When posters relay their experiences in admissions, how far back is relevant/relatable to the 2024+ scene?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think last year was the most comparable year; and this year is worse. I think next year will be even worse - but the year after should be better.

Why next year worse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think last year was the most comparable year; and this year is worse. I think next year will be even worse - but the year after should be better.

Why next year worse?

Because the applicant pool will be even higher. I believe that it isn't until the class of 2026 or 2027 when the applicant pool will decline (around 2008, during the recession, the number of babies born declined substantially).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think last year was the most comparable year; and this year is worse. I think next year will be even worse - but the year after should be better.

Why next year worse?

Because the applicant pool will be even higher. I believe that it isn't until the class of 2026 or 2027 when the applicant pool will decline (around 2008, during the recession, the number of babies born declined substantially).

+1 the number of juniors this year is approx 20% higher than seniors in Maryland public schools, for example.

[Anonymous]

I think for now you can really only gauge off 2023. The pandemic shift to test optional changed skyrocketed admissions in a very short time frame and I think the effects of that are still settling out. Not to mention the class of 2025 will be the first without some significant virtual school during HS (know there are exceptions), but colleges may adjust for this. Next year should probably only look at this year as well.

[Anonymous]

My first graduated in 2022 and admissions was like Dantes inferno. Covid era test optional and a DEI craze opened a new level of hell. Probably last normal year was 2020.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only Class of 2027. And for URM students: all previous years are irrelevant.

Every single year someone posts how much worse this year was compared to last. It’s not different it’s just still a crapshoot and that’s not new. 2022, 2023, 2024 all working with the same TO situation and everyone had some online HS. It’s interesting that next year will be the first cycle with kids who did not have their HS classes online due to Covid.

True, each year has a challenge or change that the previous year did not have, and none could really rely on what had happened the prior year because of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20/21 was when everything changed. Those admitted in 2020 all got in by the usual metrics. Schools shut down in February/March of 2020. Seniors that year missed prom and graduation and most of the last few months of their high school experience. But the college application process remained the same. Everyone needed to submit their test scores. Everyone had their ECs. GPAs tended to reflect genuine academic merit.

It was the next class - those that graduated in 2021 - when everything changed. For those kids - particularly the public school students - school effectively stopped midway through junior year. No in person school. No extracurriculars. No sports. No SAT or ACT. The public schools remained 'virtual" for an absolutely criminal amount of time. All grades were now inflated. In retrospect, it was absurd and ridiculous and I will never forgive the politicians and teachers unions responsible for throwing kids under the bus.

But that was the year when everything changed. There is before and after.

Agree except that the class of 21 lost their full senior year, not their junior year. Class of 22 lost their full junior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My first graduated in 2022 and admissions was like Dantes inferno. Covid era test optional and a DEI craze opened a new level of hell. Probably last normal year was 2020.

Did you answer the question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think last year was the most comparable year; and this year is worse. I think next year will be even worse - but the year after should be better.

Why next year worse?

Because the applicant pool will be even higher. I believe that it isn't until the class of 2026 or 2027 when the applicant pool will decline (around 2008, during the recession, the number of babies born declined substantially).

WOW!

+1 the number of juniors this year is approx 20% higher than seniors in Maryland public schools, for example.

[Anonymous]

I think 21-24 are similar in terms of competitive applicants and admissions rate, but test score averages climbed alot over that span in some places, so maybe just take the last 2 years or last year for that aspect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My first graduated in 2022 and admissions was like Dantes inferno. Covid era test optional and a DEI craze opened a new level of hell. Probably last normal year was 2020.

Stop with the political crap. DEI isn't a "craze" and is no different from affirmative action in the years earlier. The numbers affected are small -- see how many underrepresented minorities are actually at top schools. Not that many. Just stop that nutty propaganda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you go to college confidential you can go back to posts from their origin.

You can see people claiming “it’s different this year!” Every single year.

Does that mean it is NOT different now? No, that is not evidence of that. But for perspective…[/quo

Number of applicants have increased substantially year after year. Admission rates have gone down. So yes, every year is different and it is tougher now more than ever.

[Anonymous]

We need to get full results from this cycle to see-so many deferrals-how many of those will become acceptances in RD? For those going to WL immediately, will those convert to admittances? Should have a better idea come April/May.