The start of the school year also marks one of the most stressful processes of students’ high school career: college admissions. While many believe that senior year will be relatively easy compared to junior and sophomore year, students soon realize that it might be one of the hardest tasks they take on. With Early Admission and Early Decision applications due in early October and November, the fall semester is a mad dash to finish applications, write extra essays and turn it in before the countdown ends. To make matters worse, the acceptance rates of well-known colleges have been steadily dropping in recent years.
According to experts at www.sparkadmissions.com, schools like Tufts University, Northeastern University, Tulane University and New York University have had their acceptance rates drop below 10%. While this may be due to an increase in applications, it is still daunting to hear when applying to larger schools.
When college admissions switched online, seniors were able to apply to more schools in a shorter amount of time. This has led to an increase in college applications nation-wide, as anyone can apply to any college, regardless of the distance. However, this has also led to more seniors applying to Ivy League and private colleges, just to see if they get in.
Many colleges have specific requirements for their applications and want to see the best and the brightest apply to their schools. Caroline Nichols (12) recently applied to a variety of schools and has seen the strict and almost impossible requirements some schools expect.
“Colleges are looking for a perfect candidate to come to their college, and everyone has the same requirements, so you have to figure out what makes you stand out,” Nichols said. “Joining clubs and doing multiple activities isn’t enough anymore, and maintaining high grades is also harder.”
However, many seniors have found that knowing what subject you want to major in, and knowing profession you hope to have helps with the decision process. Many colleges and universities will look for certain majors or interests in applicants, in order to best fit their school. Schools like Clemson, University of South Carolina and Vanderbilt are known for their programs in specific studies such as Biology, Architecture and Pre-Med.
Kiera Chanthavongsor (12) has had to research what majors and opportunities colleges offer before applying.
“Colleges are getting harder to get into, and education has gotten very narrowed down. I think colleges are looking for more specific requirements in applicants, especially certain majors,” Chanthavongsor said.
With college admissions getting harder, many students have taken extra classes or more difficult classes to help boost their applications. Many high schools offer college credit classes through Dual Enrollment, AP and IB courses.
Addie Jones, a high school career specialist advisor, has helped coach students through the admissions process and plan out their futures. While she has seen a rise in students taking gap years or entering the workforce straight out of high school, she is still optimistic about the college admissions process, even if it is getting harder.
“I think the more rigorous your high school courses the more prepared students are for college. Colleges do consider your course work for admittance,” Jones said. “Participation in activities also helps to create a more well-rounded individual. Colleges also look at students that volunteer in their communities and give back. That could help land a student some scholarship money.”
