Common App’s end-of-season report, released August 20, 2026, counts 1.53 million first-year applicants for 2025–26, up 2%, submitting 10.8 million applications, up 6%. The average student applied to 7.06 colleges, up from 6.79.
What this means for your student
The pool of students barely grew, but each one applied to more schools. That drives published admit rates down every year, which makes those rates a poor guide to your student’s actual odds in either direction. A longer list isn’t a strategy.
Related reading
Sources: Common App, End-of-Season Report 2025–26 (Aug. 20, 2026).