10 College Admission Trends You Should Know

During a recession, college is definitely the safest place to be. But no matter how smart or talented a student is, it's all up to college admissions. With more competition to get into college and to nail a solid job, institutions and students will continue to see changes in their admissions every year. Here are 10 college admission trends you should know:

1. This year — 2011 — is the toughest admissions year yet

   This year has been the hardest for high school seniors applying to college. A combination of the weak economy and the increased number of applications each student submits has made it much harder to get into college. Years ago, seniors typically applied to a handful of schools, but now students have doubled their application submissions to 10 or even 30 schools.

2. More students are interested in southern colleges

   In recent years, more college students have been saying goodbye to snow and hello to sunshine as they make their way down south for school. Whether it's the quality of education or quality of life, students are taking greater notice of what southern colleges have to offer year-round.

3. International student applications are on the rise

   An increase in the number of international students applying to American schools has made getting into college even more competitive. And colleges are accepting more international students because they provide a financial boost by paying full price to attend school in the United States.

4. More grad students are aiming for Ivy League

   Ivy League schools have always been the quintessential place to receive an education, especially a graduate degree. But now the country's unemployment rate and increased job competition have made this dream of attending an Ivy League school a necessity for many students who want to outshine their peers and lock-in a good job. In addition to competing with fellow graduates, students will also have to beat out recently laid off workers who hold years of experience and industry knowledge.

5. More homeschoolers are applying to college

   Over the last few years, admissions departments have seen an increase in the number of homeschoolers applying to college. While it's nice to diversify, many colleges find it difficult to compare homeschoolers to traditional students, therefore making the admissions process a little more tricky.

6. Admissions waitlists are growing

   More colleges have admitted that their dreadful admissions waitlists are growing in size to account for more applicants. Schools like Harvard and Princeton no longer have early admissions and have to implement the waitlist, which makes it extra difficult and painfully nerve-wracking for applicants. During this waiting period, students are more likely to send follow-up recommendation letters and pull as many strings as possible. Continued