Have there really been years that admissions have been easier than in other years? Hasn’t every year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I started following UrbanBaby (now defunct NYC version of DCUM) 12 years ago and EVERY year the college admissions posts referenced a “bloodbath.” Test optional has obviously changed the process and increased numbers of applicants, but really it hasn’t changed all that much

Acceptance rates are literally half what they were just 2 years ago, and the number of urm, and first Gen has doubled. Even if you believe in those institutional priorities (which I do), that’s a substantial decline in the number of slots available for white and Asian umc students.

This. Things have changed.

Harvard class of 2023 was 22% black, Latino and Native American

Harvard class of 2028 was 28%.

You have an odd definition of “doubled”

Must be a typo here. College class of 2028 are current high school juniors.

Harvard is going to the Factbook format (to do whatever they want) rather than continuing to release Common Data Sets.

Anyway, freshmen fall 2019 (class of 2023) had 146 black, 195 Hispanic, 4 Native American = 20.9% of the freshman class. Adding 127 "two or more races" = 28.7% of 1644. https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.harvard.edu/dist/6/210/files/2023/02/harvard_cds_2019-2020.pdf

Freshmen fall 2021 had 186 black, 228 Hispanic, 5 Native American = 21.4%. Adding 139 "two or more races" = 28.6% of 1949. https://oir.harvard.edu/files/huoir/files/harvard_cds_2021-2022.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a believer that test optional screwed things up for high stats kids. Colleges that those with a 1250 never would have applied to, suddenly has an extra 10,000-30,000 apply to them that they would never have had before, the kids just didn't submit test scores.

Not saying the 1250 kids aren't qualified for top 20 schools, but they took up half the slots that usually went to all around high stats kids (high GPA AND high test scores).

Only because they were padding stats and gaming the system in a way that the schools weren’t getting the quality of students they wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, 2020 was easier. Yes it felt more uncertain, but there were much greater admissions rates due to 1) internationals assumed not coming 2) more kids taking gap years assumed. So it turned into a waitlist and regular decision windfall for kids getting admitted to high reaches

Fair I had twins in 2020 and my kids got in off the wait list at elite schools they had no business going to. They now have about 3.9s at those schools. Hard part is getting in not staying in.