Quote of the Week

“Early admission appears to be the ‘new normal’ now, as more students are applying early to Harvard and peer institutions than ever before.”

William R. Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid, said in a Harvard press release

• Haiiii overachievers: Early decision applications are on the rise! Princeton had an 18% jump; Harvard got 5% more applications; Williams College increased by 25%. [USA Today]
   
• And it's not just Ivy Fever... College applications for the graduating class of 2017 are breaking all sorts of crazy records. UCLA’s applications hit six figures; Columbia's Barnard College apps rose 19%; Wesleyan's apps increased 16%. [USA Today]
   
• But DON'T PANIC just yet: Most colleges in the U.S. accept far more applicants than they reject. Half of American colleges have become less selective over the past 50 years. [WashPo]
   
• In non-anxiety-provoking news, Penn Admissions Officers partnered with 40+ local community orgs to host SAT prep workshops with underrepresented high school students [The Daily Pennsylvanian]
   
• Seriously though, don't forget to breathe. Nearly 1 in 6 college students has been diagnosed with or treated for anxiety within the past year, according to the annual national survey by the American College Health Association. [WashPo]