Admissions trends 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m thinking more US kids will be looking at attending school outside US. An opportunity to get a new perspective on how to live. I’m not sure many will actually commit to going outside US, but —why not apply, and see what comes of it? oTOH, many may be itching for a change of scenery a few months from now.

Agreed. There may be a brain drain of US students to Canada and the UK if Trump's policies impacting American universities (curriculum, D&I, threatening journalists) get worse. I think a lot of international students will keep coming.

Unrelated to Trump, some flagship state universities (like the UC system) are limiting the number of out of state students to prioritize in-state admits, but they are not reducing international students.

Going to school with international students improves the appeal and college experience for many US students so I think American universities will make efforts to recruit.

[Anonymous]

Admission trends:

1. More schools eliminate legacy, including schools in states with bills or lawsuits pending (like PA and NY).

2. Rankings start getting deprioritized and less relevant outside of the usual suspect "big name brands".

3. Given economic concerns, fewer students want to spend top dollar for top brand name schools and shop more for "merit discounts". State flagships become even more popular.

4. A few more colleges have financial issues and end operations or get bought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Admission trends:

1. More schools eliminate legacy, including schools in states with bills or lawsuits pending (like PA and NY).

2. Rankings start getting deprioritized and less relevant outside of the usual suspect "big name brands".

3. Given economic concerns, fewer students want to spend top dollar for top brand name schools and shop more for "merit discounts". State flagships become even more popular.

4. A few more colleges have financial issues and end operations or get bought.

+100

[Anonymous]

Admissions trends

No students want to hear about politics —other than parents who are so invested in politics that it trickles down to miserable kids. This is why southern schools will keep growing.

chasing merit is a thing and students realize that where you went to college matters zero after your first job. Also if you graduate top of the class at some of the lessor known schools you were have good chance for grad school. Maybe even better than if you are competing with more kids from Harvard.

UK is popular because it is cheaper for a private school experience. Has zero to do with politics just makes sense financially.

Birth rate starts to go down so college admissions will be easier in coming years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Admissions trends

No students want to hear about politics —other than parents who are so invested in politics that it trickles down to miserable kids. This is why southern schools will keep growing.

chasing merit is a thing and students realize that where you went to college matters zero after your first job. Also if you graduate top of the class at some of the lessor known schools you were have good chance for grad school. Maybe even better than if you are competing with more kids from Harvard.

UK is popular because it is cheaper for a private school experience. Has zero to do with politics just makes sense financially.

Birth rate starts to go down so college admissions will be easier in coming years.

Nope.

Southern schools are in states that are bastions for regressive MAGA politics.

For kids who go there - and parents who send them there - it's what they're looking for. It's certainly not for academics. Maybe football.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Admissions trends

No students want to hear about politics —other than parents who are so invested in politics that it trickles down to miserable kids. This is why southern schools will keep growing.

chasing merit is a thing and students realize that where you went to college matters zero after your first job. Also if you graduate top of the class at some of the lessor known schools you were have good chance for grad school. Maybe even better than if you are competing with more kids from Harvard.

UK is popular because it is cheaper for a private school experience. Has zero to do with politics just makes sense financially.

Birth rate starts to go down so college admissions will be easier in coming years.

nah we become more political and want to be more informed about the world when we attend college. most of my friends who go to school in the south (unc, davidson, emory) are even more political than when they lived in va. sorry but you sound like a parent yourself and don't really know what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admissions trends

No students want to hear about politics —other than parents who are so invested in politics that it trickles down to miserable kids. This is why southern schools will keep growing.

chasing merit is a thing and students realize that where you went to college matters zero after your first job. Also if you graduate top of the class at some of the lessor known schools you were have good chance for grad school. Maybe even better than if you are competing with more kids from Harvard.

UK is popular because it is cheaper for a private school experience. Has zero to do with politics just makes sense financially.

Birth rate starts to go down so college admissions will be easier in coming years.

Nope.

Southern schools are in states that are bastions for regressive MAGA politics.

For kids who go there - and parents who send them there - it's what they're looking for. It's certainly not for academics. Maybe football.

UT Austin apps way up this year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admissions trends

No students want to hear about politics —other than parents who are so invested in politics that it trickles down to miserable kids. This is why southern schools will keep growing.

chasing merit is a thing and students realize that where you went to college matters zero after your first job. Also if you graduate top of the class at some of the lessor known schools you were have good chance for grad school. Maybe even better than if you are competing with more kids from Harvard.

UK is popular because it is cheaper for a private school experience. Has zero to do with politics just makes sense financially.

Birth rate starts to go down so college admissions will be easier in coming years.

Nope.

Southern schools are in states that are bastions for regressive MAGA politics.

For kids who go there - and parents who send them there - it's what they're looking for. It's certainly not for academics. Maybe football.

UT Austin apps way up this year

Ole Miss and LSU too. And?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admissions trends

No students want to hear about politics —other than parents who are so invested in politics that it trickles down to miserable kids. This is why southern schools will keep growing.

chasing merit is a thing and students realize that where you went to college matters zero after your first job. Also if you graduate top of the class at some of the lessor known schools you were have good chance for grad school. Maybe even better than if you are competing with more kids from Harvard.

UK is popular because it is cheaper for a private school experience. Has zero to do with politics just makes sense financially.

Birth rate starts to go down so college admissions will be easier in coming years.

Nope.

Southern schools are in states that are bastions for regressive MAGA politics.

For kids who go there - and parents who send them there - it's what they're looking for. It's certainly not for academics. Maybe football.

I think there will be parents who just insist on going on and on about politics and make their kids miserable. Most kids want a good education and some fun. You have your whole life to be miserable. Some of the growth areas at the southern schools are kids from blue states. They chase the merit and have fun so sound like a plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admissions trends

No students want to hear about politics —other than parents who are so invested in politics that it trickles down to miserable kids. This is why southern schools will keep growing.

chasing merit is a thing and students realize that where you went to college matters zero after your first job. Also if you graduate top of the class at some of the lessor known schools you were have good chance for grad school. Maybe even better than if you are competing with more kids from Harvard.

UK is popular because it is cheaper for a private school experience. Has zero to do with politics just makes sense financially.

Birth rate starts to go down so college admissions will be easier in coming years.

Nope.

Southern schools are in states that are bastions for regressive MAGA politics.

For kids who go there - and parents who send them there - it's what they're looking for. It's certainly not for academics. Maybe football.

UT Austin apps way up this year

I hate to break it to the majority of the people on this forum but it doesn’t matter where your kid gets their undergrad degree. If they want a southern experience then by all means send them. If they want a small quiet school that is focused on academia send them. If they want a large university, soak it in. If your kid wants to go online, do it. At the end of the day, that degree will prob be worth the same in weight as their peer who did it differently.

[Anonymous]

Any new trends this year??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admissions trends

No students want to hear about politics —other than parents who are so invested in politics that it trickles down to miserable kids. This is why southern schools will keep growing.

chasing merit is a thing and students realize that where you went to college matters zero after your first job. Also if you graduate top of the class at some of the lessor known schools you were have good chance for grad school. Maybe even better than if you are competing with more kids from Harvard.

UK is popular because it is cheaper for a private school experience. Has zero to do with politics just makes sense financially.

Birth rate starts to go down so college admissions will be easier in coming years.

Nope.

Southern schools are in states that are bastions for regressive MAGA politics.

For kids who go there - and parents who send them there - it's what they're looking for. It's certainly not for academics. Maybe football.

UT Austin apps way up this year

Ole Miss and LSU too. And?

UGA too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any new trends this year??

Ummm. It’s only Dec 12. Most early notifications haven’t even gone out yet.

Come back April 1st.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new trends this year??

Ummm. It’s only Dec 12. Most early notifications haven’t even gone out yet.

Come back April 1st.

The acceptance thread is many pages long. Didn't read through but it seemed like many have already gotten accepted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any new trends this year??

Ummm. It’s only Dec 12. Most early notifications haven’t even gone out yet.

Come back April 1st.

The acceptance thread is many pages long. Didn't read through but it seemed like many have already gotten accepted.

It’s very early to call trends. And way too early for T1-T20