Students Feel Record Stress Over Admissions, NJ College Named Parents' Top Dream School: Survey

The Princeton Review said 73 percent of students and parents reported "high" or "very high" stress over the admissions process. That's the highest level in the 23-year history of the College Hopes & Worries Survey, which had its 2025 edition released on Tuesday, Mar. 4.

The 2025 survey polled 9,317 students and parents about a wide variety of college-related issues.

Financial Pressures, Testing, AI Concerns

Financial strain is at an all-time high, matching prevalent economic concerns nationwide since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey said 98 percent of families plan to apply for financial aid and 38 percent cited debt as their biggest worry.

With tuition soaring, families are increasingly dependent on financial aid. Nearly half (48%) called aid "extremely" necessary, while 26 percent feared they'd get into their dream school but wouldn't be able to afford it.

Despite the rise of test-optional policies, 92 percent of students planned to take the SAT, ACT, or both, with 47 percent believing strong scores could improve their chances. The SAT remained the most popular test, though one-third of applicants planned to take both exams.

Applicants are also adjusting to the transition to digital exams. Nearly three in four students (72%) supported the shift, while 28 percent preferred traditional paper-and-pencil tests.

As for the rise in artificial intelligence, almost half (49%) said they were "both concerned and excited" about AI being used in applications and admissions. Nearly one-third (32%) reported being only "concerned," while 13 percent said they were just "excited."

Students, Parents Have New Dreams

Dream schools have shifted, too.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was the No. 1 "dream college" for students. MIT pushed fellow Cambridge, MA, school Harvard University down a spot after it was students' top dream college in 2024.

Among parents, Princeton University claimed the best dream college spot (the university is not associated with The Princeton Review). The Ivy League school in New Jersey knocked MIT off its first-place perch it had in 2024.

Here's the survey's top 10 dream colleges for students:

1. MIT
2. Harvard
3. Stanford University (CA)
4. Princeton
5. Yale University (CT)
6. Columbia University (NY)
7. New York University
8. University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
9. University of Pennsylvania
10. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Here's the survey's top 10 dream colleges for parents:

1. Princeton
2. MIT
3. Stanford
4. Harvard
5. Yale
6. Michigan
7. Columbia
8. Duke University (NC)
9. NYU
10. University of Texas at Austin

College Still Worth The Pressure

Even with rising tuition and stress, nearly 99 percent of students and parents still believe college is worth it. When asked about the biggest benefit of a degree, 46 percent cited higher earning potential, while others valued exposure to new ideas (29%) or the education itself (25%).

When choosing a college, 47 percent prioritized overall fit, while 32 percent focused on career-specific programs. Students and parents disagreed about location, with half of parents preferring a school within 250 miles, while just 35 percent of students agreed.

The Princeton Review has surveyed more than 235,000 applicants and parents since 2003.

"Their feedback on their application experiences has provided important insights not only for our company but for all who are dedicated to helping students identify and gain admission to their 'best fit' colleges," said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. "To all the students who participated in our 2025 survey and who will be heading off to college this summer/fall, we say, 'Congrats and bravo. Application job well done. The colleges are lucky to have you!'"

You can click here to see the full 2025 College Hopes & Worries Survey from The Princeton Review.

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