College admissions has changed dramatically in the last few years. As your teens enter this process, it is important to understand they are playing on a different field with a new set of rules. Imposing our expectations based on experiences from years ago can lead to confusion. Fortunately, with a good understanding of current trends, students can be well-prepared to maximize opportunities. Here are the top ten ways college admissions have changed.
Testing Policies Changing
College admissions expectations for testing vary dramatically from school to school. While some colleges were test-optional before the pandemic, many more joined in the trend as ACT and SAT testing became more difficult for students to access. Some selective colleges realized that going test-optional boosted their total number of applications. While test-optional benefited some students, admissions offices found it challenging to evaluate applicants, particularly in a climate of grade inflation. So, during 2025 and 2026, we’ve seen colleges rolling back test-optional policies, including a few colleges that had promised they were “test-optional forever.” All Ivy League colleges require ACT or SAT scores for the Class of 2027.
Tougher Academics in High School
A generation ago, many high school students only took a couple of years of science and foreign language. Increasingly, the expectation is that strong students will have four years of all core academics – English, math, science, social science, and foreign language. More students are taking calculus in high school. Make sure you check requirements early during your student’s high school career. Participation in programs such as Advanced Placement (AP) or dual enrollment courses in which students take college courses during high school are a typical expectation for selective college admissions. In many states, strong students take eight or more A) courses. Families are advised to look at course planning early in high school, make decisions to meet college expectations, and keep admissions options open.
Increased Competitiveness
Acceptance rates at highly selective colleges are much lower than in the past. Applications are way up, sometimes double what they were five years ago. Thirty years ago, what it took to get into a selective college was quite different from what it takes today. Here are examples of acceptance rates during the 2025 admissions season at some of the nation’s most competitive colleges:
Amherst 7%
Boston College: 13%
Bowdoin: 6%
Davidson: 12%
Duke: 5%
Georgetown 13%
Harvard: 4%
Lehigh: 29%
MIT: 4%
NYU: 9%
Northeastern: 6%
Northwestern: 7%
Oberlin: 34%
Pomona: 7%
Rice: 8%
Tufts: 10%
UCLA: 9%
University of Colorado, Boulder: 54%
University of Florida: 20%
University of Michigan: 16%
University of Richmond: 22%
University of Vermont: 73%
University of Southern California: 12%
U of Texas, Austin: 11%
Vanderbilt: 6%
Yale: 4%
These statistics demonstrate that many highly selective colleges have admissions rates below 10%. What makes this more striking is that many students who are not admitted are highly capable students with excellent grades and test scores. The rejected applicants likely could be successful at the colleges that denied them admission; it is just a matter of space.
Applying to More Colleges
It is very common now for students to apply to 10 or more schools. Many factors are fueling the rise in the average number of applications. The Common Application has made it somewhat easier for students to apply to more schools, which has, in turn, driven down acceptance rates. Many students also apply to more colleges because financial aid and scholarships are unknown, and they wish to improve their odds of getting a good financial package. In this climate, ensuring your student is building a balanced college list is essential, allowing good odds of both admissions and financial fit.
ACT and SAT changes
Some colleges are test-optional, some require testing, and a few will not consider test scores. Regional variations in the acceptance of the ACT or SAT have disappeared. Every college accepts either test. Students are advised to take practice tests at home early and concentrate on the test that is the best fit. The SAT is a digital test, and the ACT offers both paper and digital versions. Nearly all colleges have discontinued consideration of the ACT science section.
Increased Costs
College costs have increased dramatically, rising faster than the rate of inflation. Students need to incorporate a realistic understanding of costs into their college admissions strategy. For families who are not eligible for financial aid, the cost of a top price private college could be $400,000 for a single child. Parents are advised to research college costs early and be open with their kids about what they can realistically afford. Some colleges provide excellent financial aid, and others give merit scholarships. Students need to understand their family’s profile and plan their college list accordingly.
Wider Geographical Area
While most students still attend college within 100 miles of home, more and more students are looking outside their local region. The decline of geographic limitations in applying to college has lowered acceptance rates, particularly in highly appealing geographic areas such as major sites on the East and West Coast. Many international students also wish to attend college in the United States. Some Midwest and Southern colleges are working harder to recruit out-of-region students and may be more generous with merit scholarships.
Great Variety of Specialized Programs
Students are increasingly seeking out programs that offer something special. These programs include advanced research opportunities, honors programs, combined BA/MA programs, combined BS/MD programs where students are admitted directly to medical school from their high school program, three-year bachelor’s degrees, internships, and degrees in contemporary areas of studies such as environmental sustainability.
More Varied Application Requirements
Over a thousand colleges participate in the Common Application, which allows students to use one form to apply to many colleges at once. Other colleges, such as MIT and the University of California system, have their own applications. Students applying through the Common Application will complete one 650-word personal statement, which goes to every college they are applying to. Students may also be required to complete an academic history, supplemental essays, a resume, and an interview or Glimpse video. Some colleges have changed their essay expectations due to generative AI and students need to thoughtfully consider how they will present their strengths to colleges with different application options and admissions priorities.