6 College Admissions Trends that Popped in 2024
A lot of changes rocked the college admissions world last year, including the implementation of SCOTUS’s ruling against race-based admissions (i.e.: affirmative action), the disastrous roll-out of the long-awaited simplification of the federal application for financial aid, a growing concern over whether college degrees provide a sound return-on-investment, and civil unrest on college campuses.
Not all the changes were bad, though: the simplified FAFSA finally found its footing, making applying for aid easier than ever, and the SAT both shrank and went digital (a move the ACT announced they would follow in 2025).
How did these changes affecting college applicants in 2024, and which trends do we expect will continue?
Standardized Tests Returned (but only for a select few)
While the news stories focused on the return of testing requirements, mostly at highly selective schools, the reality is that the majority of colleges and universities do not require standardized testing. In fact, out of the 2,300 four-year, degree-granting colleges, only 156 or so (6.5%) require test scores.
By far, the majority of colleges and universities (84%) are test optional, meaning they will utilize the scores if applicants choose to provide them but not penalize applicants who decline to do so. A small handful of schools (4%) are test-free altogether, refusing to even look at scores if applicants do attempt to submit them; the University of California system numbers among these schools.
The takeaway is that great test scores will certainly enhance your application, but you do not need to stress if you are not a phenomenal test-taker—there are plenty of great schools that don’t require them.
Some Selective Schools Became Less Diverse
Some highly selective schools noted a drop in the diversity of their incoming class. MIT, for example, announced that their 2024 class comprised just 5% Black students, down from their average of 13%, Latino students went from 16% to 11%, white students remained relatively stable at 37% (previously 38%), and Asian Americans went up from 40% to 47%. While MIT was not alone in the overall decline in diversity, a few highly selective reported more mixed results.
There are numerous possible causes for this shake-up in the racial diversity on college campuses, but the one getting the most attention is the Supreme Court’s summer 2023 ruling that race cannot be considered in admissions decisions (attempting to eradicate affirmative action). Additional culprits are the recent spate of state bans on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) departments, which support diverse students and applicants, and the return of requiring standardized tests, which studies show disadvantage students of color.
Colleges and universities are now scrambling to devise new ways to ensure diversity, such as committing to the STAR network, which encourages high schoolers from small and rural towns to go to college; adding supplementary essay questions designed to uncover applicants’ diverse backgrounds; and expanding financial aid to more groups of people.
The “Enrollment Cliff” Arrived
Overall enrollment in college dropped 5% for the incoming class in 2024, accelerating a trend that has been going on for at least a decade. The tricky part for colleges is figuring out why and how to deal with the concomitant drop in enrollment revenue.
One major cause is the dropping birth rate in the US, furthered by the precipitous drop in 2008-2009 due to the Great Recession. Colleges have known for years that the number of applicants would face a sharp drop starting in 2025: a.k.a.: the Enrollment Cliff.
Schools have been experimenting over the last few cycles with ways to entice more enrollees, such as by offering discounts for students who encourage friends to enroll, direct admission before even submitting an application, more flexible schedules, and other perks.
More Money for Middle-Income Families
In November, the University of Pennsylvania made a splash when it announced the Quaker Commitment, a promise to expand free tuition for all families earning $200,000 or less (up from the previous cut-off off $140,000). MIT’s similar promise quickly followed suit, prompting speculation that more colleges and universities will soon re-examine their own financial aid policies.
Direct Admissions Took Off
Some colleges have reversed the application process, offering admission to students based on just their profiles. Students fill out a profile at one of the aggregators, such as Common App or Niche, and wait for the offers to roll in. In 2022-2023, Common App piloted their Direct Admission program with just 14 schools; two years later, 117 colleges and universities have jumped on board!
“Difference” supplemental essays
One of admissions officers’ most important tasks is creating a student body that can live and grow together. Supplemental essays focusing on applicants’ experiences with and reactions to those different from themselves began to pop up in earnest following the SCOTUS prohibition on asking about race. The legal ruling allowed that colleges could consider how a person’s racial background shaped their identities and experiences. After the spate of campus protests related to the Israeli/Palestine conflict this past Spring, more colleges adopted supplemental essay prompts related to applicants’ experiences with difference. Expect to see this question show up even more in the coming years.
