The Times They Are A Changing: Good News and Persistent Challenges in 2022-2023 College Applications

Mar 8

The United States is in a significant period of transition from old patterns of who attends college and how a college degree is connected to jobs. Good news is evident. For example, the newly released first-year application trends (2022-2023) through February 1st by the Common App (for their 800+ colleges and universities) includes some encouraging findings. Applications by first generation college-going students increased 36% over 2019-2020. Underrepresented minority applicants (URM) increased by 31%. Eligibility for Common App fee waivers increased by 48%. More students are applying to college and substantial gains are being made in areas of concern (First Generation and URM).

Common App Feb. ‘23 Report

Congratulations to all you student-focused practitioners out there who are making a difference! Of course, there is still much work to be done. The Common App data continues to show the advantages enjoyed by students from more affluent communities compared to those from our poorest communities. For example, students from wealthier communities are much more likely to engage in early application activities like early decision and early action (55% vs 6%).

The Common App data also highlights a dramatic change in the percentage of students who reported test scores to colleges where they were applying. In 2019-2020, 74% of students reported test scores. In 2022-2023, this percentage dropped to 44%. They suggest that this may be a leveling off from the low of 41% in 2020-2021 and the slight increase in 2021-2022 of 45%. Of concern, first generation, URM, and students eligible for the fee waiver were less likely to report test scores to colleges.

Several state governors have either already removed or are in the process of removing college degree requirements for a wide range of good paying state jobs. There is bi-partisan support for this. The recently elected governor of Massachusetts included substantial increases in career and technical education (a focus on jobs) in her first state budget. Now, as probably never before, the need to make a truly informed decision about postsecondary education is so vitally important. Please visit us at collegeunmazed.com to explore resources that can help your students do just that through our LEADS System.

Here are three suggestions to help you in your college counseling and advising practice:

1. With the declining percentages of colleges requiring test scores for admission, help students to really focus on the strength of their coursework. This continues to be pivotal in admission decisions.

2. Help students from lower-income families to engage in early application decisions – early decision and early action.

3. Be careful how you interpret selectivity ratings of colleges your students may be applying to. It may be that some colleges’ selectivity ratings may be artificially increasing simply because there are more students applying to those colleges.