College Rejections Break Records

Colleges rejected a record number of students this year, topping last year's record. Ivy leagues and top-tier liberal arts schools found themselves faced with whopping numbers of applicants, and, fearing over enrollment, were forced to reject many more than before. Harvard received 22,955 applications, of which it accepted 9%, down from last year's 12%. State schools, too, faced much larger numbers, and consequently, schools that used to be mostly self-selected are becoming competitive.

This comes a year after many schools vowed to prevent ridiculous levels of admissions-related stress. Last year, too, saw huge numbers of applicants and increased rejection rates, and schools decided something about the system wasn't working. They took steps to change it, hoping to avoid the situation this year. Harvard, for example, eliminated its Early Decision program, a program by which students filed their applications in November, agreeing to come to the school if they found out they were accepted the next month. Unfortunately, seeing the higher early decision acceptance rates in college guidebooks, (due largely to a somewhat self-selected pool) students clamored to get their Early Decision applications in, most only to have to repeat the process two months later. Apparently, this move hasn't changed much.

What is to blame for this trend? According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, there are simply more students graduating from high school. Although the Department of Education agrees with this statement, adding that the trend is likely to continue for the next five years, it seems insufficient to be the cause of the problem. Another, somewhat more blameworthy cause is the Common Application. Consisting of one unified application that requires only minimal school-specific supplements, and which is accepted at most schools in the country, it allows students to write one essay and then proceed to apply to 10 or even 20 schools.

What all this means is that schools are selecting students more based on a ranking system than on student choice. Colleges compete to get a higher stratum of students, struggling to become more competitive, and students try to get into the highest level of school they can. Most agree that it is a bad situation.

Students, of course, are feeling the stress. Grades are increasingly important, but in addition to grades there are the numerous qualifications that look good on college applications. Being in your school's Latin Club and going to South America to build houses makes you look like a "well-rounded person," which is something colleges like. An increasing number of students with good grades are realizing that they will be going to second rate schools.

Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com
http://www.wsj.com