Notable Admission Rate Changes for the Class of 2021
Given how sophisticated colleges have become in recruiting applicants, it's dangerous to rely on old admissions data.
We've taken a look at our coverage universe and identified schools with notable admission rate differences between the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020. In addition to providing the admission rates, we've included some commentary to explain why as well as a link back to the source article.
Relative to last year, the number of schools with notable changes has doubled. Unfortunately, the news from the majority of schools listed is not in your favor, and depending on how you categorize schools, the change may be enough to turn a likely into a target or target into a reach. On the flip side, we've also identified a few schools where rates have become more favorable due to declining applications or expanded admissions. Regardless, take a moment to review the list—the last thing anyone needs at this point is a surprise!
College Kickstart subscribers: Class of 2021 admission rates have already been incorporated into the latest release of College Kickstart.
Click Continue Reading for the list.
Colleges with Notable Admission Rate Changes for the Class of 2021
College Kickstart LLC
| Institution | Reason | Rate (2021) | Rate (2020) | % Change | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellesley College | Falling rate | 21 | 29 | -28% | Applications up 17% | Link |
| Emory University - Oxford | Falling rate | 29 | 38 | -24% | Applications up 63% (now apply to both Emory and Oxford by default in Common App), admits up 25% | Link |
| Tulane University | Falling rate | 21 | 26 | -20% | Applications up 11%, admits down 8%, | Link |
| University of Florida | Falling rate | 38 | 46 | -18% | Applications up 8%, admits down 4% | Link |
| Williams College | Falling rate | 15 | 18 | -17% | Applications up 23% | Link |
| Colby College | Falling rate | 16 | 19 | -16% | Applications up 14% | Link |
| Boston University | Falling rate | 25 | 29 | -14% | Applications up 6%, admits down 10% due to smaller targeted class size and higher mix of class from early decision | Link |
| Carleton College | Falling rate | 20 | 23 | -14% | Admits down 11% | Link |
| University of California - Riverside | Falling rate | 57 | 66 | -14% | Admits down 11% | Link |
| New York University | Falling rate | 28 | 32 | -13% | Applications up 6% | Link |
| University of California - Santa Cruz | Falling rate | 51 | 58 | -13% | Applications up 8%, mix of non-residents rising | Link |
| Emory University - Emory | Falling rate | 22 | 25 | -12% | Applications up 19% | Link |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Falling rate | 23 | 26 | -12% | Applications up 3%, admits down 7% | Link |
| Vassar College | Falling rate | 24 | 27 | -12% | Applications up 6%, admits down 10% due to higher mix of class from early decision | Link |
| University of California - Irvine | Falling rate | 37 | 41 | -10% | Applications up 9% | Link |
| University of Virginia | Falling rate | 27 | 30 | -10% | Applications up 14% | Link |
| Wake Forest University | Falling rate | 27 | 30 | -10% | Applications down 7%, higher mix of class from early decision (55% vs 40%, new EDII option) | Link |
| University of California - Santa Barbara | Falling rate | 33 | 36 | -9% | Applications up 6%, higher admit rates for non-residents | Link |
| Connecticut College | Rising rate | 38 | 35 | 8% | Applications down 8% | Link |
| University of Pittsburgh | Rising rate | 60 | 55 | 9% | Applications down 5%, admits up 2% | Link |
| Oberlin College | Rising rate | 31 | 28 | 10% | Admits up 15% | Link |
| Scripps College | Rising rate | 33 | 30 | 10% | Applications down 6%, admits up 5%, class size up 22% | Link |
| American University | Rising rate | 29 | 26 | 11% | Applications down 3%, admits up 8% | Link |
| California State Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo | Rising rate | 34 | 29 | 17% | Admits up 18% | Link |
| Kenyon College | Rising rate | 33 | 27 | 22% | Applications down 12.5% | Link |
| Grinnell College | Rising rate | 29 | 20 | 45% | Applications down 20%, higher mix of ED admits in class | Link |