A new era of college admissions is unfolding after years of turmoil.
Standardized testing requirements are being revived, or are under consideration, from coast to coast. Admissions officers at both big public schools, like the University of Georgia, and top-tier private institutions, like Washington University in St. Louis, are shedding some application essays. Administrators everywhere are fretting about what role artificial intelligence may play in applications.
The Covid pandemic led many schools to loosen their processes and, in many cases, rely more on components like essays. But A.I.’s rise, questions about student preparation, the end of affirmative action and the Trump administration’s campaign to prioritize “merit” in admissions are driving a swing back.
