Why It Is Easier To Get Into College Than Ever Before

 There was a time when a college acceptance was an achievement graduating seniors and their parents held in high regard.   And for some students -- notably those applying to the top 50 national universities and the Ivy League, receiving that special acceptance letter remains life changing.  Standards remain high with admissions selective.  Here are some current acceptance rates at popular institutions in the United States:

Harvard = 4.7%

Penn = 5.9%

Duke = 6%

MIT = 6.7%

Northeastern = 7%

Northwestern = 7%

UCLA = 10%

Berkeley = 14.8%

Getting into these institutions is extremely difficult and an incredible achievement. Quite honestly, it sounds next to impossible. But it is important to remember that these highly selective institutions do not represent the norm.  So where does that leave the remaining 3.5 million graduating U.S. high school seniors?

Fortunately there are close to 4000 degree granting colleges and universities in the United States.  And for the majority of graduating seniors, getting that college acceptance letter has never been easier.  

Many small well-known private colleges are scrambling for students and regional public and private universities have felt similar stressors.  The number of applications has been declining for several years -- something admissions directors call the enrollment cliff.  (Hopefully we are nearing the top of the cliff and things will slowly begin to improve in the years ahead.) Some of the worst declines have been felt at New England colleges and at schools in the Midwest.  These significant declines are due to a declining birthrate coupled with a demographic shift, as people frequently move from one section of the country to another.

The impact on our colleges and universities has been significant.  With fewer students applying, schools with previously strong reputations have often had to lower their admission standards in order to fill the class (and pay the bills). This is playing out at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. During the pandemic, the government helped keep struggling colleges afloat with significant grant money, but now that things have returned to a new "normal",  schools are struggling - some facing catastrophic financial shortfalls in the years ahead.  This will lead to increased mergers and closures as administrations seek acceptable solutions.  

What does that mean for college seniors?  It translates to increased opportunity for the vast majority of graduating seniors.  You should not shy away from schools you previously considered out of reach.  You might just be surprised.  But how can you pay for your education and do you even need to go to college?

I'll address these soon in my next installments.