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ByMichael T. Nietzel,
Senior Contributor.
The latest report from the Common Application points to a 10% increase in total applications to college as of November 1 (4,716,352), compared to last year at the same time (4,268,736).
The number of first-year applicants also rose, increasing to 962,284 students who had applied to 916 member institutions participating in the Common App, a gain of a bit more than 5% over the same time in the 2024-25 admission (913,087 students). Applicants were also applying to more schools in 2025-26 than in the prior year (from 4.68 to 4.90 applications per applicant), a roughly 5% jump.
