College admissions news

Here are some recent college admissions news and updates:

Test-Optional Admissions

• More colleges are going test-optional, with over 1,000 institutions no longer requiring SAT or ACT scores for admission. (Source: The New York Times)
• Some colleges, like the University of Chicago and Wake Forest University, have made test-optional admissions permanent, while others, like the University of California system, have temporarily suspended testing requirements due to the pandemic.

Application Numbers

• The Common App, a popular college application platform, reported a 10% increase in applications for the 2022-2023 cycle compared to the previous year. (Source: Common App)
• The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) reported a 5% increase in college applications for the 2022-2023 cycle compared to the previous year. (Source: NACAC)

Admissions Trends

• The number of students applying to community colleges has increased, with a 10% rise in applications for the 2022-2023 cycle. (Source: Community College Research Center)
• The number of students applying to online and hybrid programs has also increased, with a 15% rise in applications for the 2022-2023 cycle. (Source: Online Learning Consortium)

Financial Aid and Scholarships

• The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced a record number of winners for the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program, with over 7,500 students receiving scholarships. (Source: National Merit Scholarship Corporation)
• The Federal Pell Grant program, which provides need-based financial aid to undergraduate students, will increase its maximum award for the 2022-2023 academic year to $6,495. (Source: Federal Student Aid)

College Rankings

• The annual college rankings from U.S. News & World Report were released, with Princeton University topping the list of national universities for the 14th consecutive year. (Source: U.S. News & World Report)
• The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings were also released, with the University of California, Berkeley topping the list of national universities. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Admissions Scandals

• The college admissions scandal, which involved wealthy parents bribing college officials to get their children admitted, continues to unfold, with new charges and guilty pleas being filed. (Source: The New York Times)
• The scandal has led to increased scrutiny of college admissions practices and calls for reform. (Source: The Washington Post)