Trends
Data-driven stories on college admissions, application volumes, and higher education statistics.
Common AppApplications2026Admissions
2026 Application Season: Five Fault Lines
Record totals mask growing divides in who's applying, and where
1.4 million applicants, 9.2 million applications — but the aggregate surge hides five sharp divergences: a first-gen boom, a 9% international cliff, the return of test scores, and why the most selective schools are the slowest-growing.
March 7, 2026Read →
UC SystemApplications2026
UC Applications in 2026: Santa Cruz Surges, System Stays Flat
Campus-level divergence hidden beneath a near-flat system total
System-wide UC first-year applications barely moved (+0.1%), but Santa Cruz jumped 19% and Merced transfers spiked 73% — a story of uneven growth across campuses.
March 1, 2026Read →