What will college admissions look like in 2026? Here are six trends to watch, according to college admissions experts.
If the first wave of applications for Fall 2026 enrollment is any indication, landing a spot at the school of your choice is going to be as competitive as ever. According to a Common App report* which presents application trends for the 2025-2026 application cycle through December 1, 2025, the number of students applying through its application portal increased by 4% compared to the same time last year. The total number of applications that students submitted increased by 9%, and the average number of schools students applied to (applications per student) increased to 5.38, up slightly from 5.11 compared to the same time in 2024.
The increase in applications was spread evenly between public and private schools. First-generation applicants increased by 11%, compared to the same time in 2024 and minority race/ethnicity students increased by 9%. However, international applicants were down by 9%.
With the number of applications continuing to rise, counselors are advising students to be open to alternative admission plans, such as spring admission, especially if the student is applying to highly competitive schools. “Consider listing an alternate start date or satellite campus as an option,” advises independent college counselor Sara Harberson, in her blog. “Students who are willing to be considered for [alternatives] ... can increase their chances of admission.”
*The Common App deadline update presents a snapshot of trends in college admissions as of December 1, 2025, and does not reflect the entire 2025-2026 application cycle.
While colleges have seen an increase in applications over the past few years, 2026 marks the beginning of a drop in the number of 18-year-olds in the U.S., a demographic shift dubbed “the enrollment cliff.” The steepest declines will begin in the fall of this year and are projected to drop by 15% by 2029, according to demographers and higher-education analysts.
Unfortunately, admission experts say the enrollment cliff is unlikely to make it easier to get into highly selective colleges, which are likely to always have a surplus of qualified applicants. However, the population shift has already begun to affect smaller colleges and regional public schools, especially in the Midwest and Northeast. According to Inside Higher Ed, 16 nonprofit colleges announced closures in 2025, citing declining enrollment and rising operational costs. These colleges included small private colleges such as Northland College in Wisconsin, Sterling College in Vermont, and Trinity Christian College in Illinois. Penn State also announced last May that it would be closing seven regional campuses over the next two years.
Some colleges with declining enrollments are turning to new strategies to attract top students, including direct admission offers (automatically admitting students who meet GPA or other requirements – before they even apply) and increased financial aid and merit scholarships. One example is Pace University, which in 2025, gave a $1,000 grant to admitted students who enrolled after visiting the campus.
While more than 75% of colleges are test-optional or test-free, admissions data coming from test-optional colleges show that test scores still matter. Although test-optional colleges claim that students who don’t submit scores will not be penalized for not submitting test scores, the admissions data shows that students who submit scores to test-optional schools are accepted at a higher rate than students who do not.
Counselors are now advising students to take the SAT or ACT and submit their scores, especially if they’re applying to highly selective test-optional colleges where strong scores may make them stand out.
“Applying without high test scores is a challenge, especially at the highly selective universities who adopted test-optional policies during the pandemic,” writes Sara Harberson. “If a student's test scores are not nearly as strong as their transcript, they should consider looking at long-standing test-optional colleges, like many small liberal arts colleges, [or] adjust their college list to make sure their lower scores -- or a lack of scores -- won’t hurt them in the admissions process.”
Students may already be taking this kind of advice to heart. According to the Common App December 2025 deadline update, the number of students who submitted test scores with their applications as December 1, 2025, rose by 11% compared to the same time in 2024, while the number of applications submitted without test scores decreased by 2%. In the past two years, several colleges have gone back to requiring test scores, including Harvard, Dartmouth, Brown, and the University of Florida.
Colleges expect students to write their own essays without the help of AI, but some colleges are using AI tools to read those essays, conduct interviews, and even flag fake applications. According to a January 2, 2026, L.A Times article entitled “AI is Scoring College Essays and Conducting Interviews, a New Layer in Admissions Stress,” Caltech and Virginia Tech are now using artificial intelligence to help review applications. At Caltech, some applicants are interviewed by an AI-powered voice about their research projects, while Georgia Tech uses AI to automatically scan transcripts to speed up the administrative process.
Colleges have long-used algorithms to predict student enrollment by analyzing everything from a student’s grades to their geographic location to their demonstrated interest. But now, AI can filter essays by “theme,” scan recommendation letters for generic “boilerplate” language (which may suggest a weak or half-hearted recommendation), and spot keywords associated with successful applicants.
Colleges are employing these tools because they believe AI provides more consistency and is not susceptible to human foibles, such as fatigue or bad moods, and can sometimes be less prone to bias. Colleges that are inundated with applications also believe that AI will help them get admissions decisions to students earlier and quicker. For instance, Virginia Tech uses an AI model to score short-answer essays alongside a human reader, which they say will allow them to process applications faster and send admissions decisions a full month earlier than usual.
Despite this high-tech shift, human admissions officers still have the final say, at least for now. That means students should write their essays and complete their applications with a human reader in mind. “A genuine, distinctive application that resists easy categorization is still the most powerful way to stand out,” advises Maria Laskaris, former admissions dean at Dartmouth College and a college advisor with Top Tier Admissions, in her blog.
While some college admissions officers may embrace AI to help them manage and evaluate college applications, some have become skeptical of overly polished applications and essays. Even the activities list is coming under greater scrutiny. “With AI making it easier than ever to refine language, titles alone don’t carry the weight they once did,” says Mark Zawel, CEO of AcceptU and author of Untangling the Ivy League. He advises students to show evidence of their accomplishments with at least one piece of tangible work that demonstrates their ability, not just their interest. This may include research outcomes, a creative portfolio, or a work that’s been reviewed or validated by professionals in an academic field.
But even with a great activities list – and the proof to back it up -- the most important factor, say counselors, is still your humanity. “The process isn’t about stacking achievements anymore, it’s about standing out through authenticity and depth,” write the counselors at North Shore College Consulting. “Admissions officers aren’t asking, ‘What has this student accomplished?’ They’re asking, “What kind of person is this student becoming?” Their advice? “Tell schools what excites you. Share your failures and what you’ve learned from them. Show them ‘the ‘why’ behind your choices.”
The college admissions landscape is always changing, but keeping up with the latest trends can help you make smarter, more confident choices when it comes to applying to college and making your college choice. Good luck on your college journey!