College Admissions in 2026: Seven Trends Every Family Needs to Understand

Nobody saw the Dubai chocolate bar coming. Within weeks, videos went viral, stores sold out, and there was a waiting list for a chocolate bar. That is how trends work. One minute, something is barely on your radar, and the next, everyone is scrambling to keep up.

College admissions in 2026 feels exactly the same way. Over the last 23 years, I have watched trends come and go: the test-optional movement, the changing landscape of popular majors, the essay pivot away from trauma narratives. Just when families think they have a handle on how college applications work, the ground shifts beneath them.

In this post, I’ll walk you through the current trends in college admissions and share key insights from Common App’s latest report, released in March 2026. This report covers data from the 1100+ colleges and universities that use the Common Application platform and is a powerful snapshot of the current admissions landscape. The numbers tell a compelling story, and every family needs to hear it.

Trend #1: Standardized Testing Is Back, And It Matters More Than You Think

The test-optional era, which felt like a permanent shift just a few years ago, is quietly reversing. In today's grade-inflation environment, many highly selective colleges have moved from recommending testing to requiring it. Harvard, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell, UPenn, and Stanford have all reinstated testing requirements. And for many other colleges that still publicly identify as “test-optional”, behind closed doors, a strong test score is often preferred.

The data from the Common App confirms this shift clearly. The number of students who submitted test scores in the 2025-2026 cycle increased by 10% compared to the previous year.

My advice: Don’t let the test-optional label lull your family into a false sense of security. Study for and take the test. Try both the SAT and the ACT early, because some students naturally perform better on one as compared to the other. A strong test score is one of the most powerful tools in your student's application.

Trend #2: Glimpse Videos Are Emerging As A New Way To Stand Out

As AI tools become more accessible to students, colleges are looking for new ways to hear from applicants directly and authentically. Enter the glimpse video: a short video that students submit as part of their application, introducing themselves and sharing what they are genuinely passionate about.

Several colleges have begun inviting students to upload these optional videos, and I expect this trend to grow significantly over the next few application cycles.

My advice: If a school on your student's list offers a glimpse video option, take it seriously and give it time and thought. This is not something to throw together the night before a deadline.

Trend #3: More Students, More Applications, More Competition

2025-2026 saw a 2% increase in the number of applicants to colleges and universities as compared to the previous year. At the same time, the average number of applications submitted per student also rose, resulting in a 5% increase in total college applications compared to 2024-2025.

Since most colleges have not expanded their incoming class sizes at the same pace, more students are competing for the same number of spots, resulting in lower acceptance rates.

My advice: When applying to colleges, families should create a balanced list of Reach, Target, and Likely schools that truly reflect the student's strengths and where they can thrive. Colleges that were considered Targets a few years ago are now most likely going to be considered Reaches. For example: UCLA, Boston University, USC, NYU, Foster School of Business at the University of Washington (Seattle) are now Reaches for many students. Families should recalibrate their expectations accordingly.

Trend #4: The International Applicant Pool Is Shrinking, And Colleges Are Taking Notice

Government visa policy changes and geopolitical uncertainty are dissuading international students from attending college in the US. For the Common App member institutions, the application volume from international students has fallen by 9%. Applicants from Africa are down 16%, and those from India are down 10%.

With fewer international applicants, colleges seeking to preserve stable international enrollment will likely admit a higher proportion of that pool, resulting in a modest increase in international admit rates. That said, the magnitude of this effect depends on institutional priorities, financial considerations, and broader enrollment strategy.

My advice: If your student is an international applicant, this should be an encouraging moment for you. Schools that have historically enrolled strong international cohorts are motivated to maintain those numbers. Applying to those institutions would work in your favor this cycle.

Trend #5: UK Universities Are Gaining Popularity With American Students

Last fall, 7900+ American students applied for undergraduate courses in the UK, a 13.9% increase from the previous year and the highest number recorded since UCAS began tracking U.S. applicants in 2006.

My advice: If your student is excited about studying abroad, experiencing a new culture, and building a truly global perspective, a UK degree may be worth considering. An undergraduate degree in England is valued for its academic excellence, its shorter duration of three years instead of four, and in many cases, a lower total cost than comparable programs in the United States. It deserves a place in the conversation for the right student.

Trend #6: The New Ivies Are Here, And Employers Are Paying Attention

With the traditional Ivy League and ‘Ivy Plus’ schools (Stanford, MIT, Duke, and the University of Chicago) becoming increasingly selective (all have a sub 10% acceptance rate), Forbes introduced the “New Ivies” in 2025 that are well-regarded by employers. These include:

When Forbes surveyed C-suite executives for this list, the responses were striking: employers believed Ivy League candidates were overvalued, and that they cared far more about a candidate's eagerness to learn rather than the college name on their diploma.

My advice: Your goal should not be to get into the most prestigious school. It should be to find the right school. And this list is a powerful reminder of just how many right schools exist.

Trend #7: AI Is Entering The Admissions Process Itself 

Colleges are beginning to use AI tools within their own admissions processes. Schools like UNC Chapel Hill and Virginia Tech are using AI to grade essays, in combination with human reviewers. Institutions like the University of California system and BYU are using AI to detect AI-generated content in applications. Looking ahead, I expect more schools to adopt hybrid human-AI review systems. I also expect AI-detection software to become more accurate, with fewer false positives.  

What does this mean for your student? Authenticity matters more than ever. The essay voice, the activities description, and the recommendations should all tell a coherent, genuine story about who your student actually is.

My advice: AI can be used as a brainstorming tool, the same way you might bounce ideas off a teacher or a trusted adult. What it cannot do is replace your student's voice.

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The Dubai chocolate bar will give way to something else. So will the next admissions trend, and the one after that. However, students who plan with intention, start early, and tell their story authentically will find their way to extraordinary places. That will never change.

Wondering what all of this means for your student specifically? I would love to find out together. Feel free to book a complimentary consultation today!