shaping up to be an insane admissions year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same story every year

Right. If you have been reading this forum for years, each year's parents say it is especially hard for their kid/this year's class.

I know COVID was unusual, but I have never really seen anyone post that their year was typical of most years. Yet, when you see the pattern of posts each year, the same themes repeat.

[Anonymous]

How can anyone say last year wasn’t different when, because of test optional, many if not most schools received a lot more applications for the same number of spots?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish the college counseling would try to mete out so things like that wouldn't happen.

You want the counselors to say "No you can't apply there Bobby already called it"?

No you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, I'll bite. Which school?
I personally don't believe it'll be all that crazy but who knows?

Large public...could be a one-off but I doubt it.

No, I meant that my DC is at a large public (not that they applied ED to a large public- they applied to a SLAC).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Same story every year

Right. If you have been reading this forum for years, each year's parents say it is especially hard for their kid/this year's class.

I know COVID was unusual, but I have never really seen anyone post that their year was typical of most years. Yet, when you see the pattern of posts each year, the same themes repeat.

It's true that apps have been rising for years. But, if I recall, birthrate high mark was 2000, steady but flat since, and should be falling in a few more years. Test optional did cause a significant jump for high school class of 2021. The largest example I'm aware of is >60% increase at MIT. Most top-50s saw something like a 20-30% increase. With the same policies in place this year, it would make sense for app numbers to be similar. One wrinkle, the uncertainty last admission season seemed (anecdotally) to cause a lot of last-minute RD apps, and it's possible that applicants will have adjusted somehow, though I'm not sure how other than to apply early where possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC just found out that at least 7 other kids from their high school applied ED to the same school...last year, it was 3. Fortunately, DC's is already into one school and applied to a couple other safeties during the EA round but I'm guessing this is going to be another very difficult and unpredictable year.

which hs OP and which college?

OP here...without getting too specific, large public high school and SLAC (highly selective but not "top 5"-ish)....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Same story every year

Right. If you have been reading this forum for years, each year's parents say it is especially hard for their kid/this year's class.

I know COVID was unusual, but I have never really seen anyone post that their year was typical of most years. Yet, when you see the pattern of posts each year, the same themes repeat.

It's true that apps have been rising for years. But, if I recall, birthrate high mark was 2000, steady but flat since, and should be falling in a few more years. Test optional did cause a significant jump for high school class of 2021. The largest example I'm aware of is >60% increase at MIT. Most top-50s saw something like a 20-30% increase. With the same policies in place this year, it would make sense for app numbers to be similar. One wrinkle, the uncertainty last admission season seemed (anecdotally) to cause a lot of last-minute RD apps, and it's possible that applicants will have adjusted somehow, though I'm not sure how other than to apply early where possible.

I feel like we've been told this year/next year/last year was the biggest senior class ever for a long time.

There will always be more kids applying than spots available at those top schools. Create colleges lists that consist of more than just those schools and you won't be stressed out and panicking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My uninformed bet is that after last year students will add more safeties to their lists and that will have the negative consequence of typical safety schools starting to yield protect even more.

I think some people will be surprised by the state schools that take a much longer time to send out acceptances to people who would have gotten in quickly before.

They may also do more waitlisting to ferret out who really wants to attend.

[Anonymous]

[list]

Anonymous wrote:How can anyone say last year wasn’t different when, because of test optional, many if not most schools received a lot more applications for the same number of spots?

+1
I have had multiple kids go through the college application process. Last year was definitely the most brutal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[list]

Anonymous wrote:How can anyone say last year wasn’t different when, because of test optional, many if not most schools received a lot more applications for the same number of spots?

+1
I have had multiple kids go through the college application process. Last year was definitely the most brutal.

By all accounts, this was true due to test optional...the question now is, whether the continued use of test optional plus people freaking out about last year will make this year even worse....sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I suppose it's also possible that more people are just applying EA/ED to places they would have applied to anyway so maybe there will be fewer RD applications? But I tend to doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Agree. While this is concededly anecdotal, last year was the first time were I head real accounts of top flight boarding schools sending kids to safeties.

[Anonymous]

Classes of '21 and '22 are enduring the COVID impact. I doubt '23 will be as the deferrals and gap years smooth back out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's resist the urge to get riled up here. Admissions is tough every year. I've been in this forum for a while and have seen the words "blood bath" every single year.

If you only look at the top 20/30/50 schools, you'd think no one gets into college. If you look at the rest (where deadlines are being extended because colleges didn't hit their goals), you'll know that everything is going to be fine.

You are correct - and people forget the simple math - same number of seats in colleges, similar number of applicants (even slightly declining).

Same as it ever was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's resist the urge to get riled up here. Admissions is tough every year. I've been in this forum for a while and have seen the words "blood bath" every single year.

If you only look at the top 20/30/50 schools, you'd think no one gets into college. If you look at the rest (where deadlines are being extended because colleges didn't hit their goals), you'll know that everything is going to be fine.

You are correct - and people forget the simple math - same number of seats in colleges, similar number of applicants (even slightly declining).

Same as it ever was.

It isn't the same number of applicants. Plenty of people who would not have applied under tests-required policies decided to try test optional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's resist the urge to get riled up here. Admissions is tough every year. I've been in this forum for a while and have seen the words "blood bath" every single year.

If you only look at the top 20/30/50 schools, you'd think no one gets into college. If you look at the rest (where deadlines are being extended because colleges didn't hit their goals), you'll know that everything is going to be fine.

You are correct - and people forget the simple math - same number of seats in colleges, similar number of applicants (even slightly declining).

Same as it ever was.

It isn't the same number of applicants. Plenty of people who would not have applied under tests-required policies decided to try test optional.

Sorry, no. Same number of total applicants (not applications at a specific school), same number of seats at all colleges. Each student can only attend one college.