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Early College Application Trends 2024 -2025

Vivian Chen

November marks the early application deadline for many US colleges. Here are the top developing insights and trends this application season according to the Common App report.


  1. Another Year of Record Number of Applicants

    The Common App reported a 6% increase in unique applicants and a 10% increase in total applicants since the 2023-2024 application season.

Growth in first-year applications since 2020–21
Growth in first-year applications since 2020–21

Competition continues to grow. However, selective institutions, like Brown University, saw a dip in early decision applicants. According to the Brown Daily Herald, , Brown's Class of 2029 saw the lowest number of ED applicants since Class of 2024 with a 1,200 applicant decrease compared to last year, leading to a nearly 18% acceptance rate. This suggests that students are widening their options for early applications and not solely focusing on highly selective schools.


  1. Return of Test Scores

    For the first time since 2021, the number of students who reported test scores outpaced the number of students who did not report. This could be due to colleges, like Dartmouth, Yale, Harvard, Brown, MIT, Caltech, which have reinstated the ACT/SAT testing requirement. This trend signals that students can use test scores to differentiate themselves from the applicant pool.


  2. Growth in First-generation and Low-income Applicants

    First-generation applicants grew 19% year-over-year and low-income applicants eligible for the Common Application fee waiver grew 13%. This insight highlights the effectiveness of outreach programs and diversity initiatives


  3. Heightened Interest in Public Institutions

    Applicants to Public Universities grew faster (12%) compared to private institutions (8%) . Growth was the slowest for the most selective colleges. This highlights that students are prioritizing affordability and accessibility. Students are applying to more public universities to hedge their bets along with highly selective institutions.


  4. Female applicants outgrew male applicants at (7% vs 5%)

    In order to balance the larger female applicant pool, admissions may favor male applicants over females. If you are female, research and choose colleges and majors where the ratio is more in your favor.


Takeaways for Future Applicants

  1. Strategically Build Your College List

    Expand you college list and have a good mixture of safety, likely, and reach schools. Consider Public universities and less selective colleges.

  2. Have a Testing Plan

    Determine if reporting test scores will improve your application. Start test prep early to achieve your target score.

  3. Use your Essay to Standout

    Highlight unique experiences and perspectives to differentiate yourself from a large applicant pool.

  4. Be Intentional with Early Application Strategy

    Balance prestige with practicality when picking which colleges to apply early. Focus on fit and not just on prestige.


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