Notable Admission Rate Changes for the Class of 2024
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 2024 and the Class of 2023. 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.
This year's notable changes are largely about rising admission rates, thanks to COVID-19 uncertainty and expanding enrollment at several University of California campuses. Declines in admission rates were observed at Boston College and the University of Virginia thanks to new Early Decision options that accounted for 37 and roughly 19 percent of the incoming class.
Depending on how you categorize schools, the admission rate change may be enough to turn a likely into a target or target into a reach. Regardless, take a moment to review the list—the last thing anyone needs at this point is a surprise!
College Kickstart subscribers: Class of 2024 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 2024
College Kickstart LLC
| Institution | Reason | Rate (2024) | Rate (2023) | % Change | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston College | Falling rate | 23 | 27 | -15% | Shift from Early Action to Early Decision, 37% of class filled from ED | |
| University of Virginia | Falling rate | 21 | 24 | -13% | Early Decision option added accounting for ~19% of class; admits down 14% overall | |
| Wellesley College | Falling rate | 19 | 22 | -14% | Applications up 4%, 9% fewer admits | |
| Colgate University | Rising rate | 27 | 24 | 13% | Applications down 14%, mix of class from ED up from 56% to 59% | |
| University of California - Irvine | Rising rate | 30 | 27 | 11% | Admits up 15% | |
| Harvey Mudd College | Rising rate | 18 | 14 | 29% | Applications down 16%, admits up 10% | |
| University of Southern California | Rising rate | 16 | 11 | 45% | Applications down 10%, admits up 21% | |
| Wesleyan University | Rising rate | 21 | 16 | 31% | Applications down 5%, admits up 21% | |
| University of California - San Diego | Rising rate | 38 | 32 | 19% | Admits up 20% | |
| University of California - Santa Barbara | Rising rate | 37 | 30 | 23% | Admits up 21% | |
| University of California - Davis | Rising rate | 47 | 39 | 21% | Admits up 18% | |
| Middlebury College | Rising rate | 24 | 15 | 60% | Applications down 6%, admits up 31%,7% increase in class size | |
| University of California - Santa Cruz | Rising rate | 65 | 52 | 25% | Admits up 25% |