Test Scores Are a Must During a Record Year for College Applications

For those of you who have been keeping up-to-date on the current trends in college admissions, you’ve noticed that the uptick in college applications has reached an all-time high for the present admissions cycle. 

At the moment, this trend is having the most impact on larger and more selective schools - many of which are reach schools for most applicants. These higher-tier schools are receiving a profound increase in applications, while many smaller public and private schools are having the opposite experience. The result of this trend? Higher applicants and lower acceptance rates.

While it may seem like a great thing (more students applying to college? Awesome!) this flood of applications is actually due to individual students. That’s right - individual students are creating this increase by applying to a record number of colleges and universities.

So, why are so many individuals applying to such a vast number of schools? Well, there are a number of factors at play here:

• For one, the pandemic has had a major impact on college-bound students. High school graduates who chose to take a gap year for the 2020-2021 school year are now looking to start their higher education, increasing the number of applications submitted.

• 2020-2021 high school graduates, anxious about the limited number of seats available for freshmen, are submitting applications to as many schools as possible to ensure admittance to at least one, if not more.

• There’s also a FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and YOLO (You Only Live Once) mentality for college-bound students today. They are casting much wider nets in hopes of getting admitted to a number of choice schools with the intent of choosing the very best.

• The other factor (and the most important) is the increase in schools that have gone test-optional. Many students, especially those who don’t want to take the ACT® or SAT® and those who have produced lower-than-average test scores, are taking advantage of this new trend by submitting applications to top-tier schools in the hopes that their applications will be enough to get them in. (Spoiler: they’re not).

 What Does This Admissions Trend Mean for Applicants?

During normal times (read: pre-pandemic), admissions offices employ application readers who are typically allotted about 20 minutes or so, per application, to read and evaluate each applicant. 

Unfortunately, these are not normal times. With the pandemic still in swing and an overwhelming number of applications, understaffed admissions offices are struggling to keep up with the pool of applications and are being forced to take shortcuts.

For example, the University of Pennsylvania has reduced their application reads to just 4 minutes. 4 MINUTES! It takes longer for me to choose what to have for lunch. 

This streamlining of application processing means that students are not getting a fair chance to be properly assessed during their application review. The idea of schools considering the whole student with an holistic approach to assessment is no longer possible.

Advice For This Year’s High School Seniors

College-bound students must choose their prospective schools carefully. While it may seem like a great idea for them to follow this new trend and submit as many applications as possible, it’s only going to result in more denials. 

Instead, students should be encouraged to select their top choices wisely - especially if they are applying to their reach schools or applying through EA (Early Action) or ED (Early Decision). 

Students also need to be aware of the current direction of college applications; they are more complex than ever before. Students will find that most selective schools require a full application, an essay, and a comprehensive supplement. For example, Stanford University requires freshman applicants to answer several short questions (limit: 50 words each) as well as 3 essays (250-word maximum). 

When you look at just one school, whether it’s top-tier or not, the application process seems pretty feasible, right? Now imagine the time and attention (not to mention cost) it would take to complete several of those complex applications. You can be sure that the quality of those applications would suffer greatly. 

Test Scores Matter More Now Than Ever Before

We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again (and again!): TEST SCORES MATTER! 

Particularly in times of overwhelming college-application submissions, test scores make for quick metrics for admissions. Compared to nuanced essays and elaborate resumes, students who display high test scores will always stand apart in every applicant pool. At a glance, an application reader can see that an applicant who has submitted a solid test score has what it takes to succeed at their college.

Yes, many schools have chosen to go “test-optional,” but also many schools - especially selective colleges and universities - still consider standardized test scores to be significant indicators of a student’s academic fit.  

So, how can you help your college-bound clients’ applications catch the eye of admissions?

• Find the right fit. Encourage your students to select their top schools carefully; really give each school a lot of consideration to be sure of academic and personal fit.

  In general, you’ll want to advise your students to select just a few schools from each tier: reach, match, and safety. 

  As mentioned, acceptance rates are very low (especially during the current application flood) at top colleges and universities. That said, there’s nothing wrong with students applying to large or elite schools, they just don’t need to apply to every top college or university. 

  Students should focus on applying to schools where their test scores, GPA, and resume will really shine.

• Set attainable goals for test prep. You’ll want your clients to submit a score that is advantageous to grabbing the attention of admissions. To do so, you and your students must set reasonable and feasible goals to get the most out of their test-prep sessions.

  Make sure that the goals and objectives that are set match their future education ambitions. Creating individualized test-prep plans will help them reach their higher-education dreams. 

As always, Clear Choice Prep has what your business needs to offer your clients a differentiated and personalized test-prep curriculum. With our 100% white-label, custom-branded test-prep materials, we can help you become a better tutor, increase score improvements, generate more tutoring referrals, and grow your tutoring business.  Interested? Contact us today for a free demo and get ready to supercharge your tutoring business!