How The Trump Administration Will Impact College Admissions

Let’s talk about the panic in the group chats.
Yes, that panic—over Trump, the Department of Education, and what’s going on with college admissions right now.

Parents are texting me things like:
“Wait, did the president just defund Columbia?”
“Is my daughter’s immigration status going to hurt her?”
“Should we scrap the activism essay and write about community service instead?”

Valid questions. Big headlines. Lots of feelings.

Here’s the short version of what’s happening:
The current administration has made it clear they want to take a new approach to higher education. That includes revisiting the role of federal funding, shifting the focus toward job readiness and “American values,” and asking hard questions about how universities handle speech, protests, and curriculum.

Some research programs are already getting cut. Some schools are facing investigations. And yes, there’s real tension between the federal government and many of the most well-known universities.

Now, whether you love this shift or hate it—this post is not about taking sides. I’m here to help your kid get into college. And to do that, you’ve got to understand how admissions officers think. Because, surprise! They’re not nearly as liberal (or as radical) as Twitter or TikTok might suggest.

So let’s get real.

A lot of families think being politically active or outspoken is the golden ticket to top schools. And sure, passion is great. Conviction is hot. But in admissions? Too much fire and not enough finesse can backfire.

Colleges love civic engagement—but they adore diplomacy.

They don’t want chaos. They want conversation. They’re not looking for someone who stages a sit-in every time they disagree with a speaker. They’re looking for students who can sit through the talk, raise their hand at the Q&A, and ask the one question that leaves the room speechless.

And especially now, with public trust in higher ed in flux and scrutiny at an all-time high, colleges are extra careful about who they bring in. They want students who add to the conversation, not burn down the stage.

And here’s the thing: at Top Dog, we’ve always been preparing students for this moment.

We don’t tell students to water down their beliefs—we help them deepen them.
You believe Black Lives Matter? Great—now tell me what that means for restorative justice or reparations, or how Baldwin shaped your worldview. You’re a proud conservative? Fantastic—let’s talk about individual liberty as moral structure, or how Burke's skepticism of rapid change shaped your political identity.

Colleges don’t just want you to believe something. They want to know you’ve thought about it. That you’ve read, questioned, debated, stretched. That your beliefs are more than hashtags—they’re philosophies.

Strong essays don’t shout, “I’m right!”
They whisper, “Here’s how I think.”

We teach our students to fight for something, not just against it. To turn values into ideas. To argue for masculinity as presence, not performance. For impoliteness as honesty. For tradition as a stabilizing force. Or disruption as a necessary act of care.

Because the strongest applicants don’t show contempt for people with different views. They show curiosity. They understand that moral superiority is the fastest way to lose the room—and the admissions officer reading your file.

So, in your essays? Don’t just talk about what you fought. Show what you stood for. Don’t just name what’s wrong—show how you hope to make things better. The applicant who says, “I want to engage across difference” is going to get a lot farther than the one who says, “I want to take down the system.”

Because right now? Colleges aren’t getting more “left” or more “right.” They’re getting more careful.

They want future leaders who can navigate tension, not escalate it. Who can speak with conviction and grace. Who can challenge ideas without scorning the people behind them.

And trust me—your kid can be powerful, principled, and palatable. That’s the sweet spot.

Love you. Mean it. Now go rewrite that “activism” essay like the future president of the ACLU and the Young Republicans could read it and both say, “She’s one of us.”