The announcement of early admission acceptances to US universities, which was even more competitive than last year, has ended. With the resumption of normal daily life after the COVID-19 pandemic, early admission rates and overall admission rates have increased dramatically at each school.

Since standardized test scores have become optional, and will continue to be so in the future, it is clear that a student's academic record and extracurricular activities will play an important role in determining their admission.

When looking at the acceptance rates of Ivy League and other top-tier universities, excluding Cornell and UPenn, there is almost no change compared to before, with a difference of less than 1%. However, it is important to note that Cornell and UPenn have seen a decrease in their double-digit acceptance rates to a single digit, indicating a need for closer examination. This is likely due to the high desire among students and parents to attend Ivy League and top-tier universities, coupled with systems such as optional standardized tests, which have led to more competitive applications.

Optional standardized tests require admissions officers to check more factors, attracting students with more creative and innovative ideas, while excluding those without originality and academic excellence.

To increase their chances of acceptance, students choose early applications, but these universities have been attracting outstanding talents through early applications for years. With over 70% of accepted students enrolling, it is difficult to expect significant changes without strong academic excellence, recommendations, and a clear extracurricular portfolio.

Especially for current 10th and 11th grade students, relying solely on academic excellence to apply to these schools can be a risky strategy. It is important to check now what the student's theme is, if the extracurricular activities have a clear focus, and if the student's theme matches the school they want to apply to. In other words, preparing for applications should start in 10th grade, not just in the second semester of 11th grade.

With pandemic-induced changes in the system, universities prefer students from various backgrounds, including social minorities and economically disadvantaged but excellent students. To succeed in admissions, students who were traditionally excellent need to make their individuality clear through various attempts, while understanding and targeting American universities that emphasize diversity.

When creating a list of target universities, at least three target schools should be included. If students only target the Ivy League and top 20 universities, they may receive rejection notices from all universities. While some students may only be interested in upward applications, it is better to make rational choices by utilizing competitive schools in their score range and major. Additionally, using Liberal Arts Colleges can be a good option.