Selective Colleges Have More Options: Do you?

As acceptances, rejections, and wait-list notifications come to a close this spring, many in the class of 2021 were surprised at their results. Schools like the UC’s, historically difficult but not impossible to get into, went test-optional or test-blind this past admissions cycle, leading many students to believe this would open opportunities not previously available at colleges historically requiring test scores. This belief was only reinforced by test-optional schools promising equal consideration in admissions for students, regardless of the presence of a test score. Now that college decision day is only a few weeks away, colleges are finally starting to release empirical data on the students they selected for admission this fall.

Why does it seem like this past admissions cycle was more difficult on students than in previous years?

The pandemic has already had a few lasting effects in college admissions. In May of 2020, after college decision day, a survey found that 33% of students said they would rather defer than attend an all-online college in the fall. While most colleges didn’t see deferral rates that high, even the Ivies saw a huge increase in deferrals: 20% of Harvard's first-year students deferred enrollment to the fall of 2021. Every student who defers is taking the spot of someone in the next year’s class, so colleges nationwide had less spots to offer to the Class of 2021 to begin with.

Additionally, the removal of testing requirements in admissions caused an increase in how many schools the average student chose to apply to. With test scores no longer a barrier to entry, colleges that chose to go test-optional saw a large increase in application numbers. As there are only a certain number of acceptances available for that class, many more students received wait list or rejection notifications per school than in previous years. 

COVID-19 also impacted an increase of applications more directly. The inability to tour college campuses in-person left students with less confidence in their interest in their colleges. Students expected it to be safer to apply to a wider birth of schools when they had less information, to give themselves more options come spring. Then they can whittle down the list of colleges, acceptances hopefully in-hand, when they start offering in-person tours again. With more applicants, colleges were able to be more selective with who they chose to represent their incoming class. Strong applicants applying across the board to more schools raised the bar overall for what it took to get an acceptance.

Students who didn’t submit test scores to test-optional colleges faced an additional hurdle, as many schools accepted students with test scores often at significantly higher rates. For students, it would have been extremely difficult to predict that choosing not to submit scores - to schools promising equal opportunity in admissions - would hurt them in admissions. However, it makes sense from an administrative standpoint that an applicant with an additional measure of academic achievement would be a more attractive candidate than one without.

What can future applicants take away from the experience of this past admissions cycle?

Use the results from this admissions cycle to inform how you plan to prepare and apply for colleges in the future.

Apply to more colleges. It’s an old saying: if you can’t beat them, join them! Apply to a wide variety of colleges to increase your chance of acceptances. Most students have a few safety schools where they represent the ideal student at that college. Still aim for the stars and apply to your reach schools; just make sure that you don’t limit your options from the start by only applying to schools where you would be considered a mid-range applicant.

Submit scores to test-optional colleges if possible. This past year, some students were unable to apply with scores because the test wasn’t accessible in their area. With schools starting to open this spring and many test sites able to host exams again, there will be more opportunity to sit for an exam.