Getting into college. It's complicated.

Navigating this year's college acceptance season is tricky thanks to some emerging trends.

There are record numbers of applications. But class sizes haven't increased and that means more kids than ever aren't getting into their target schools.

It's made talking about college plans challenging for a lot of families.

Jenn Curtis and Cynthia Muchnik are the authors of "The Parent Compass: Navigating Your Teen's Wellness & Academic Journey in Today's Competitive World."

Both have worked as college counselors for years and have been troubled about trends they were seeing in their offices. Kids who couldn't speak for themselves and parents who can't stop talking about their kids' college dreams.

Post-Varsity Blues Scandal, they say the spotlight is heavily on who gets in and who doesn't get into select schools.

The pressure is greater than ever for high school seniors, and sadly, a lot of parents add to the stress.

• The do's and don'ts of college acceptances