusted annually as colleges reassess their perspectives and adapt their evaluation criteria. These subtle shifts in perspective are what we call "admissions trends." Although there are numerous factors to consider, I’ll summarize today’s key points into four major trends.

Recently, more colleges are reinstating standardized test policies, such as the SAT and ACT. While many institutions adopted test-optional policies during the pandemic, a surprising number continue to maintain this option.

The chart above, titled "Proportion of Students Submitting Tests Over Time by Funnel Stage," shows the percentage of students submitting test scores. The green color represents students who submitted test scores.

• In 2019 and 2020, most students submitted their scores.

• In 2021, due to the test-optional policy, the number of students who submitted scores significantly decreased.

However, as more evidence revealed that excluding test scores often led to inaccurate evaluations, colleges began requiring SAT/ACT scores again. As seen above, Ivy League institutions and other schools have reverted to requiring SAT/ACT scores.

Yet, despite the research favoring test scores, many colleges still maintain test-optional policies. Why is that?

The chart above shows the applicant numbers for various universities. Excluding the pandemic year (2020):

• Princeton University maintained a similar applicant pool of about 35,000 before and after the pandemic.

• MIT saw a rise from 21,000 to 33,000 applicants after adopting a test-optional policy. However, when MIT reinstated its SAT/ACT requirement, its applicant numbers dropped again because lower-scoring students stopped applying.

• Harvard University experienced an increase from around 44,000 applicants to 57,000–60,000 after going test-optional.

The test-optional policy encouraged more students to apply, even those without competitive scores, leading to a substantial rise in applications. For instance, if 15,000 additional students apply to a school with an $80 application fee, the college generates approximately $1.2 million in revenue without additional effort. Although more applications may require increased evaluation resources, much of the process is automated. Even if colleges allocate $10,000 per employee, this would cover raises for 120 staff members. While not a huge sum, this additional revenue is hard for institutions to overlook.

Furthermore, test-optional policies provide colleges with a justification to diversify their student body.

Despite this, I always emphasize that submitting SAT/ACT scores remains advantageous. In our experience, students who submitted test scores achieved better outcomes. As seen in the chart, students who submitted scores (green) had a higher acceptance rate than those who did not (blue).

Even with test-optional policies in place, submitting SAT/ACT scores significantly improves your chances of admission.

With the rise of ChatGPT, the use of AI for writing personal essays has increased. Although colleges are aware of this, they cannot eliminate the essay requirement since it remains a critical evaluation tool.

To address this, some schools have introduced video introductions. For example:

• Brown University, University of Chicago, and Washington University in St. Louis allow optional video submissions.

• Tufts University requires video introductions for certain majors.

Colleges request these videos to gain a more authentic understanding of applicants, as essays can now be written by AI or ghostwriters.

Duke University’s Dean of Admissions, Christoph Guttentag, stated that standardized tests and essays will no longer be part of the numeric rating system, reducing their direct weight in evaluations.

While essays remain important, colleges are exploring alternatives like video introductions. This highlights the need to practice presenting yourself on camera.

Additionally, students should consider other methods of showcasing their strengths, such as running a blog, maintaining a strong social media presence, or building a YouTube channel to document their journey. However, these efforts require a long-term approach. Trying to build a portfolio in just one year may come across as insincere.

Now is the time to explore alternative ways to present yourself beyond essays.

More top-tier colleges are accepting a large number of students through Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA). The number of early applicants has surged by 38% in 2023 compared to 2019.

While this increase may include non-serious applicants, it remains a significant trend. Previously, students used early applications to apply to their "reach" schools—institutions slightly above their target level. However, as competition intensifies and acceptance rates decline, students are now strategically targeting schools slightly above their “target” range instead of unrealistic “reach” schools.

Given the competitive landscape, applying early to a slightly higher target school can improve your admission chances.

More colleges are eliminating legacy admissions, which gave preference to applicants with family members who attended the institution. For example:

• Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Virginia Tech abolished legacy admissions in 2023.

Although family-based legacy admissions are declining, high school legacy still exists. Certain high schools have strong historical ties with specific colleges, increasing the chances of admission for students from those schools.

Summary of Key Trends

1. Tests: Many colleges are reinstating SAT/ACT requirements, but test-optional policies persist due to financial incentives. Regardless, submitting scores remains advantageous.

2. Essays: While essays are still important, alternatives like video introductions are emerging. Explore new ways to showcase yourself.

3. Early Applications: Early applicant numbers have surged. Apply strategically to slightly higher target schools to improve your chances.

4. Legacy Admissions: Legacy admissions are being phased out, which is positive news for many applicants.

Today, we’ve discussed four key trends in 2024 college admissions. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at A-One Institute.

Thank you!