There’s a Crazy New Wrinkle to College Admissions

Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos: Getty

The first day of May has long been one of the most important dates on the college-admissions calendar: the official deadline for high-school seniors to make the big choice of where to enroll the following fall. A decade ago, former First Lady Michelle Obama anointed it “College Signing Day” with a nod to the anticipation around top athletic recruits committing to Division I programs. For both teenagers and colleges, the tradition and expectations were fixed.