Long-term progress toward diversifying the Common App applicant pool

Between 2013–14 and 2021–22, the total number of applicants increased by 72%, reaching 1.24 million. Growth among first-generation, URM, and fee waiver-eligible students outpaced the overall pool.

Key findings include:

• Areas with historically lower college participation rates have shown accelerated growth in the number of fee waiver recipients and first-generation applicants, reflecting expanded access in underrepresented regions.
• States with flagship public institutions joining the platform experienced the most significant increases in the number of underrepresented applicants. Nine of the ten top-growth states had a flagship join during this period.
• Underrepresented applicants submitted slightly fewer applications than their peers but showed strong engagement with the platform.