Twenty years ago, having a high SAT score or being a valedictorian would be a pathway to grant acceptance to many universities. In recent years, however, college acceptances have only become tougher; having high standardized test scores or being a valedictorian is simply not enough for a student to get accepted by many schools anymore. Within the past few years, colleges have become more selective than ever, and students take on the challenge of balancing classes, sports, clubs, extracurriculars, jobs and more in an attempt to be the few accepted by their top choices. The brutal question of “Will I be enough?” intensifies for students every year as colleges raise their standards. 

College applications have not always been so complex and cutthroat, however. In 2014, the acceptance rate for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was 28.5 percent, but in nearly ten years, it has dropped to 16.8 percent. This significant drop in admissions rate is not exclusive to UNC Chapel Hill either; other colleges, such as Harvard and New York University have also significantly decreased their acceptance rates over the years. 

A primary reason why college applications have become increasingly competitive is the abrupt rise in the number of applicants and the increased caliber of them. In 2023, there were 7,057,980 total applicants, a 30% increase from the year before, and in two decades, the amount of perfect ACT scores has increased by almost tenfold, with 130 perfect scores in 2002 rising to 2,542 perfect scores in 2023.

As the number of applicants rises, so has the amount of stress that thousands of students experience. Every year is more difficult than its forerunner in college applications, which causes a substantial increase in student anxiety. In 2024, it was indicated in a survey by the Education Advisory Board that almost 50% of students experienced overwhelming feelings of stress and anxiety to the point that it hindered their college search and planning. 

Amidst the stress from the new application cycle, high school seniors across the country find it difficult to stand out in their college applications. Jason Emsley (’25), a student currently undergoing the college application process, shares, “It’s not enough to have good grades anymore. It’s not enough to just volunteer anymore.” He recounts how in a lot of the college tours he’s been on, admissions officers often explain to him that schools view applications holistically, pointing out that admissions officers want to see how students contribute to their community, if they are taking classes that showcase their academic rigor, if they are able to challenge themselves, if their standardized test scores are high enough and if they’re involved in many clubs and extracurriculars.

Students that already face stress from their classes and responsibilities deal with the additional pressures of attempting to catch the eyes of admissions officers, and at a certain point, they reach a breaking point. Emsley describes this struggle by comparing the cycle of students’ overworking to a bubble. “It [the pressures of application] gets filled up more and more and eventually the students aren’t going to be able to take it anymore and they crash.” 

Staff at Green Hope have also noticed the unrealistic expectations placed upon students, but they offer ways to cope with the stress prevalent with college applications. 

Mrs. Emma Bumgardner, a counselor at Green Hope, described how peer pressure can influence the stress students feel. Everyone loves the idea of going to top ranked schools, but what about the almost 4,000 other options? Even if a college isn’t as highly regarded as some, it still presents the opportunity for a higher education. That doesn’t mean students shouldn’t apply to Ivy League schools, it just means that high schoolers don’t have to overwork themselves to get into a school with a 5% acceptance rate if they don’t want to.

AP African American Studies and American History teacher Mr. Kevin Bacon addressed the role brands play in college admissions. He explained how these “flashy brands” can distract students from the fact that all they really need is to get accepted. Whether they’re a part of the 3% or 83%, they’re still going to college, which is all that matters. 

High school is supposed to be a time of adventure and learning for students, but slowly, it’s becoming a never-ending cycle of work and stress. From having straight-A’s to contributing to hundreds of volunteer hours, students are expected to do it all, usually at the expense of their mental health. However, it doesn’t have to be that way; by considering well-fitting schools with higher acceptance rates, students can still obtain a higher education without compromising their well-being.