"Early-admission applications to Ivy League colleges skyrocketed this year, as anxious high-school seniors tried to boost their chances of getting into some of the most selective schools in the country.
Binding early decision applications rose by 22% at Brown University, 23% at the University of Pennsylvania, 29% at Dartmouth College and 49% at Columbia University. At Yale University and Harvard University, applications under the restrictive early-action option jumped by about 38% and 57%, respectively.
The massive jumps—and resultant declines in acceptance rates—illustrate just how chaotic this admissions cycle is shaping up to be. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, many prospective students were unable to take standardized tests, participate in extracurricular activities or even attend classes in their school buildings." …