The most stressed generation can over-achieve all they want, but getting accepted to college these days is less about their application than it is about the admission office’s objectives.

The most stressed generation can over-achieve all they want, but getting accepted to college these days is less about their application than it is about the admission office’s objectives. Not only do colleges make decisions based on diversity quotas, but they sometimes favor those who can forgo financial aid to bolster their bottom line. And, of course, there’s the emphasis on test scores to boost rankings and the advantage legacies have at top-tier institutions. But there are glimmers of hope for teens: some are pushing for more character-based assessments. Olin College of Engineering offers “a live audition” and even Yale added a new essay question that can be answered via video, audio, text, or image. (NYTimes)