CHARLOTTE, N.C. — College enrollment has dropped by over 2 million students in the last decade. Experts say it may be easier than ever for high school seniors to get into their dream university.
According to the American Enterprise Institute, the median acceptance rate for colleges increased by 7.6 percentage points from 2012 to 2022. This marks a shift from the highly competitive college admissions of the early 2000s, meaning high school seniors may be getting a lot of mail this year from different institutions.
The decline in enrollment, combined with fewer high school graduates going directly to college, means more universities are willing to accept more applicants; however, some colleges are simply expanding early decision programs.
While top universities maintain low acceptance rates, most U.S. colleges are becoming more accessible. In 2022, 87% of nonprofit four-year colleges admitted at least half of their applicants.
Despite the trend toward higher acceptance rates, many young adults believe getting into college is harder than it used to be. A Pew Research Center survey found that 45% of 18-to 29-year-olds think college admissions are actually getting more competitive now.
WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with news that impacts you from the team at WCNC Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.