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What Students & Parents Need to Know about the 2024 College Admission Results
8 Trends from the Most Unpredictable College Admissions Season Ever
The 2023 college admission results are in, and it's safe to say this year was the most unpredictable year in recent history. It was a year filled with excitement for many students and confusion for some students. With an overwhelming number of applications submitted to many colleges and universities, the competition to secure a spot has become more intense.
As high school students gear up for the college planning and application portions of their journey to college, it's important to note the eight key trends that have emerged from this year's admission cycle.
TREND #1
Application Inflation Stoked by Test-Optional Policies.
The Common App reports a 32% increase in college applications submitted to public and private colleges since 2020. This rise in applications has led to a phenomenon known as
application inflation, where colleges receive more applications than they can reasonably consider. One of the primary driver of this trend is test-optional policies. Many colleges continue to not require test scores for admissions, a trend that started in 2020 due to pandemic-related challenges and safety concerns. This year, more than 90% of colleges have a test-optional policy, with some making it a permanent policy, such as Columbia University and William and Mary. In 2019–20, 74% of students reported a test score with their college application. In this year's admission season, 43% of applicants included a test score with their application. The overwhelming majority of colleges accept most of their applicants, so students can benefit by considering a wide range of schools.
TREND #2
The Hardest Hit Were the Most Selective Schools.
Ivy League universities and other selective colleges are now even harder to get into this year, with acceptance rates dropping as low as 3-4%. This is a significant decrease from the previous acceptance rates of 7-8%. This year, Yale, MIT, Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, and Brown all reported admit rates below 5%. The small acceptance rates indicate that top schools now require more than just perfect grades and test scores. It's important for students to explore different colleges when making their college lists, and not to rely exclusively on these prestigious schools.
TREND #3
The Focus on Early Applications Intensified.
Applying to colleges with early action and early decision options has become more popular than ever among students. Roughly
50% of applicants apply early, and colleges often fill a significant portion of their incoming class through these early application options. This often means students who apply early have a higher chance of being admitted, as well as a head start in the college decision-making process.
TREND #4
Record-High Deferrals at Many Schools.
One impact of application inflation has been that many high school seniors are facing the challenge of deferment. This year, many students applied in the early rounds to gain admission in December and January. However, colleges are deferring a significant portion of their applicant pools, leading to frustration and disappointment. Wisconsin deferred 17,000 of its 45,000 early action applicants, while USC deferred about 94 percent of its early pool. Clemson asked almost 15,000 of its 26,000 early applicants to wait for a decision, only rejecting 300.
TREND #5
Success in Sports Drove Application Inflation at Many Schools.
Universities and colleges in the South and Midwest with successful sports teams have seen a dramatic rise in applications, particularly from out-of-state students. The University of Tennessee is a prime example of this trend, with out-of-state applications increased by 51.3% over last year. As a result, the acceptance rates for out-of-state dropped by almost half this year, from 67.2% in 2022 to 33.3% in 2023. For many high school students, having a successful sports program is a significant factor in their decision-making process when choosing which colleges to apply to. It ranks as one of the top three priorities, alongside academics and campus culture, in determining their college list.
TREND #6
The Rise of More "Public Ivies."
Getting into state schools and flagship universities has become increasingly difficult, with in-state students facing more competition for spots due to an increase in out-of-state applicants. For example, Georgia Tech, UCLA, and Cal all report admit rates below 20%. Even lesser-known institutions have become more challenging to get into, so students must be strategic when creating their college lists.
We have a unique approach at College MatchPoint. It all begins and ends with our ultimate goal: for our students to thrive in their selected college.
The college application process can feel overwhelming, no matter how strong the student. But at College MatchPoint, we believe it should be organized, personal, and even fun, and we provide a framework that reduces the stress throughout the journey.
TREND #7
The Growth of Highly Selective Majors.
This year, the surge in application fueled the trend in highly selective majors at many schools. This means that even if a college has a relatively high acceptance rate, certain majors may have a significantly lower acceptance rate. Popular majors such as biology, business, engineering, computer science, and nursing are among the most highly selective. This makes the admissions process more competitive for students seeking to pursue these majors, requiring them to put forth their best efforts to secure admission.
KEY TAKEAWAY #8
Academic & Extracurricular Engagement Took Center Stage
In response to application inflation, colleges have placed an even greater emphasis on the student profile, including their academic transcripts and extracurricular activities. But top grades and test scores alone don't guarantee admission to competitive schools universities. Colleges are looking for sustained, long-term commitment to a particular cause or issue, as well as a clear connection between activities and the student's intended major, particularly for competitive majors such as engineering, computer science, pre-med, and business.
We have a unique approach at College MatchPoint. It all begins and ends with our ultimate goal: for our students to thrive in their selected college.
The college application process can feel overwhelming, no matter how strong the student. But at College MatchPoint, we believe it should be organized, personal, and even fun, and we provide a framework that reduces the stress throughout the journey.
The college admission process has become more competitive and unpredictable due to application inflation, requiring high school students to adjust their strategies. The increased difficulty of getting into state schools and flagship universities, the lower acceptance rates at selective colleges, and the growing importance of extracurricular activities emphasize the need for a diverse college list. To navigate this changing landscape, students must remain adaptable to all colleges on their list, including those that may not have been top choices initially, to create a well-rounded set of options.
UT Austin just dropped this year’s application requirements, and the clock is ticking. The October 15 Early Action deadline is the best chance for your student to rise above the crowd. With more than 90,000 applicants, UT is admitting by major, not just to the university. Even students in the top 5 percent need to prove they are ready for their first-choice major, especially in competitive programs like Business, Engineering, and Computer Science. Submitting early gives your student the chance to stand out with a clear, confident story about why they will thrive in their selected major. Join us on August 6 for a live webinar focused on what students should be doing right now to get ready for the UT Austin application. We’ll cover how to build a strong, major-aligned strategy and what it really takes to stand out in this competitive process.
The University of Texas at Austin is introducing three new interdisciplinary majors that will launch in Fall 2026. These programs, known as CS+X, combine Computer Science with another field of study to prepare students for the expanding role of artificial intelligence across every aspect of society. Students will be able to pursue a degree in History and Computer Science, Linguistics and Computer Science, or Neuroscience and Computer Science. Housed in the College of Natural Sciences, each major offers a powerful combination of technical skills and domain-specific knowledge, equipping students to lead in an AI-driven future.
In a world where bots can write an essay in seconds, the smartest move you can make is to sound human. That means skipping the perfectly polished answers. It means letting go of what you think colleges want to hear. And it means leaning into the things that make you a little different, a little nerdy, maybe even a little weird. Because your real-life interests—your quirks, hobbies, and evolving passions—are the key to writing an essay that no chatbot could ever replicate. Here’s how to turn those real interests into a standout essay that sounds like you and only you.
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you already have a college essay draft. You’ve poured hours into it. You’ve edited the grammar. You’ve moved a few things around. Maybe you’ve even shared it with someone for feedback. But here’s the question: does it sound like you? Not the polished version of you. Not the version that wants to impress admissions officers. The real you. The one who has stories and quirks and questions and growing edges. In a world where AI tools can create clean, formulaic essays in seconds, what makes your writing stand out is not perfection. It’s personality. Here’s how to revise your essay like a human, not a machine.
Let’s be honest. AI is everywhere. By now, most students have at least thought about using ChatGPT to help with their college essays. Some might even use it to draft full responses. But here’s what admissions officers are saying out loud: they can tell. Bot-written essays tend to blend together. They sound polished but flat. They follow the rules but leave no fingerprints. There’s no real personality. No weirdness. No spark. And that’s where you win. Your secret weapon in the age of AI is the thing that no bot can fake: your odd, nerdy, oddly specific interests. Your quirks. Your voice. The things you love that no one else quite understands.
We are officially in the AI detection era of college essays. As more students experiment with tools like ChatGPT to write their college essays, admissions officers are asking a new question: Did a real student write this? And here is the truth—many of them can tell when the answer is no. This year, more than ever, your personal statement has to sound like a human. Not a bot. Not a template. Not a perfectly polished version of who you think you are supposed to be. But an honest, specific, and emotionally grounded reflection of you. Here is what raises red flags in this new era—and how you can write an essay that feels real, human, and unforgettable.
In a world full of AI-generated essays, the one thing that will make yours stand out is simple. It has to sound like you. Not the version of you you think colleges want. Not the polished, resume-loaded version that feels like a LinkedIn post. Just you. Your voice. Your story. The way you actually think and speak and see the world. That’s what admissions officers are listening for. They are not looking for perfect. They are looking for personal. Here’s how to make sure your personal statement actually sounds like you.
The Self-Reported Academic Record, or SRAR, is a form that allows students to enter their high school grades, courses, GPA, and class rank directly into a standardized system. Many colleges now use the SRAR in place of an official transcript during the initial application review. Once a student completes their SRAR, they can link it to multiple participating colleges, saving time and reducing the need for repeated transcript requests.
If your student is heading into senior year, you may already be feeling the pressure of looming college deadlines—and one of the biggest decisions often hits just as school starts: should they apply Early Decision? The numbers are compelling. At some selective colleges, the ED acceptance rate is two to three times higher than regular decision. But those numbers only tell part of the story. Early Decision comes with a binding commitment, financial tradeoffs, and a need for clarity that not every student has in the fall. This guide will help you understand what ED really means, who benefits most, and how your family can make a confident, informed choice.