2025–26 College Admissions Trends: Test Scores, Diversity, and the Rise of Southern Colleges

The newest application-cycle update from the Common Application provides an early snapshot of how the 2025–26 college admissions season is unfolding, aligning with insights from Top Tier Admissions Senior Private Counselor and former Dean of Admissions at Dartmouth College, Maria Laskaris, in her recent post, Class of 2030 Early Application Trends: Reading the Tea Leaves, and offering clues about what applicants can expect in the months ahead.

The platform releases several data updates during the admissions cycle, offering a running look at who is applying and how application strategies are changing. The latest numbers highlight shifts in testing behavior, applicant demographics, and regional trends.

Here are the biggest developments so far.

Quick Snapshot: 2025–26 College Admissions Trends

Test Scores Are Making a Comeback

After several years of declining test submissions during the pandemic-era test-optional boom, more applicants are now choosing to include standardized test scores with their applications than those applying without them.

Even though many colleges remain test-optional, students appear increasingly likely to send scores, possibly viewing them as a way to strengthen applications or stand out in crowded admissions pools.

International Applications Are Down 9%

One notable shift this cycle is a drop in international applications. Compared with the same point last year, applications from outside the United States have declined by about nine percent. Because many colleges rely on international enrollment to help fill incoming classes, admissions offices will be watching closely to see whether the decline continues later in the cycle.

First-Generation and Black Applicants Are Rising

The applicant pool is also becoming more diverse in several ways. Applications from first-generation students, those whose parents did not attend college, are up about six percent. Meanwhile, Black applicants represent the fastest-growing demographic group, with roughly an eight percent increase compared with last year.

The growth reflects ongoing efforts by schools and colleges to expand access to the application process.

The South Surges in Popularity

Among the emerging trends is the growing appeal of Southern colleges, which are attracting increased interest as applicants broaden their geographic focus. The South now accounts for the largest share of applicants, surpassing the Mid-Atlantic in the previous cycle. Meanwhile, the Southwest is seeing the fastest growth, with applications rising about eight percent.

One Region Isn’t Growing: New England

Most parts of the country saw increases in applicants this year—but New England stands out as the only region without growth in the latest data snapshot. The trend aligns with broader demographic patterns showing slower population growth in parts of the Northeast compared with other regions of the United States.

Bottom Line

The early data from the Common App suggests several emerging themes in the 2025–26 admissions cycle:

• Students are returning to test score submissions
• The applicant pool is becoming more diverse
• Southern and Southwestern states are driving growth
• International applications have dipped

More updates later in the admissions cycle will reveal whether these trends hold as colleges finalize their incoming classes.

For families trying to interpret these shifts and plan strategically, Top Tier Admissions’ Private Counseling program provides highly personalized guidance. Our Senior Private Counselors stay closely attuned to evolving admissions data and institutional priorities, helping students craft thoughtful academic, extracurricular, and application strategies in an increasingly complex landscape.

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