College Guide: Applying to college

It’s Week 6 of our Essential Guide to College in New York newsletter course that teaches families what they need to know about the college search.

This week, we’re focusing on the wild ride that is 11th and 12th grade, as college application deadlines approach.

Let’s sketch out a rough timeline.

In junior year, students should consider taking the SAT or ACT standardized tests. Doing so gives students time to retake the tests if they want a higher score. Students should also brainstorm topics they can write about for their application essays, ideally over the summer.

When senior year begins, confirm every last detail of college application and financial aid requirements. Look out for free application periods and codes that grant application fee waivers. Mo re tips and tricks about what students can do each year of high school to stay on top of the college search can be found in Darwin's story.

INTENSE COMPETITION 📬 

And as students narrow down their college wish lists, let’s take a look at the odds applicants are facing.

It’s true that declining birthrates after the Great Recession, plus lower immigration rates and other factors, have led to smaller numbers of graduating high schoolers. But competition for the most sought-after colleges is as intense as ever — and much more so than when today's parents were applying.

Take Columbia University. For the undergraduate Class of 2030, the university received more than 61,000 applications. The school accepted 2,585 applicants, or 4%, making it by far New York’s hardest-to-get-into school, as Newsday’s Anastasia Valeeva reports.

The outlook is not much better at the state’s four other most-selective schools: New York University, Cornell University, Barnard College and the Juilliard School all accepted about 9% of applicants.

So where does that leave the overwhelming majority of kids, who might be terrific students but are not superstar athletes and have not launched a business or a rocket ship by age 17?

The fact is, great students can thrive at a wide range of schools — and plenty of top-notch schools accept a much larger share of applicants.

SUNY’s Binghamton University admits 39% of applicants, while Stony Brook University accepts 49%. You can find more information about acceptance rates at schools throughout New York through Newsday’s college search tool.

For some high-achieving students, "direct admission" is also an option. A growing number of schools, including selective SUNY schools, offer the alternative to students who meet certain criteria, making admissions decisions within days instead of months.

EARLY DECISION VS. EARLY ACTION 🔒

For some families, applying Early Decision is another option.

At Columbia, nearly 5,500 students applied Early Decision in the 2025-26 application cycle, university figures show. That process requires students to attend if admitted. The acceptance rate for those applicants has not been released but in previous years, roughly 12% to 15% of Early Decision applicants at Columbia were accepted — daunting, but better than 4%.

The advantage might not be as big as it looks, though. Counselors say at many schools, the Early Decision pool includes more athletes and children of alumni, who generally have higher acceptance rates.

Plus, since applicants commit to a school before getting a financial aid package, the process can lead families to agree to a tuition bill they might not be able to afford.

By contrast, students applying Early Action do not have to commit to attending, so they can wait until they see financial aid offers before deciding.

Financial advisers and school counselors often urge families not to overspend on college. As one counselor told my colleague Robert Brodsky, "You want to think about what kind of loans you're going to have and if it's going to be worth it."

TRY THIS 📝

If your student hasn't yet signed up for a standardized test date, they can get information about the SAT and ACT and register online. (Some students take a practice version of each test and see which one yields a better score.)

You can also look up typical scores at your student's preferred schools to decide if a retest is in order. You can get score information for New York schools through Newsday's college search tool.

SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS 💬

What’s on your mind? What questions do you have for Newsday’s staff and our network of experts? We are taking questions and comments about selecting schools, seeking financial aid, increasing your odds of admission and many other topics. You can contact us by email at collegeguide@newsday.com.

NEXT WEEK ✅

What are the real odds of playing sports in college? Which sports give athletes an edge in admissions? What New York schools have the best sports scenes? We’ll get into it.