Another admissions season is in the books! Long-time blog readers know what that means: another blog post breaking down this year’s admissions landscape. If you’re interested in reading last year’s breakdown, you can find it here.
The 2022-2023 admission season brought forth several notable trends. Below are the three that I believe were ultimately felt the most by students.
1. Increase in Part-Time Readers
Part-time readers are exactly what the name implies: outside hires that work part-time during the busy season to read applications. With the surge in application numbers, colleges have had to expand their reviewing teams to accommodate the workload. That has led to more colleges hiring more part-time readers.
How part-time readers are utilized will vary depending on the college. Typically, they are the first ones to review a student’s application. They’re responsible for making notes summarizing the application and/or grading the application according to a rubric the admissions committee has created. The readers would then pass their assessments to the full-time admission counselors to review.
What does this mean for students? In my opinion, it’s now more important than ever for students to present their accomplishments and stories in a concise and compelling manner, ensuring that their unique attributes shine through the application easily (no matter who’s reading it).
2. Smaller Initial Financial Aid Packages
I was initially surprised as I observed this next trend, which I primarily saw in less selective private colleges. However, after further thought, it makes sense. The pandemic and its financial ramifications compelled institutions to reassess their budgets, leading to more conservative financial aid offers. Recently, it’s also become more common for families to request financial aid appeals, which is great! However, it means that colleges are more likely to keep their best offers in their back pockets.
What does this mean for students? It’s becoming crucial for applicants to be proactive in communicating their financial circumstances and pursuing appeals diligently. Also, depending on the situation, it may be appropriate to keep pushing (respectfully and gently!), if you’re not happy with the initial appeal result.
3. Misleading Statistics
This year, tons of colleges announced record-low admission rates. Again. While I’m definitely not denying that certain colleges have become more selective recently, college selectivity shouldn’t always be taken at face value.
There are two ways that published admission rates can be misleadingly low. The first is by not including students admitted into alternative paths. For example, Northeastern University published an admit rate of 6.7% in 2022. However, my understanding is that this number does not incorporate the hundreds to thousands of students offered a spot in one of their NUin programs (where students study abroad their first semester and then assimilate into the main Northeastern Boston campus). Many other colleges, like the University of Miami, offer tons of students spring acceptance (meaning students would take the fall semester off and then begin their freshman year with many other students in the spring).
Waitlists are the other way that admission rates can be misleading. As historical enrollment management techniques are becoming weaker predictors, many colleges are turning to huge waitlists to ensure they don’t over-enroll. That means that not only are waitlists longer than ever before, but more students are getting pulled from the waitlist than ever before. Colleges rarely incorporate these types of students into the initial admit numbers, making the college seem more selective (even if they ultimately see a lower yield).
What does this mean for students? Such omissions significantly affect the perception of acceptance rates and should be considered when researching and comparing admission statistics. While you never want to underestimate the selectivity of a college (as it could easily create an unbalanced college list), make sure you’re taking advantage of alternative path options offered by your colleges. Colleges often ask if you’re interested in these programs in the application itself and it shouldn’t just be a throwaway question. Your answers could truly impact your final admission result!
Ultimately, the 2022-2023 admission season showcased various shifts in the college application process. At Simply Admissions, we feel that applicants need this knowledge and insight to navigate the admission process effectively. If you have questions, please contact us.