<p>Way easier. I applied to Penn and Cal and was accepted at both. State school which is a reach for many now was backup afterthought. No subject tests, no study for SAT, Strong overall grades but D in Geometry. Typed Penn essay in basement with no parental or other adult input and no outside editing of proofreading. I was a national merit scholar with 650/640 SAT (on old scale) Played soccer and was an exchange student, but don’t even remember filing out an activities section of app. No special ECs. CRAZY thinking back on it.</p>