Deadline updates, 2023–2024: First-year application trends through Jan 1

By January 1, 2024, 1,153,033 first-year applicants submitted 5,836,529 applications to 834 returning Common App member institutions. This reflects continued growth in both the number of applicants and the overall application volume.

Some background on the students who applied:

• Domestic applicant growth was most rapid in the Southwest region, with states such as Nebraska and Texas experiencing particularly strong increases.
• Fee waiver eligibility rose faster than non-eligibility, signaling that more students with financial need are applying.
• Public institutions experienced stronger application growth than private institutions, with less-selective schools seeing the fastest increases.