The National Association for College Admission Counseling(NACAC) has published its annual “State of College Admission.” This report provides a snapshot of the college admissions landscape – as well as trends to be on the lookout for. Here are the highlights:
 

The number of high school graduates has peaked. An estimated 3.28 million students graduated in 2010 – 2011 and will decline over the next five years before rebounding in 2017-2018.
 

However, application volume continues to increase. Most colleges (73%) experienced an increase in applications received in 2010; at the same time, 25% of students submitted seven or more applications, up from 23% the year prior.
 

Early decision activity is down and the acceptance rate gap has narrowed. Thirty six percent of colleges reported an increase in ED applications in 2010 (vs 65% in 2009). For 2010, colleges reported a 7% bump in overall acceptance rate for early decision candidates, down from 15% in 2009.
 

Use of wait list is on the rise. Forty-eight percent of colleges used wait lists in 2010, up from 39% the year prior. On average, colleges accepted 28% of student off the wait list, down from 34% the year prior.
 

The essay is most important admissions criterion after academic achievements. Colleges indicated the essay as the second factor considered after a student’s academic qualifications (which include curriculum/rigor/grades and standardized test scores).

Congratulations to all Ivygate students! We all got admission this year-Again!
 

Part of your success and happiness at an institution will be determined by your fit with the college. How can you know which college is the best match for you?

 

Don’t just look at the rankings or consider the name of the college, but instead, take lots of other factors into consideration. For example, look at the total enrollment of the school, both undergraduate and graduate. Do you want to attend a small school where you will get to know all students and professors, or does a huge university with lots of clubs and intercollegiate athletics appeal to you? Are you looking for Greek life? Do the academics match your interests? And what if you change majors, or have no clue what your major will be – are there options for you to consider? Look also at financial aid and scholarships – this might factor into your decision-making.

 

The best way to decide about where to enroll, though, is to visit! Even if you’ve already visited, you should visit again. When you visit during admitted students week, for example, you’ll get to meet other admitted students. Do you like them? Do you see yourself fitting in with them? If you visited a campus during the summer, it’ll be fun to see the campus come to life by visiting in April. And while there, take an official tour; stay overnight in the dorms, if possible; sit in on several classes, each for 15 – 20 minutes. You’re not taking lecture notes – instead, you should be checking out the types of interactions between students and professors, the sizes of classes (some large and some small) and determining the level of academic challenge. Your college experience will be different from that of high school, and now you have the choice to make your next level of education what you want it to be.

 

When you’re on campus, ask random students and even some members of faculty what they like most and least about the university. You should also ask questions like: Why did you choose this college? What would you change about it? (People tend to be very honest.)

 

Take notes and pictures so that you can later weigh all the pros and cons from your college visits. If you visit several, it’ll be hard to remember one from the next.

 

Determining what college you will attend will ultimately be based on your individual preferences, and maybe what your family can afford. Seeing pictures, visiting websites and reading brochures will not be the same as the visit.

 

In the end, the choice is yours – go with your gut.

GPA, extracurricular activities, ACT scores, recommendations: with so many factors playing a part in the college admissions process, some students may wonder which carry the most weight. Collectively, all of the factors come together like a puzzle that will help the admissions officers discover who you are. That said, some factors do weigh more heavily than others.
 

Check out the infographic below that breaks down what really matters in the college admissions process, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling.