In the past three years, the number of Chinese applicants to Georgetown University’s freshman class rose from 95 to 208. At George Mason University, the total went from 54 to almost 100, and at George Washington University, it increased from 170 to 350. Brown University’s applications went from 166 to nearly 500, and Stanford University’s, from 268 to more than 400. At the University of Washington, the number soared from about 250 three years ago to nearly 1,600 this year.

And don’t expect this trend to abate anytime soon. Say what you will about the economy; U.S. colleges are still considered by the Chinese as #1 in higher education.

“People just think the education offered in the U.S. is undoubtedly the best in the world,” said Betty Xiong, 20, a U-Va. junior from Shanghai.

Minister of Education Zhou Ji had predicted that the overall number of applicants would exceed 10 million – last year’s total was 10.5 million – but figures from local governments suggest the number of students taking part may be far fewer.

Still, can you imagine those numbers!

The exam has long been considered a life-changing opportunity for high school students seeking a better education and, in turn, a better job. But the economic crisis has had an impact. “Since the financial crisis last year, the grim employment situation has broken the ‘employment myth’ for those with a college degree. Some students changed their minds about getting a good job through higher education. They simply quit (from taking the exam),” said an anonymous recruitment officer with the Beijing Institute of Technology.

As I wrote here, the pressure for admission is immense as there are millions of applicants for positions at only a relatively few top-tier universities. The official line is that the drop in applications is due to the economy; I’m wondering if hopelessness about being admitted is a contributing factor.

Read more here.

…researchers asked nearly 250 colleges whether they used SAT or ACT scores as a cut-off for admission. Of those that accept the SAT, 1 in 5 said they used particular scores on the test as a “threshold” for admission, at least in some cases; among those using the ACT, 1 in 4 described similar cut-offs.

The good news for most applicants, or at least those whose scores are not stellar, is that more than three-quarters of the colleges report using such scores “holistically.” That usually means the tests are mixed into a stew of many factors being evaluated, including the rigor of applicants’ curriculums; their grades; their activities; their teacher recommendations, and their essays.

Universities like to say that they look at the whole student–and most probably do–but it doesn’t take a master’s degree to figure out that SAT and/or ACT scores carry an inordinate amount of weight in the admissions process–something educators unfortunately need to keep in mind as they prepare students for college life. Should we begin teaching toward the test? Hardly. A strong curriculum will prepare students well for the two tests. However, prudence dictates that some time be devoted to strategies and practice, especially given that a few points can be the difference between going to the school of one’s dreams and second-best.