The college admissions process in the United States is undergoing a significant transformation. With a decline in the number of traditional-age freshmen, colleges are striving to make the experience more open, easier, and welcoming. Skidmore College in New York is one such institution that has been making a push to achieve this. President Marc Conner notes that it's in everybody's interest to make the process more friendly.
Many colleges are now waiving application fees and promising additional financial aid for students who visit their campuses. Some public universities in 17 states admit high school students who haven't even applied. Over 150 private colleges also make direct admissions offers to students who fill out the Common App. This shift is a result of the decreasing number of high school graduates choosing to go on to college, from 70% in 2016 to 63% in 2024.
Skidmore College and a few other institutions have taken a new step by enlisting faculty to help recruit new students. This role was previously left entirely to the admissions office. Faculty members meet with and open their labs and classrooms to prospective and admitted applicants. This approach aims to give students a sense of belonging on the campus.
The competition for students is intensifying, with two-thirds of admissions leaders reporting trouble meeting their enrollment targets in at least one of the last two years. A survey by the ratings platform Niche found that 97% of admissions leaders expect the competition to increase. The supply of traditional-age freshmen is projected to decline by 13% over the next 15 years.
As a result, being accepted to college is generally easier than it has been in the past. Nearly 8 in 10 first-year applicants for undergraduate admission to public colleges and 7 in 10 to private colleges get in. This is up from 68% and 65% about 10 years ago. However, this news has been slow to trickle down to students, with many believing it's harder to get into college than it was for their parents.
The misconception about college admissions is widespread, with over 40% of 18- to 29-year-olds wrongly thinking it's harder to get into college than it was for people in their parents' generation. The National Association for College Admission Counseling found that only 33 colleges and universities in the country admit 10% or fewer of their undergraduate applicants.
To attract students, colleges are working to shake off their reputation as "offices of rejection." Some, like Skidmore College, are appealing to faculty for help in recruiting students. By involving faculty in the process, colleges hope to provide a more personal and welcoming experience for prospective students.
Key points
- Colleges are becoming friendlier and less intimidating in their admissions process to attract students.
- The competition for students is intensifying, with a decline in the number of traditional-age freshmen.
- Being accepted to college is generally easier than it has been in the past, but this is not well understood by the public.
