The college admissions process in the United States is undergoing a transformation, largely due to a series of measures taken by President Trump since taking office. One of these measures includes a review of diversity policies at universities, leading to top-tier schools in the US canceling the requirement for applicants to respond to questions focused on identity viewpoints. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s policies restricting international student visas have increased opportunities for domestic students to attend prestigious universities.
This year has been a tumultuous one for higher education in the United States, with acceptance rates at top schools plummeting and annual costs nearing $100,000, placing immense pressure on prospective students during this admissions cycle. Now, with the Trump administration cutting federal funding for universities and reviewing diversity policies, high school graduates are preparing their application materials in an increasingly tense environment.
Another notable change is the tightening of approval for international student visas by the Trump administration, potentially leading to significant shifts in admission rates and profiles at top US universities.
The application deadline for the Early Decision (ED) admission process at US universities is typically around November 1st each year. As this deadline approaches, two major trends in the US university admissions landscape should be noted:
Some universities are eliminating questions on identity viewpoints that were previously required for applicants to answer.
After the Supreme Court decision in 2023 to end affirmative action in university admissions, many colleges added questions on students discussing their racial backgrounds to application forms. However, in recent months, the Trump administration has been investigating schools suspected of using racial proxies in the application process.
In response to the government investigation, several universities have scrapped these related application questions.
The University of Virginia removed a question that asked students to “write about any part of your background that has shaped your view,” which could cover “community, upbringing, education environment, race, gender, or other background.”
Duke University also eliminated two questions – one asking about the applicant’s “sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression,” and another requiring the applicant to describe how they feel their own distinctiveness and “how this has affected your experiences or identity.” The university replaced these with a prompt asking students to discuss a scenario where they would use or not use artificial intelligence.
Due to the Trump administration’s tightening of international student visa approvals, universities’ financial situations and enrollment strategies have been severely impacted. Visa interview delays this year have made it difficult for universities to determine whether they can admit international students as usual.
According to admissions experts, it is expected that there will be a decrease in international students applying to study at US universities this year.
During the 2024-2025 academic year, schools such as Stanford University and Duke University activated waitlists near the admission deadline due to international students being stalled on visa issues or opting to attend other institutions.
This situation may occur again this year. Consultants advising international students suggest that students should consider including universities outside the US on their application lists to mitigate the impact of visa issues on their enrollment at American institutions.
This also means that some US students may be more daring this year, choosing to apply to more competitive schools.
Stephen Friedfeld, co-founder of the university consulting firm AcceptU, stated, “Since international students face significant restrictions, there may be more students applying to these universities to see if there are opportunities.” “Moreover, as it may not be possible to fill quotas with international students this year, more universities may admit more domestic students.”
(This article is based on reporting by Bloomberg.)