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When it comes to college, competition seems only to be getting more intense. Students are pressured by expectations to get perfect test scores, have unique and incredible talents and be accomplished and successful just by the age of 16 or 17. How long will students be able to live up to these expectations? According to a recent article by Jeffrey Selingo in the Atlantic, “The College-Admissions Process Is Completely Broken, but it doesn’t have to be”, the college admissions system might not be able to hold up for long.

Colleges already responded to the pandemic with measures meant to ease minds like test-optional policies, but in the long run that didn't eliminate competition, just changed it temporarily. (Note that M.I.T. just went back to a test required model)

Generally, there are two types of high school students: those that have no idea where they want to go to college, and those that know exactly where they want to go and where they “belong.” A lot of these students become fixated on their dream schools, either because of reputation, legacy, or a dreamy, beachside campus. Whatever the motivation, students shouldn't let a particular school become too much a part of their identity, because what happens if they don't get in?

Here's a common story of how things can happen at school. You get good grades, you do tons of unique extracurriculars, volunteer work, foreign languages, musical instruments, and you still don't get into your dream school. It seems like you’ve checked off all the boxes and would be the ideal student. So, what's the deal? Are you still not good enough to get in, or are there other factors coming into play? With the increased applications at most competitive schools, it is a mathematical reality that there will be more rejections and waitlisted students than anytime in history.