Admissions & Programs
Choosing programs, application strategy, and picking the right format for how you learn.
Early Decision Now Fills the Majority of the Class at 40 Selective Schools — and the Odds Gap Is Widening
ED now fills 54% of Columbia's class, 60% of Duke's, and 68% of Middlebury's — meaning the 'regular decision' acceptance rate you see published is far lower than it looks once those seats are gone.
Students from 28 States Are Underrepresented at Elite Colleges — and That's Actually an Advantage
Students from Mississippi, West Virginia, and 26 other states are enrolled at elite colleges at less than half their expected population share — meaning a strong applicant from those states faces far less competition than an identical applicant from Connecticut or New Jersey.
Chicago College Covers Full Tuition for Single Parents — Here's How the Program Works
Chicago's Generations College awarded nearly 90 full-tuition scholarships to single parents this year — the program covers up to $3,500 per semester after Pell Grant aid and has boosted student retention by more than 20 percent.
NYU's Admit Rate Hit 9.1% — and Three of Its Colleges Are Now Harder to Get Into Than Yale
NYU's Stern School now admits roughly 3% of applicants — and the university has quietly rebuilt its entire admissions rubric to prioritize essays and recommendations over class rank and test scores.
Yale's Admissions Numbers, 2021–2026: What Five Years of Data Actually Show
Yale's admit rate dropped to a record 3.7% for the Class of 2028, then rebounded to 4.59% for Class of 2029 after testing returned and applications fell 12.6% — and starting in 2026-27, families earning under $200,000 pay no tuition.
Columbia Becomes Last Ivy to Drop Test-Optional — SAT/ACT Required Starting Fall 2027
Columbia University will require SAT or ACT scores starting fall 2027 — making it the final Ivy League school to end its test-optional policy after a multiyear faculty review.
Columbia Makes SAT/ACT Mandatory Again — The Last Ivy to Drop Test-Optional
Columbia University will require SAT/ACT scores starting August 2027 — making it the last Ivy League school to reinstate standardized testing after going test-optional during COVID.
College Possible's AI Adviser Is Now Inside Common App — and One Coach Can Now Handle 250 Students
College Possible's AI adviser Coach Possible is now embedded in Common App — one coach can now support 250 students (up from 60) by handling routine questions so advisers can focus on high-need cases.
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