Our Next Chapter
Our Next Chapter
A group of colleges and universities came together in 1975 to streamline the college application process by creating a common application form for students. Nearly 50 years later, Common App continues to open doors to opportunity.
Apply to college
Our Next Chapter
Our Next Chapter
A group of colleges and universities came together in 1975 to streamline the college application process by creating a common application form for students. Nearly 50 years later, Common App continues to open doors to opportunity.
The challenge
The challenge
Over the last decade alone, Common App has made huge strides in expanding access for students. Since 2019, low-income applicants have increased at nearly three times the rate of higher-income applicants.
Yet, even with a diverse membership of more than 1,200 institutions, students from low-income communities remain significantly underrepresented in our applicant pool.
Common App’s Next Chapter is about tackling this challenge head-on with our member colleges and partners.
Serving more low- and middle-income students will require us to reverse the downward trend of postsecondary enrollment. In 2021, 62% of high school grads (age 16-24) enrolled at 2- or 4-year institutions, compared to 68% in 2010 (according to National Center for Education Statistics data).
And, expanding our reach is made even more difficult by other factors affecting today’s higher education landscape. One, we know the population of students graduating from high school each year is declining.
And, people continue to question the value of higher education.
According to Gallup, Americans’ confidence in higher education fell to 36% in 2023, sharply lower than in two prior readings in 2015 (57%) and 2018 (48%).
But, the value of postsecondary education has been well researched and demonstrated.
We believe we can turn these challenges into opportunities by focusing on underserved groups of prospective students. Such as low- and middle-income students, first-generation learners, and adults without a degree beyond high school.
Our moonshot
Our moonshot
Common App has set a bold goal to focus its work in the next chapter. We call it our moonshot: By 2030, Common App will close its gap in students pursuing postsecondary opportunities.
We believe that, working together, we can close gaps and uplift today’s students.
Learn about the work we've done recently to move toward our moonshot in the latest Next Chapter impact report.
The impact: 2025–2026 by the numbers
Common App's impact on students and their supporters is humbling, and our work isn’t done. In 2025–2026, we saw:
- More than 10.7 million applications were submitted through Common App.
- More than 19 million recommendations were submitted on students' behalf.
- More than $196 million in fee waivers were provided by Common App members to students in need.
- More than 1.5 million unique applicants — 40% of whom are first-generation — came from more than 200 countries and territories.
The opportunity
- Closing this gap will help individuals and communities reach new heights. It’s also a critical strategy for institutions that must reach new pools of students to meet enrollment goals.
During the 2025–2026 academic year, 34% of Common App applicants lived in ZIP codes below the median household income ($70,000), while 66% lived in areas above it.
To close the gap, Common App needs 650,000 additional applicants from low- and middle-income communities by 2030.
The graph below shows the mountain of opportunity in targeting low- and middle-income students who are not currently using the Common App. This strategy will help us close gaps, meet enrollment goals, and improve lives.
U.S. 12th graders by Common App usage and median household income
Our work: Expanding our reach
Common App will shoot for the moon in the following ways:
- Use our data and collective voice to expand access
- Reimagine the college admissions process so students have more agency in it
- Connect college applicants with financial aid opportunities and upfront cost information
In addition, we will continue to evolve the application by making evidence-based changes to promote greater access to postsecondary opportunities for students.
Supporting members
Supporting members
College applicants experience different barriers in the college application process, where some have greater resources than others to help them navigate the way.
Common App uses data to help its member colleges understand where these barriers exist and works with them to improve the admission process for all students
Central to this is supporting members to reach new or underserved groups of prospective students, such as low- and middle-income students, first-generation learners, adults without education after high school, and adults seeking to return and complete their undergraduate education.
Supporting counselors and advisors
Supporting counselors and advisors
Getting students to college starts early. Counselors are trusted voices to students and can help accelerate the path to meeting our moonshot.
But we know that counselors can’t do this work alone. Common App partners with the people who support students and provides education, training, and data so that they can make applying to college more simple, logical, joyful, and equitable for their students.
And, just like counselors and our member colleges, we’re meeting students where they are to make sure they have the information and support they need to take the next step toward achieving their personal aspirations.
Doing more with data
We use our data and conduct research to shine light on promising practices and opportunities, and to raise awareness of barriers in the college application process for students—all in real time. These insights help Common App, our member colleges and universities, counselors, and others do more to support students on their way to postsecondary success.
Examples include:
INNOVATIONS GUIDE, 2026
Common App’s annual Innovations Guide showcases its initiatives and partnerships aimed at closing the gap between students from below-median and above-median income ZIP codes using the platform.
View the guide
HIGHLIGHTING INDEPENDENT STUDENTS
New research reveals the distinct characteristics, application patterns, and outcomes of independent students.
View the independent student research
FIRST-GENERATION STATUS IN CONTEXT, PART 5
This research brief moves beyond the traditional first-generation binary, examining 30+ parental education combinations to reveal four distinct patterns in college enrollment and degree completion. The findings offer institutions a more precise lens for tailoring student support.
View the Part 5 brief
END-OF-SEASON REPORT, 2025–2026: FIRST-YEAR APPLICATION TRENDS
Common App’s annual report analyzes applicant and application data from the 2025–26 admissions cycle, including demographics, community income, institution type, and more.
View the end-of-season report
Interested in membership?
Interested in membership?
If you represent a college or university interested in Common App, we look forward to hearing from you!
