End-of-season report, 2024–2025: First-year application trends

The 2024–2025 Common App season marked a notable uptick in both applicant numbers and application volume. A total of 1,498,199 distinct first-year applicants submitted over 10 million applications, reflecting an 8% increase from the previous year. Applicants applied to an average of 6.80 institutions, up from 6.64 in the 2023–24 academic year.

Key findings include:

• First-generation applicants grew by 14%, while continuing-generation applicants saw a modest 1% increase.
• Students reporting eligibility for a Common App fee waiver grew by 10%, outpacing the 3% growth among non-eligible students.
• Applications to public member institutions grew by 13%, surpassing the 3% growth seen in private institutions.
• International applicant growth stagnated at 1%, while domestic applicants increased by 6%.

These trends underscore a continued diversification of the applicant pool, with notable increases in applications from underrepresented and first-generation students, as well as a shift toward public institutions.