What to know about applying to university in the US

The prospect of applying to universities in the US can feel pretty dauting. 

Acceptance rates to the Ivy League are low - in the last admissions cycle, Yale University accepted just 3.7 per cent of applicants, its lowest rate ever. Columbia University accepted 3.85 per cent of applicants, narrowing slightly from last year’s rate of 3.9 per cent. Dartmouth College drew a record-high number of applicants and accepted a record-low 5.3% of them, nearly a percentage point lower than last year.

Hard to believe that Harvard’s 3.59 per cent rate for the Class of 2028 is actually an easing, compared with 2023’s 3.41%, and the record low of 3.19% the year before.

These statistics make the 19% acceptance rate of the University of Cambridge, arguably one of the most prestigious universities in the U.K., seem positively embracing!

You may have heard, too, that a number of highly-ranked U.S. universities have reinstated SAT/ACT submission requirements. Among them are Dartmouth College, Brown University and the University of Texas at Austin. Yale University has a new flexible testing policy that requires most students to submit scores with their applications.

Selective universities have said they need standardised test scores because they can’t distinguish among so many students who are academically strong, at least on paper - thanks to years of creeping grade inflation, 47% of American high school seniors now graduate with an “A” average. That’s a lot of perfect scores! 

The test reinstatement wave feels pretty powerful - after committing to a “test optional” policy through the admitted Class of 2030, Harvard recently reversed course and reinstated a test requirement for the Class of 2029. 

How many universities will follow? Will getting in become even harder?

Okay, here’s a scoop for those fretting on the sidelines: Stop worrying!

First off, would it surprise you to know that most colleges and universities in the U.S. admit many of their applicants? In fact, that average acceptance rate among all ranked colleges reporting their admissions information to U.S. News & World Report in 2022 was 71.4% and 37 schools said they accepted all applicants.

And getting into U.S. colleges and universities will likely get even easier as the number of US high school graduates decline. You see, after the 2008 global recession, birth rates fell because people were worried about their finances. Fewer babies mean fewer high school graduates 17 years later. University admissions professionals call this the “enrollment cliff” that is expected to become apparent in 2025.

That’s one reason why standardized test reinstatements will not likely spread widely throughout the sector. Outside of a small group of selective universities, most higher education institutions need more students. An SAT requirement adds another barrier to enrollments. So, outside of the Ivy League and other highly-ranked universities that can afford to pick and choose who gets in, there are few others willing to dissuade prospective students. 

Plus, there’s evidence that, say, a graduate in engineering from a public university in the U.S. - which would normally cost less than a private university - could earn the same salary as the same degree from a more highly-ranked school.

In other words, it’s not the name of the school that matters, it’s what you learn there.

In my book, Make College Your Superpower: It’s Not Where You Go, It’s What You Know, I challenge the notion that attending a prestigious university is the only sure path to success. I advocate for a more holistic approach to college selection, one that considers an applicant’s individual strengths, interests, and goals.

So, as you embark on the college application journey, here are a few things to keep in mind:

The value of brand is lessening.

Sure, there’s still avid interest in the Ivy League and other highly-ranked schools. But there’s an ongoing shift away from brand. Economic and technological changes have transformed the workforce, placing greater emphasis on skills and competencies over institutional prestige. What’s key in the age of ideas is to be innovative. So, give yourself a break and cast a wide net beyond just famous universities.

There’s more data on which to base decisions.

Today, students can readily see the projected salaries for various majors and have a wider variety of ways to get an education. For example, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce ranks 4,500 colleges based on ROI, or the return on investment, and even offers that rating through the lens of low-income students. They examine the economic value of business, journalism and communications programs, too.

In the age of tech, the humanities matter.

Certainly, eight out of the ten top-earning majors are in engineering. And considering the influence wielded by Microsoft, Apple and other big tech companies, you may feel that studying STEM and related subjects is the way to secure your future. But what you might not know is that in the age of artificial intelligence, human-centric qualities will be valued more than ever. Thinking creatively, being innovative, working collaboratively on a team - these skills and abilities are transferable from industry to industry, even when a generation of tech becomes outdated. And there’s no better way to acquire those skills than by studying the humanities.

The future looks bright!

Ultimately, your goal should be to make informed decisions about the future. Whether you choose to pursue a traditional undergraduate degree in the U.S. or in another country, or vocational training or alternative pathways, approach your education with confidence and purpose. While a university’s brand and global ranking are still a powerful draw, elite institutions are no longer the sole gatekeepers to your ability to succeed. Stake your claim!

Anna Esaki-Smith is the author of a book for high schoolers about US college admissions, Make College Your Superpower: It’s Not Where You Go, It’s What You Know, published in April 2024 by Rowman & Littlefield. She is also a Forbes contributor, covering higher education.