No inside info here, but I would think there is such a thing as too many apps for the most selective schools.
I was talking with my brother last week. His wife is a guidance counselor at a private high school. I commented that it is amazing how many high school seniors have founded multiple charity organizations and clubs, are president of everything they in and so on.
He laughed, and told me a story of one kid who wrote in a college essay how he helped drill wells in Africa. My brother asked the kid about that experience. The kid didn’t actually drill the wells, but his parents donated to a charity that drilled wells in Africa so he felt OK claiming that.
I would think the Harvard’s of the world would like to have a thirty minute interview with prospective students to ask about those charities and leadership roles and acts of selflessness before these stories fill the internet.
Those schools cannot do that with ever increasing application numbers and their current infrastructure.
I know my daughter, late to the starting line in applying to schools was unable to schedule an interview at any school she applied to (no slots available) until MIT reached out to her at the beginning of March.
I have to think the increase in applications is simple inefficient for all parties.