College applications have demonstrated a promising rise for the upcoming fall season.
College app submissions are on the rise this year! As per the latest update from the Common Application, there's been a 4% surge in applications for fall 2025 admissions, primarily to four-year institutions.
By March 1, 2025, a whopping 1,390,256 unique first-year students had applied to 863 institutions using the Common App – a staggering increase of over 57,000 applicants compared to the 2023-24 cycle.
Total applications through March 1 rose a solid 6%, from 8,072,316 last year to 8,535,903 this year. On average, applicants were applying to slightly more institutions this year than in 2023-24 (up 1% from 6.06 to 6.14 applications per applicant).
The growth in applications continues the upward trend seen every year since the 2020-21 cycle, the first admissions year after the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. This year, there's been a substantial 276,000 increase in applicants to four-year colleges compared to 2020-21.
Demographics Breakdown
The growth in applicants has been particularly strong among underrepresented minority race/ethnicity students (URM). URM applicants saw a 12% surge, compared to a 2% increase for non-URM applicants. Latino and Black applicants increased by 13% and 10%, respectively, while Asian applicants grew by 6%. The number of white applicants remained stable.
Applicants identifying as first-generation college students grew at 13%, while continuing-generation applicants saw no change. Female applicants increased by 5%, while male applicants grew by 4%.
Low-Income and Fee Waiver Applicants
The number of applicants from low-income neighborhoods increased by 8%, more than double the rate of increase for those from above-median income areas (3%). Also, growth was greater for students reporting eligibility for a Common App fee waiver, increasing at more than four times the rate of students not reporting fee waiver eligibility (9% vs. 2%).
Regional and International Differences
The Southwestern region saw the largest growth in applicants (34%), with Texas leading the way at 37%. The District of Columbia and North Dakota followed closely behind with a 18% and 13% increase, respectively. The Western region saw a 1% decline, while New England remained constant.
Growth in applicants was roughly equal across metropolitan, micropolitan areas, and small towns (ranging from 4% to 6%), while those from rural areas grew by only 1%.
For the first time since 2019, the rate of domestic applicant growth exceeded growth in international applicants. Domestic applicants increased by 5%, while international applicants decreased by 1%.
Institutional Differences
Applications to public institutions (10%) increased far more than those to private universities and colleges (2%). Additionally, the 4% growth in applications to the most selective institutions (admit rates below 25%) was substantially lower than the 6-7% growth seen by institutions that were less selective.
Standardized Testing
Applicants who reported a standardized test score (e.g., ACT or SAT) increased by 11%, while the number of applicants who did not report any test score decreased by 1%. This is the first time since the 2021-22 cycle that the growth rate of test score reporters has surpassed that of non-reporters, despite the fact that the share of Common App institutions with a test score requirement increased only slightly from 4% in 2023-24 to 5% this year.
These data are the most complete that the Common App will report until August, when it will provide a more comprehensive analysis. Whether the increase in applications will translate to an increase in new fall enrollments is uncertain, given potential complications in financial aid information from the Education Department and its recent staff reductions. Keep an eye on this space for future updates!
- As revealed by the latest update from the Common Application, a substantial number of 1,390,256 unique first-year students had applied to 863 institutions using the Common App by March 1, 2025, demonstrating a notable rise of over 57,000 applicants compared to the 2023-24 cycle.
- The growth in college applications has remained particularly strong among underrepresented minority race/ethnicity students (URM), with URM applicants seeing a 12% surge compared to a 2% increase for non-URM applicants.
- The number of applicants from low-income neighborhoods increased by 8%, more than double the rate of increase for those from above-median income areas (3%), indicating a particular focus on access to education for low-income students.
