AN INVESTIGATIVE DIVE INTO THE PRESSURES OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

The New Admission Normal: When Is Enough Ever Enough?

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By Faith Martin

 

On most weekdays, Jaden Chang, a senior at Lowell High School, juggles a full load of AP courses, weekly debate team practice, swim meets, two volunteering commitments, and independent research—all while prepping for standardized tests. "It’s like I’m constantly checking boxes," he says. "But the list never ends."

 

The college admissions process has turned into a marathon of productivity—and Jaden is one of thousands running it on fumes.

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What used to be a hopeful, if stressful, rite of passage has become a relentless grind. For students like Jaden, college admissions demand more than academic excellence—they require polish, precision, and near-perfection. That pressure is pushing many students to the brink before they even click "submit."

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College admissions in the United States have always had an air of exclusivity, but over the last four decades, the competition has intensified at an unprecedented rate. In 1980, UCLA accepted more than 70% of its applicants. By 1990, that number had dropped to 48%. The turn of the century saw further shrinkage: 25% in 2000, 22% in 2010, and just under 9% by 2022. Meanwhile, the number of applications skyrocketed—from around 20,000 in the 1980s to nearly 150,000 today.

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Much of this shift can be traced back to broader structural changes in American higher education. The 1980s and '90s saw a rise in college marketing and branding, especially among public institutions seeking to compete with elite private schools. The Common Application, which began with just 15 member colleges in 1975, expanded rapidly, allowing students to apply to more schools with a single click. Today, more than 1,000 colleges use the platform. As applications became easier to submit, numbers surged.

 

Meanwhile, rankings like those published by U.S. News & World Report began shaping how colleges defined success—and how students perceived their worth. Schools poured resources into climbing the ranks, while students scrambled to align themselves with whichever metrics were most valued.

 

Strong grades and test scores were no longer enough. Now, students are expected to be club founders, nationally ranked athletes, published researchers, and nonprofit volunteers, all before their 18th birthday.

 

Lisa Przekop, who worked in UC Santa Barbara’s admissions office for over 30 years, remembered a simpler time. "It used to be that good grades, a thoughtful essay, and a few solid extracurriculars were more than enough," she said. "Now, students feel like they have to be remarkable in every category."

 

To meet those expectations, many families turn to private tutors, test prep services, and college consultants. Jonghwan Park, founder of Elite Prep in Los Angeles, described his client base as growing more anxious each year. "Parents want to give their kids every possible advantage," he said. "We’re seeing middle schoolers coming in for SAT prep now. It’s intense."

 

The economic scale of the industry is staggering. In 2022, the global test preparation market alone was valued at more than $11 billion. Add in college essay coaching, extracurricular planning, and one-on-one application consulting, and the total cost of applying to college can easily run into the thousands—even before tuition enters the conversation.

 

Sara Goldrick-Rab, a professor at Temple University who researches college access and equity, described the landscape bluntly. "It’s become a high-stakes investment. And like all investments, those with more capital tend to come out ahead."

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At Santa Barbara High School, counselor Marcy Porter sees the inequality play out in real time. "We have students working night shifts who write their essays on their phones," she said. "And then we have others who’ve been coached for months, with polished portfolios and curated resumes. The gap is massive."

 

Even the idea of the "well-rounded student" has been weaponized. Colleges increasingly look for "pointy" applicants—students with sharp, standout talents. But that hasn't lessened the load. Instead, students now feel pressured to be both broad and deep.

 

"There’s no space to just be a kid," Jaden said. "Everything I do feels like it has to be productive. Even hobbies turn into resume boosters."

 

That pressure is reflected in the data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2021 that over 44% of high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.

 

College students aren’t faring much better. According to the Healthy Minds Network, rates of depression and anxiety among college students have climbed steadily since 2013, peaking during the pandemic.

 

"You can’t separate the admissions process from the mental health crisis," Sara said. "They’re intertwined."

 

Financially, the strain is just as heavy. Application fees, travel costs for campus visits, SAT/ACT registration, tutoring, and enrichment programs stack up quickly. Some students spend over $10,000 before even receiving a single acceptance letter.

 

Lina Kim, director of academic outreach at UCSB, noted a shift in how students approach extracurriculars. "There’s been a surge in applications to our pre-college research programs," she said. "Everyone’s looking for a differentiator—something that makes them stand out."

 

But she also pointed to a worrying trend. "Students are arriving on campus already exhausted," she said. "They’ve spent years grinding for acceptance. And then they’re expected to keep going."

 

Burnout doesn’t end with admission—it simply evolves. College life adds new layers of competition: scholarships, internships, research fellowships, and job offers. For students who’ve built their identities on achievement, slowing down feels like failure.

 

Still, the demand for degrees remains strong. Despite rising tuition costs and growing skepticism about higher education’s return on investment, most families continue to view college as essential.

 

That’s partly because cultural narratives around success haven’t changed. From an early age, students are taught that elite schools open doors—and everything else is settling. "We’ve narrowed the definition of success," Lisa said. "It’s become about prestige instead of fit."

 

Marcy agreed. "There’s this unspoken belief that if you don’t go to a top school, you’ve missed your chance," she said. "But that’s just not true. And we need to do a better job of showing students the broader picture."

 

That picture includes alternatives to the traditional college path. Trade programs, community colleges, apprenticeships, and gap years are all viable options—but they often receive less attention.

 

"For some students, college isn’t the right next step. And that’s okay," Sara said. "But they need permission to explore that without shame."

 

Some students are opting out altogether. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, college enrollment has dropped nearly 8% since 2019. That decline is especially pronounced among young men and students from low-income households.

 

Meanwhile, students like Jaden continue to push forward. "I just want to feel like all of this work is worth it," he said. "Like I’m not doing it just to check boxes, but to actually build something meaningful."

 

Reimagining college admissions will take time, but many educators believe change is possible—and necessary. Lisa advocated for more transparency and support from institutions. "We need to stop rewarding polish over potential," she said. "Authenticity should matter more than packaging."

 

Lina echoed that idea, noting that admissions officers are starting to pay closer attention to context. "A student working 20 hours a week to help their family might not have 10 extracurriculars—and that should be okay."

 

Some universities are even experimenting with portfolio-based applications, optional test submissions, and interviews to better assess character and fit. But these changes are still far from standard.

 

Until then, students remain caught in a system that constantly asks for more and rarely signals when enough is enough.

 

When asked what he hopes for after high school, Jaden paused. "I know college is supposed to open doors," he said. "I just hope it doesn’t close parts of me in the process."