The college admission process wasn’t nearly as anxiety-producing thirty years ago. Parents who haven’t been through it yet have heard horror stories from friends and relatives, but they don’t understand why things are so different now.

For one thing, more students are applying to college. Thirty years ago, half of high school graduates applied to college, but today more than two thirds submit applications. Back then, those who did apply usually stayed closer to home, often only applying to public universities in their state. Today’s students apply more widely. 

They also end up with more debt, and applications to expensive schools that don’t offer much aid have skyrocketed.

Parents are often shocked at how much more expensive college is today. College costs have outpaced inflation. The new, well-equipped science centers you see on so many campuses are expensive. Labor costs have gone up in higher education, just as in other industries.

The application process has become easier in some ways and more difficult in others. The Common Application means students no longer have to prepare a separate application for each college. The convenience of the Common Application and the anxiety about getting into a “good” school motivates students to apply to more colleges. In 1990, only 16 percent of students applied to six or more colleges; that percentage doubled 30 years later. Many students now apply to 10 or 15 schools, driven by fear of rejection. Additionally, test-optional policies have led to students to apply to schools that are unreachable, significantly increasing application numbers to highly selective colleges and universities.

Admissions officers are under pressure to keep increasing their application numbers. Colleges compete with rival schools to seem more selective and desirable, and to get high rankings, which has become a priority for families obsessed with “best” schools. 

Thirty years ago, students were often competing in a smaller applicant pool, with other students from similar backgrounds. Today, admission officers have expanded their recruiting efforts, both across the country and internationally. The deluge of applicants with near perfect grades and high test scores makes admission to highly selective colleges unpredictable, as admission officers choose one super-achieving student while turning down another as they attempt to craft the ideal freshman class. 

What has not changed is the number of available seats. Most colleges have not increased their capacity dramatically. When you have more students applying for roughly the same number of spaces, fewer students will be admitted.

To make the process less stressful, focus on the programs and characteristics that are most important to you in a college, and then count on your Journey Ahead counselor to recommend schools of varying selectivity that offer what you want.  Most importantly, the “best” college is the one that is the best fit for your student, not the one with the highest ranking, or the name you recognize.