Understanding the College Application Frenzy

The process involved in getting admission to colleges is hard and if it is a top college the process gets harder. There are several websites for organizations that help students seeking admission to colleges but the number of applications that each student submits to different colleges has increased drastically. The average number of applications submitted per student is now twenty. This was not the case years back when students applied to an average of eight colleges. As a result of such huge number of applications, researchers are of the opinion that students all over the country are rushing through the process of admission to secure admission in a reputed college and are getting frenzied.

The Reason for the Rush

The reason behind the rush ranges from the easy way of applying online to applying through the common application. The majority of colleges accept a common application form that made things easier for students to apply to a number of colleges by filling out details in one standardized form. Some colleges also waive fees for students applying online. The use of ‘snap’ and ‘fast track’ applications has increased the pace of submission and some schools give extra benefits to students like waiving college application fees, application essay, etc. These proposals cause students to apply to a huge number of colleges.

College Search Process

Searching for a college that will fit you socially, academically, professionally and environmentally is the most important factor. You should make a thorough research of the courses offered, priorities, criteria and your basic qualities and talent before applying to a college. Rather than running after a number of colleges, it will prove beneficial if you seek admission in a few select colleges. Self assessment is an important part of your admission and will really help you in achieving your goal.

Application Numbers and Admission Rates

The application numbers and admissions rates are inversely proportional. This means when the number of application increases the admissions rates decrease. So, the increasing numbers of applicants actually have an adverse effect and colleges are rejecting more applications than ever before. Now that huge numbers of candidates are vying for a limited number of seats, the colleges are becoming choosy and are selecting only the best applications.

College Application and Moving Indifferent Students

The increase in the number of college applications leads colleges to reject students who do not have any real interest in their colleges. Admission officials usually search for those students who have a genuine interest in their college and focus on the college application to see whether those meet their expectations, are challenging and thoughtful. Admission officers will understand the intensity of your interest by reading your application essay because if you are not genuinely interested, the standard of the essay is sure to be lower.