The situation is not as simple as the articles would have you believe. It is the case that the most selective colleges in the U.S. are receiving record numbers of applications; thus, several dozen schools that have traditionally been hard to get into have become even harder. That, of course, has affected the application patterns at other colleges, causing many to see an increase. The increase, based on demographic and cultural factors as well as an increased number of applications per student, has caused some colleges to move to a higher level of selectivity; however, only a small fraction of our four-year colleges have changed significantly in terms of actual admission difficulty. Application numbers have increased, but not all colleges can count on a proportionate yield in terms of accepted students who enroll.

The best news of all is that American higher education offers a truly amazing wealth of opportunities, many of which are not celebrated in the media attention to colleges that deny admission to outstandingly qualified students. In looking at college options, it is wise to consider varied geographic locations, college types, and student-body sizes, and most importantly to look beyond the hot names and the highly publicized rankings. Headlines may continue to startle, but outside-the-box thinking can be the best remedy.