College Admissions Trends — 2026

Take some time to read the College Admission Trends for 2026. It will help you prepare for the application season.

Applications Are Up, But So Is Competition

The number of students applying through the Common App increased by 4% compared to the prior year, and the total number of applications submitted increased by 9%. Application inflation is reshaping college lists. Schools that used to feel like solid target schools now function as reach schools for many applicants. A strategic, intentional list of 8 to 15 schools is often a better approach than defaulting to a long list of reaches.

Standardized Testing Is Back

This is one of the biggest shifts of the 2026 cycle. According to a March 2026 Common App report, this year marked the first year that the percentage of students submitting test scores was higher than the percentage of students not submitting since COVID. The number of students who submitted test scores with their applications rose by 11% compared to the same time in 2024, while the number of applications submitted without test scores decreased by 2%. In the past two years, several colleges have returned to requiring test scores, including Harvard, Dartmouth, Brown, and the University of Florida. While test-optional policies can open doors, selective colleges often see higher rates of admission among students who do submit strong scores. "Optional" does not always mean "irrelevant."

Early Decision Is More Powerful Than Ever

Colleges such as Middlebury, Bates, and Bucknell fill roughly two-thirds to four-fifths of their class early, while early admit rates can be 2–4 times higher than Regular Decision. Many selective colleges now fill 40 to 60 percent of their freshman class during the early rounds. ED application numbers are rebounding after they dropped slightly in the 2024–25 cycle due to the return of standardized testing requirements. The University of Michigan added an Early Decision option for the current admissions cycle.

College Data

The "Enrollment Cliff" Is Here

2026 marks the beginning of a drop in the number of 18-year-olds in the U.S., a demographic shift dubbed "the enrollment cliff." The steepest declines are projected to drop by 15% by 2029. However, the enrollment cliff is unlikely to make it easier to get into highly selective colleges, which will likely always have a surplus of qualified applicants. The population shift has already begun to affect smaller colleges and regional public schools, especially in the Midwest and Northeast.

AI

According to a recent Kaplan survey of over 200 admissions officers, 68% of institutions still have no official policy regarding generative AI in essays. Despite this, institutional use of AI technology is increasing. As college admissions offices watch essay responses become more and more similar and less authentic, added layers like 90-second introductory videos are appearing on more applications, and shorter, college-specific writing prompts are replacing broader personal essays on some applications.

Depth Over Breadth in Activities

Data from NACAC shows that colleges prefer students who demonstrate depth and long-term commitment in a few meaningful areas rather than those who spread themselves thin across many unrelated activities. The old "do everything" playbook creates burnout and bland applications. Colleges want to build well-rounded classes, not admit well-rounded students; they're looking for depth and "edges," not just checked boxes.

First-Generation and Minority Applications Growing

First-generation applicants increased by 11% compared to the same time in 2024, and minority race/ethnicity students increased by 9%. However, international applications have declined.

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