In comparison with 2019-20, the variety of candidates to four-year faculties this 12 months has elevated by extra … [+]
The variety of school candidates by March 1, 2024, has elevated by 6% over the identical time final 12 months, in line with the newest replace from the Frequent Software. The information cowl purposes for fall 2024 admissions to four-year establishments.
By means of March 1, 1,313,763 distinct first-year candidates had utilized to 834 establishments utilizing the Frequent App, a rise of greater than 70,000 candidates in comparison with the prior 12 months.
The overall variety of purposes by March 1 rose 7% from 7,041,256 final 12 months to 7,541,148 this 12 months. Candidates have been making use of to barely extra members within the 2023-24 cycle than in 2022-23 (up 1% from 5.66 to five.74 purposes per applicant).
This 12 months’s improve additionally sustains the upward pattern in purposes in comparison with the 2019-20 cycle, the final admissions 12 months not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In comparison with 2019-20, the variety of candidates to four-year faculties this 12 months has elevated by greater than 285,000, a 28% acquire.
Applicant Traits
That is the primary admission cycle for the reason that U.S. Supreme Courtroom choice banning race-conscious admissions so there’s explicit curiosity in any demographic developments in applicant conduct.
Underrepresented minority candidates (outlined by the Frequent App as Black or African American, Latinx, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Different Pacific Islander) elevated by 10%, 5 occasions the speed of non-URM candidates.
Among the many two largest URM teams, Black candidates elevated by 9%, and Latinx candidates have been up 10%. Against this, the variety of white candidates elevated by just one%.
Candidates from households dwelling in below-median-income ZIP codes grew 10% in comparison with 3% for his or her friends from above-median-income ZIP codes.
College students who reported they have been eligible for a Frequent App payment waiver elevated by greater than six occasions the speed of scholars not reporting payment waiver eligibility (13% vs. 2%).
First-generation school candidates elevated by 4%, in comparison with a 7% improve for candidates who weren’t first-gen.
The rise in worldwide candidates (13%) considerably exceeded the expansion in home candidates (5%). This progress was quickest amongst candidates with citizenship in Ghana (93%), Afghanistan (61%), Mongolia (57%), and Uzbekistan (43%).
Regional Variations
Though all areas within the U.S. noticed a rise in candidates, the expansion fee in Southwestern (+17%) states was far bigger than that of different areas over the identical timeframe. The New England states noticed the smallest improve, 12 months over 12 months, at 1%.
Institutional Variations
Purposes to public college members utilizing the Frequent App (10%) grew at twice the speed of purposes to personal members (5%) over final 12 months.
The diploma of selectivity in admissions affected the speed of improve. Progress in purposes was slowest for probably the most selective establishments (outlined as having admit charges under 25%) at 3% and highest for much less selective establishments (admit charges higher than or equal to 75%) at 10%.
Standardized Testing
Within the 2019-20 software cycle, 55% of Frequent App members required standardized check scores. Following the pandemic, that dropped dramatically to only 5% in 2021-22. In 2023-24, solely 4% of Frequent App faculties required a check rating to submit an software.
In 2019-20, 76% of candidates reported a check rating with their software. This cycle, solely 45% of candidates included a check rating with their software.
The hole between the variety of candidates reporting and never reporting a check rating has been widening since 2021-22, with an rising variety of college students selecting to not report. This cycle, there was a 9% improve in candidates who didn’t report a check rating with their software versus a 1% improve in candidates who reported a rating.
This distinction bears watching in future cycles, given the latest spate of selective or extremely selective establishments electing to reinstate their standardized check necessities for admission.
Implications
A 6% enhance in candidates is a big improve this late within the admissions cycle. It means that the present tutorial 12 months’s modest improve in school enrollment is perhaps sustained for an additional 12 months.
Nevertheless, different components may nonetheless counteract this initially encouraging information. Not all faculties take part within the Frequent App. So, their numbers usually are not included. The a number of fiascos related to the rollout of a revamped FAFSA is wreaking havoc on the timing and accuracy of monetary support presents and really effectively may lead to an admission downturn amongst college students with substantial monetary want. As well as, these information don’t embrace purposes to group faculties, which sustained the heaviest enrollment losses over the course of the pandemic.
