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The strangest admission cycle in history is over, and according to headlines, everything changed: applications were up, acceptance rates were down, test optional policies are here to stay, and underrepresented students were admitted in record numbers.

The truth, obviously, is a little more complicated, so we wanted to explain some of the nuance behind the headlines.

Colleges received more applications than ever before?

Mostly true. Overall, about as many students applied to college this year as did last year. The most selective schools, however, saw huge jumps. Applications to Harvard increased by 43 percent. MIT applications spiked by a staggering 66 percent.

Diversity increased at elite schools?

This is broadly true. Most top-ranked universities reported their most diverse freshman classes to date, but the numbers aren’t quite as impressive as the headlines suggest. The ivies (and similar schools) did admit more students of color this year—but only by a couple of percentage points. Harvard admitted more Pell-eligible students than ever before (20% of the incoming class), but that’s an increase of only 21 students. At the University of Pennsylvania, on the other hand, the number of students eligible for Pell grants actually decreased.

Test optional policies changed the process and leveled the playing field?

True—but with a pretty big caveat. Last year 77 percent of students submitted test scores with their applications. That number plunged to 44 percent.

But that doesn’t mean top schools saw the same split. The University of Pennsylvania, for example, reported 26 percent of Regular Decision applicants applied without test scores. But how many of those students were admitted? They’re not saying—and we might never find out. They haven’t even announced how many of their Early Decision applicants submitted test scores. (In general, low-income students are more likely to apply Regular Decision).  

Penn’s hardly alone. Most elite schools aren’t reporting these admit numbers—with a few notable exceptions. Take Emory and USC, for example. Both colleges proudly report about half of admitted students did not submit scores.

But the majority of top universities? They’re not saying. And we have good reason to suspect that’s because their numbers look drastically different.

Students received more rejections this year?

This is true, but it’s not as dire as it sounds. Students applied to more colleges, and test-optional policies emboldened many to apply to schools previously considered unattainable. Here’s what we do know: test optional policies, even at schools that resisted them, forced admission committees to read applications differently this year. Grades, curricular rigor, essays, and extracurriculars were more important—even for students who submitted scores. This is a good thing. “Test optional” is not the same as “test blind,” and we still recommend most students submit scores. But your application is more than just your score, we’re glad colleges are adjusting to new rubrics, looking beyond the numbers, and placing greater emphasis on other aspects of the application.