GITNUXREPORT 2026

College Application Statistics

College application volume hit a record high this past admissions cycle.

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Researcher specializing in consumer behavior and market trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Average high school GPA of applicants: 3.6 unweighted.

Statistic 2

SAT average for admitted students at top 20: 1520.

Statistic 3

ACT composite avg. for college-bound seniors: 19.5 in 2023.

Statistic 4

75% of applicants had GPA 3.75+ at selective schools.

Statistic 5

AP exam takers: 2.8M students, avg. score 2.8.

Statistic 6

IB Diploma applicants: avg. score 30/45 for admits.

Statistic 7

Class rank top 10%: 75% of admits at publics.

Statistic 8

Homeschooled applicants: avg. SAT 1190 vs. 1060 national.

Statistic 9

Dual enrollment credits: 40% of applicants had 12+ credits.

Statistic 10

Extracurricular depth: 65% listed 5+ leadership roles.

Statistic 11

Research publication applicants: 3% at top STEM programs.

Statistic 12

Avg. course rigor: 8 AP/IB per applicant at elites.

Statistic 13

GPA inflation: 47% of schools report 4.0+ avg.

Statistic 14

Test-optional admits had 0.1 lower GPA avg.

Statistic 15

Math SAT avg. for engineering applicants: 780.

Statistic 16

English SAT avg.: 710 for humanities admits.

Statistic 17

First-gen avg. GPA: 3.4 vs. 3.7 continuing-gen.

Statistic 18

Low-income avg. SAT: 1080 vs. 1220 high-income.

Statistic 19

International avg. TOEFL: 105/120 for admits.

Statistic 20

Community college transfer GPA avg.: 3.5 for 4-year entry.

Statistic 21

STEM applicants avg. math score: ACT 27.

Statistic 22

Arts portfolio submitters: 85% acceptance boost.

Statistic 23

Online course completers: 25% of applicants, avg. 3.2 GPA.

Statistic 24

Valedictorians: 1% of applicants, 90% admit rate.

Statistic 25

Rec letters rated crucial by 85% of colleges.

Statistic 26

Essay word count avg.: 650 for Common App.

Statistic 27

Avg. 25th-75th SAT range at top publics: 1350-1500.

Statistic 28

Harvard's acceptance rate for Class of 2028 was 3.59%, down from 3.64% for Class of 2027.

Statistic 29

Stanford admitted 3.68% of 56,378 applicants for Class of 2028.

Statistic 30

Yale's overall acceptance rate dropped to 4.57% for 2,146 admits from 57,465 apps.

Statistic 31

MIT accepted 4.8% of 20,990 applicants for Class of 2028.

Statistic 32

Princeton's rate was 5.7% for Class of 2028, admitting 1,782 from 39,644.

Statistic 33

Columbia admitted 3.85% of 60,248 applications for Class of 2028.

Statistic 34

UChicago's acceptance rate fell to 5.4% for 2,475 admits from 46,000+.

Statistic 35

Duke accepted 5.9% of 50,930 apps for Class of 2028.

Statistic 36

UPenn rate was 6.5% admitting 3,474 from 65,230.

Statistic 37

Caltech admitted 2.7% of 15,526 applicants for Class of 2028.

Statistic 38

Johns Hopkins rate 6.2% for 3,112 from 50,317.

Statistic 39

Northwestern accepted 7% of 51,135 apps for Class of 2028.

Statistic 40

Dartmouth's rate 6.2% admitting 1,685 from 28,000+.

Statistic 41

Brown admitted 5.2% of 48,881 for Class of 2028.

Statistic 42

Cornell's overall rate 7.9% but varied by college (e.g., Engineering 4.8%).

Statistic 43

Georgetown accepted 12% of 26,000+ apps.

Statistic 44

NYU rate dropped to 8% for Class of 2028 from 12.5% prior.

Statistic 45

UMich accepted 17.7% of 109,000 apps for 2023-2024.

Statistic 46

UCLA admitted 9% of 145,000+ freshman apps.

Statistic 47

UC Berkeley rate 11.6% for in-state, lower for out.

Statistic 48

USC accepted 9.8% of 70,000+ apps.

Statistic 49

Emory rate 11% for 33,000 apps.

Statistic 50

Vanderbilt accepted 4.7% waitlist heavy cycle.

Statistic 51

Rice admitted 7.7% of 30,000+.

Statistic 52

Carnegie Mellon rate 11% overall.

Statistic 53

Tufts accepted 9.8% of 34,000 apps.

Statistic 54

WashU St. Louis 11.3% rate.

Statistic 55

Notre Dame 12.9% for 24,000 apps.

Statistic 56

Average acceptance rate at top 50 privates: 7.2% in 2024.

Statistic 57

Public flagships averaged 45% acceptance, down from 50% pre-2020.

Statistic 58

HBCU average rate 45%, with Howard at 26%.

Statistic 59

Community colleges accepted 100% of 5.2M apps effectively.

Statistic 60

In 2023, 45% of U.S. high school graduates applied to college, down from 47% in 2019.

Statistic 61

Hispanic/Latino applicants made up 28% of total in 2023, up from 24% in 2019.

Statistic 62

Black/African American applicants: 15% of pool, with 1.1M submissions.

Statistic 63

Asian American applicants: 26% at selective schools, averaging higher scores.

Statistic 64

White applicants: 42% overall, but 55% at publics.

Statistic 65

First-gen college students: 25% of applicants, 1.8M in 2023.

Statistic 66

Low-income (Pell-eligible) applicants: 22%, up 4% post-pandemic.

Statistic 67

Female applicants: 57% vs. 43% male in 2023.

Statistic 68

Male applicants declined 2% to 3.1M amid enrollment gaps.

Statistic 69

International applicants: 12% of total, 1.7M from 200+ countries.

Statistic 70

Out-of-state applicants to publics: 35%, paying higher tuition.

Statistic 71

Rural applicants: 18% of high school seniors, lower college-going rate.

Statistic 72

Urban applicants: 55%, with higher multi-app rates.

Statistic 73

LGBTQ+ self-identified: 12% in Common App data 2023.

Statistic 74

Disabled applicants: 8% disclosed, up from 5% in 2019.

Statistic 75

Veteran applicants: 1.2%, 85,000 via GI Bill pathways.

Statistic 76

Adult learners (25+): 15% of apps, 2.1M in 2023.

Statistic 77

From South region: 35% of national applicants.

Statistic 78

Northeast applicants: 22%, concentrated at ivies.

Statistic 79

Midwest: 18%, with community college focus.

Statistic 80

West Coast: 25%, high UC apps.

Statistic 81

English language learners: 10% of applicants needed support.

Statistic 82

Athletes recruited: 2.5%, 180,000 D1 prospects.

Statistic 83

Average age of freshman applicants: 17.8 years.

Statistic 84

Siblings of alumni: 4% claimed legacy status.

Statistic 85

Multiracial applicants: 6%, fastest growing at 14% increase.

Statistic 86

Native American/Alaska Native: 1%, with targeted outreach.

Statistic 87

Pacific Islander: 0.5%, lowest volume at 35,000 apps.

Statistic 88

In the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, the Common Application platform received over 7.1 million applications, marking a 6% increase from 6.7 million in 2022-2023.

Statistic 89

Total undergraduate applications to U.S. colleges reached 14.5 million in fall 2022, up 2.3% from pre-pandemic levels.

Statistic 90

Early decision applications surged by 15% at selective colleges in 2023, with 1.2 million students applying early.

Statistic 91

The number of international applications to U.S. universities grew 11% to 1.4 million in 2023.

Statistic 92

Community college applications increased by 4.7% to 5.2 million in 2022-2023 amid affordability concerns.

Statistic 93

Applications via Coalition with Scoir app rose 8% to 1.8 million in 2023-2024.

Statistic 94

Test-optional policies led to a 12% spike in applications at 1,900+ institutions in 2022.

Statistic 95

First-generation applicants submitted 2.1 million apps in 2023, up 9% year-over-year.

Statistic 96

Legacy applicant numbers dropped 5% to 150,000 at top-50 universities in 2023 post-affirmative action ruling.

Statistic 97

QuestBridge matched 2,300 low-income students to top colleges in 2023, a 10% increase.

Statistic 98

Applications to HBCUs rose 12% to 450,000 in 2023.

Statistic 99

Public university applications hit 9.8 million in 2022, driven by in-state tuition appeals.

Statistic 100

Women's applications outnumbered men's by 58% to 42% in 2023 across platforms.

Statistic 101

Rural applicants increased 7% to 800,000 via federal TRIO programs in 2023.

Statistic 102

Post-pandemic, transfer applications jumped 13% to 1.5 million in 2023.

Statistic 103

Applications from California students to out-of-state schools rose 18% in 2023.

Statistic 104

No-fee application schools saw 25% more apps, totaling 3.2 million in 2023.

Statistic 105

STEM program apps grew 14% to 4.1 million amid tech boom in 2023.

Statistic 106

Arts and humanities apps declined 3% to 1.2 million in 2023.

Statistic 107

Online-only college apps surged 22% to 2.5 million in 2023.

Statistic 108

Applications peaked in January 2024 at 2.3 million for regular decision.

Statistic 109

Multi-app students averaged 6.5 submissions per applicant in 2023.

Statistic 110

Fee waiver usage hit 1.9 million, covering 27% of apps in 2023.

Statistic 111

Mobile app submissions reached 45% of total in 2023-2024 cycle.

Statistic 112

Hispanic-serving institutions received 1.1 million apps, up 10%.

Statistic 113

Post-SCOTUS ruling, race-neutral apps rose 8% at elite schools.

Statistic 114

Veteran applications increased 6% to 250,000 via Yellow Ribbon.

Statistic 115

Gap year deferrals led to 120,000 reapplications in 2023.

Statistic 116

AI-assisted essay apps detected in 5% of submissions in 2023.

Statistic 117

Sustainability program apps grew 16% to 900,000 in 2023.

Statistic 118

Freshman merit aid avg. $12,500 at privates.

Statistic 119

Avg. need-based grant: $14,200 for aided students.

Statistic 120

55% of freshmen received some aid, totaling $162B.

Statistic 121

Pell Grant recipients: 31% of undergrads, $7,000 avg.

Statistic 122

Avg. student loan debt at graduation: $29,800.

Statistic 123

No-loan policies at 50+ schools covered 100% need.

Statistic 124

Avg. net price after aid: $14,270 at publics.

Statistic 125

Work-study jobs: 700,000 students earned $1B avg. $1,500.

Statistic 126

Private scholarships: $7.4B awarded to 1.7M students.

Statistic 127

FAFSA completion rate: 78% of seniors in 2023.

Statistic 128

Avg. family contrib. for $100K+ income: $22,000.

Statistic 129

Institutional aid avg. at elites: $55,000 per student.

Statistic 130

529 plan users: 14M accounts, $500B assets.

Statistic 131

Undocumented applicants aid: $1.2B via state funds.

Statistic 132

ROI avg. bachelor's: $1.2M lifetime earnings premium.

Statistic 133

Default rate on loans: 7.5% for recent cohorts.

Statistic 134

Avg. COA at privates: $58,600 incl. room/board.

Statistic 135

Gap financing via loans: 40% of aided students.

Statistic 136

Merit aid % of total: 28% at four-years.

Statistic 137

Emergency aid disbursed: $500M to 2M students post-COVID.

Statistic 138

Avg. aid package: $22,000 for low-income admits.

Statistic 139

State grant avg.: $4,200 per recipient.

Statistic 140

Institutional endowment per student: $1.4M at top 20.

Statistic 141

Net price calculator usage: 65% of applicants.

Statistic 142

Forgiven loans: $150B under PSLF for public servants.

Statistic 143

Avg. out-of-pocket after aid: $12,000 at publics.

1/143

Sources

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With a record-breaking 7.1 million applications flooding the Common App, the college admissions landscape has become a battlefield of strategic decisions, soaring competition, and crucial new trends that every student must navigate to succeed.

Key Takeaways

In the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, the Common Application platform received over 7.1 million applications, marking a 6% increase from 6.7 million in 2022-2023.
Total undergraduate applications to U.S. colleges reached 14.5 million in fall 2022, up 2.3% from pre-pandemic levels.
Early decision applications surged by 15% at selective colleges in 2023, with 1.2 million students applying early.
Harvard's acceptance rate for Class of 2028 was 3.59%, down from 3.64% for Class of 2027.
Stanford admitted 3.68% of 56,378 applicants for Class of 2028.
Yale's overall acceptance rate dropped to 4.57% for 2,146 admits from 57,465 apps.
In 2023, 45% of U.S. high school graduates applied to college, down from 47% in 2019.
Hispanic/Latino applicants made up 28% of total in 2023, up from 24% in 2019.
Black/African American applicants: 15% of pool, with 1.1M submissions.
Average high school GPA of applicants: 3.6 unweighted.
SAT average for admitted students at top 20: 1520.
ACT composite avg. for college-bound seniors: 19.5 in 2023.
Freshman merit aid avg. $12,500 at privates.
Avg. need-based grant: $14,200 for aided students.
55% of freshmen received some aid, totaling $162B.

College application volume hit a record high this past admissions cycle.

Academic Qualifications

Average high school GPA of applicants: 3.6 unweighted.
SAT average for admitted students at top 20: 1520.
ACT composite avg. for college-bound seniors: 19.5 in 2023.
75% of applicants had GPA 3.75+ at selective schools.
AP exam takers: 2.8M students, avg. score 2.8.
IB Diploma applicants: avg. score 30/45 for admits.
Class rank top 10%: 75% of admits at publics.
Homeschooled applicants: avg. SAT 1190 vs. 1060 national.
Dual enrollment credits: 40% of applicants had 12+ credits.
Extracurricular depth: 65% listed 5+ leadership roles.
Research publication applicants: 3% at top STEM programs.
Avg. course rigor: 8 AP/IB per applicant at elites.
GPA inflation: 47% of schools report 4.0+ avg.
Test-optional admits had 0.1 lower GPA avg.
Math SAT avg. for engineering applicants: 780.
English SAT avg.: 710 for humanities admits.
First-gen avg. GPA: 3.4 vs. 3.7 continuing-gen.
Low-income avg. SAT: 1080 vs. 1220 high-income.
International avg. TOEFL: 105/120 for admits.
Community college transfer GPA avg.: 3.5 for 4-year entry.
STEM applicants avg. math score: ACT 27.
Arts portfolio submitters: 85% acceptance boost.
Online course completers: 25% of applicants, avg. 3.2 GPA.
Valedictorians: 1% of applicants, 90% admit rate.
Rec letters rated crucial by 85% of colleges.
Essay word count avg.: 650 for Common App.
Avg. 25th-75th SAT range at top publics: 1350-1500.

Academic Qualifications Interpretation

The staggering numbers reveal a college admissions landscape where academic metrics have become a high-stakes currency, yet the fine print of these statistics—from valedictorians cruising in to first-gen students scaling steeper cliffs—proves that behind every average is a wildly unequal story.

Acceptance Rates

Harvard's acceptance rate for Class of 2028 was 3.59%, down from 3.64% for Class of 2027.
Stanford admitted 3.68% of 56,378 applicants for Class of 2028.
Yale's overall acceptance rate dropped to 4.57% for 2,146 admits from 57,465 apps.
MIT accepted 4.8% of 20,990 applicants for Class of 2028.
Princeton's rate was 5.7% for Class of 2028, admitting 1,782 from 39,644.
Columbia admitted 3.85% of 60,248 applications for Class of 2028.
UChicago's acceptance rate fell to 5.4% for 2,475 admits from 46,000+.
Duke accepted 5.9% of 50,930 apps for Class of 2028.
UPenn rate was 6.5% admitting 3,474 from 65,230.
Caltech admitted 2.7% of 15,526 applicants for Class of 2028.
Johns Hopkins rate 6.2% for 3,112 from 50,317.
Northwestern accepted 7% of 51,135 apps for Class of 2028.
Dartmouth's rate 6.2% admitting 1,685 from 28,000+.
Brown admitted 5.2% of 48,881 for Class of 2028.
Cornell's overall rate 7.9% but varied by college (e.g., Engineering 4.8%).
Georgetown accepted 12% of 26,000+ apps.
NYU rate dropped to 8% for Class of 2028 from 12.5% prior.
UMich accepted 17.7% of 109,000 apps for 2023-2024.
UCLA admitted 9% of 145,000+ freshman apps.
UC Berkeley rate 11.6% for in-state, lower for out.
USC accepted 9.8% of 70,000+ apps.
Emory rate 11% for 33,000 apps.
Vanderbilt accepted 4.7% waitlist heavy cycle.
Rice admitted 7.7% of 30,000+.
Carnegie Mellon rate 11% overall.
Tufts accepted 9.8% of 34,000 apps.
WashU St. Louis 11.3% rate.
Notre Dame 12.9% for 24,000 apps.
Average acceptance rate at top 50 privates: 7.2% in 2024.
Public flagships averaged 45% acceptance, down from 50% pre-2020.
HBCU average rate 45%, with Howard at 26%.
Community colleges accepted 100% of 5.2M apps effectively.

Acceptance Rates Interpretation

While Harvard and Stanford's acceptance rates resemble the odds of finding a very specific needle in an ever-growing haystack, it's a stark reminder that a rejection from a 3% institution is not a verdict on one's potential, but merely a statistical reality in an impossibly crowded field.

Applicant Demographics

In 2023, 45% of U.S. high school graduates applied to college, down from 47% in 2019.
Hispanic/Latino applicants made up 28% of total in 2023, up from 24% in 2019.
Black/African American applicants: 15% of pool, with 1.1M submissions.
Asian American applicants: 26% at selective schools, averaging higher scores.
White applicants: 42% overall, but 55% at publics.
First-gen college students: 25% of applicants, 1.8M in 2023.
Low-income (Pell-eligible) applicants: 22%, up 4% post-pandemic.
Female applicants: 57% vs. 43% male in 2023.
Male applicants declined 2% to 3.1M amid enrollment gaps.
International applicants: 12% of total, 1.7M from 200+ countries.
Out-of-state applicants to publics: 35%, paying higher tuition.
Rural applicants: 18% of high school seniors, lower college-going rate.
Urban applicants: 55%, with higher multi-app rates.
LGBTQ+ self-identified: 12% in Common App data 2023.
Disabled applicants: 8% disclosed, up from 5% in 2019.
Veteran applicants: 1.2%, 85,000 via GI Bill pathways.
Adult learners (25+): 15% of apps, 2.1M in 2023.
From South region: 35% of national applicants.
Northeast applicants: 22%, concentrated at ivies.
Midwest: 18%, with community college focus.
West Coast: 25%, high UC apps.
English language learners: 10% of applicants needed support.
Athletes recruited: 2.5%, 180,000 D1 prospects.
Average age of freshman applicants: 17.8 years.
Siblings of alumni: 4% claimed legacy status.
Multiracial applicants: 6%, fastest growing at 14% increase.
Native American/Alaska Native: 1%, with targeted outreach.
Pacific Islander: 0.5%, lowest volume at 35,000 apps.

Applicant Demographics Interpretation

The American college applicant is increasingly a financially savvy, first-generation, Latina woman from the South who is statistically more likely to apply than her male classmates, but she's swimming in a pool that's simultaneously shrinking overall and becoming wonderfully more diverse in every other conceivable way.

Application Trends

In the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, the Common Application platform received over 7.1 million applications, marking a 6% increase from 6.7 million in 2022-2023.
Total undergraduate applications to U.S. colleges reached 14.5 million in fall 2022, up 2.3% from pre-pandemic levels.
Early decision applications surged by 15% at selective colleges in 2023, with 1.2 million students applying early.
The number of international applications to U.S. universities grew 11% to 1.4 million in 2023.
Community college applications increased by 4.7% to 5.2 million in 2022-2023 amid affordability concerns.
Applications via Coalition with Scoir app rose 8% to 1.8 million in 2023-2024.
Test-optional policies led to a 12% spike in applications at 1,900+ institutions in 2022.
First-generation applicants submitted 2.1 million apps in 2023, up 9% year-over-year.
Legacy applicant numbers dropped 5% to 150,000 at top-50 universities in 2023 post-affirmative action ruling.
QuestBridge matched 2,300 low-income students to top colleges in 2023, a 10% increase.
Applications to HBCUs rose 12% to 450,000 in 2023.
Public university applications hit 9.8 million in 2022, driven by in-state tuition appeals.
Women's applications outnumbered men's by 58% to 42% in 2023 across platforms.
Rural applicants increased 7% to 800,000 via federal TRIO programs in 2023.
Post-pandemic, transfer applications jumped 13% to 1.5 million in 2023.
Applications from California students to out-of-state schools rose 18% in 2023.
No-fee application schools saw 25% more apps, totaling 3.2 million in 2023.
STEM program apps grew 14% to 4.1 million amid tech boom in 2023.
Arts and humanities apps declined 3% to 1.2 million in 2023.
Online-only college apps surged 22% to 2.5 million in 2023.
Applications peaked in January 2024 at 2.3 million for regular decision.
Multi-app students averaged 6.5 submissions per applicant in 2023.
Fee waiver usage hit 1.9 million, covering 27% of apps in 2023.
Mobile app submissions reached 45% of total in 2023-2024 cycle.
Hispanic-serving institutions received 1.1 million apps, up 10%.
Post-SCOTUS ruling, race-neutral apps rose 8% at elite schools.
Veteran applications increased 6% to 250,000 via Yellow Ribbon.
Gap year deferrals led to 120,000 reapplications in 2023.
AI-assisted essay apps detected in 5% of submissions in 2023.
Sustainability program apps grew 16% to 900,000 in 2023.

Application Trends Interpretation

The college admissions landscape has become a frenetic carnival of strategy and access, where record-breaking millions, from first-generation pioneers to international dreamers, flood the gates with an average of 6.5 tickets each, chasing opportunity from HBCUs to STEM fields while navigating the profound shifts from affirmative action rulings to the quiet decline of the humanities and the quiet hum of AI in their essays.

Financial and Aid Statistics

Freshman merit aid avg. $12,500 at privates.
Avg. need-based grant: $14,200 for aided students.
55% of freshmen received some aid, totaling $162B.
Pell Grant recipients: 31% of undergrads, $7,000 avg.
Avg. student loan debt at graduation: $29,800.
No-loan policies at 50+ schools covered 100% need.
Avg. net price after aid: $14,270 at publics.
Work-study jobs: 700,000 students earned $1B avg. $1,500.
Private scholarships: $7.4B awarded to 1.7M students.
FAFSA completion rate: 78% of seniors in 2023.
Avg. family contrib. for $100K+ income: $22,000.
Institutional aid avg. at elites: $55,000 per student.
529 plan users: 14M accounts, $500B assets.
Undocumented applicants aid: $1.2B via state funds.
ROI avg. bachelor's: $1.2M lifetime earnings premium.
Default rate on loans: 7.5% for recent cohorts.
Avg. COA at privates: $58,600 incl. room/board.
Gap financing via loans: 40% of aided students.
Merit aid % of total: 28% at four-years.
Emergency aid disbursed: $500M to 2M students post-COVID.
Avg. aid package: $22,000 for low-income admits.
State grant avg.: $4,200 per recipient.
Institutional endowment per student: $1.4M at top 20.
Net price calculator usage: 65% of applicants.
Forgiven loans: $150B under PSLF for public servants.
Avg. out-of-pocket after aid: $12,000 at publics.

Financial and Aid Statistics Interpretation

Beneath a mountain of financial data that would make an accountant weep, the modern college student is both a shrewd investor navigating a byzantine system of grants and debt, and a high-stakes gambler betting that the degree's lifetime payoff will outweigh the terrifyingly creative ways we've devised to fund it.

Sources & References

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