Recently, the US university application system Common App released the latest data for the 2024-2025 application season, providing an important reference for students and parents interested in studying in the United States. This application season has shown changes in various aspects, including the number of applicants, total application volume, international student applications, and the submission of standardized test scores. Please join the Worldway Group to take a look.
Significant Increase in Total Applications
As of March 1, 2025, a total of 1,390,256 people have submitted US undergraduate applications through Common App, with overall data showing growth:
Total number of applicants: 1,390,256 (an increase of 4% compared to the 2023-2024 season);
Total application volume: 8,535,903 (an increase of 6% compared to the 2023-2024 season);
Average number of institutions applied to per first-year student: 6.14 (an increase of 1% compared to the 2023-2024 season).
This indicates that the popularity of US undergraduate applications remains undiminished, and the competition remains extremely fierce.
International Student Applications: Chinese Applicants Grow Against the Trend
Regarding international student applications, 152,112 applications were submitted by international students this season, a year-on-year decrease of 1%, but performance varied across different regions.
Application volume from the African region decreased by 17%
Asia grew by 6%
Application volume from Chinese students grew by 6% to 18,400, remaining the largest source of international students
India ranked second with 16,000
The top three sources of international applicants are China, India, and Ghana. Chinese students remain the largest group of international applicants for US undergraduate studies. This year, the number of Chinese applicants submitting applications through CA reached 18,400, marking a significant rebound of 6% after three consecutive years of decline in application volume.
At the same time, the popularity of international student applications for the UC system continues to rise, with international student applications growing by 8.5%.
The Importance of Standardized Test Scores is Rebounding
Regarding the submission of standardized test scores, as of March 1, the number of applicants for Fall 2025 who submitted standardized test scores reached 669,910, an increase of 11%, while the number of students who did not submit standardized test scores decreased by 1%. The importance of standardized test scores in applications is rebounding, especially for students aiming for TOP 30 institutions.
High Popularity of Public University Applications
The popularity of applications to public universities has risen significantly, with application volume growing by 10%, far exceeding the 2% for private universities. Tuition fees for private universities continue to climb, with the total annual cost of some prestigious schools approaching $100,000, while costs for public institutions such as the University of Florida and Purdue University are below $60,000. This has led more students and families to turn their attention to public universities in pursuit of higher cost-effectiveness. New York, Texas, California, Florida, and New Jersey have become popular states for applications.
For Chinese students, although the application volume has rebounded, the competition for US undergraduate applications remains fierce. In this situation, improving hard power is the foundation, such as maintaining excellent academic performance and improving standardized test scores. At the same time, creating a differentiated background is also crucial; participating in unique extracurricular activities, research projects, or competitions can help you stand out among many applicants. In addition, planning the application path in advance, accurately targeting institutions that suit you, and comprehensively improving both soft and hard power are the only ways to gain an advantage in this fierce competition for US undergraduate applications and realize your dream of studying abroad.
In US undergraduate applications, status planning, especially obtaining a US Green Card, has undeniable importance. A US Green Card is a US Permanent Resident Card. Holding a Green Card allows you to work and live in the United States and enjoy treatment nearly equivalent to that of a US citizen. For families planning to study in the United States, a Green Card brings many key advantages.
(I)Significant Educational Advantages
From an educational perspective, at the primary and secondary school levels, if parents hold a US Green Card, their children can enjoy free high-quality public primary and secondary education in the United States. Many public schools in the United States have rich educational resources, diverse extracurricular activities, and scientifically reasonable curricula. In contrast, international students without a Green Card can only choose to attend private schools, which not only face enrollment quotas but also have high tuition fees.
At the university level, students holding a Green Card can enjoy the same application conditions and tuition discounts as local students when applying to colleges and universities, and can also apply for a wide variety of scholarships, with a relatively higher success rate. At the same time, the proportion of international students admitted by prestigious universities each year is about 5%-10% of the total enrollment, with 90%-95% of the spots reserved for US permanent residents or citizens. Green Card status significantly reduces the competitive pressure for children in prestigious school applications and removes restrictions on major selection. For example, in popular majors with broad employment prospects such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and clinical medicine, international students without a Green Card often do not have the qualifications to apply.
(II) More Freedom in Employment Choices
In terms of employment, if students without a US Green Card want to stay and work in the United States after graduation, they need to find a suitable employer and apply for an H-1B visa, and they also have to participate in a lottery, which has a very low winning rate. Green Card holders, on the other hand, can freely choose jobs according to their own employment plans after graduation, without being bound by visas. They have a wider range of career choices and enjoy the same treatment as US citizens in terms of salary and benefits, making their career development more free and flexible.
Therefore, for families with long-term plans for studying and developing in the United States, planning their status in advance and obtaining a US Green Card can provide powerful support for both their children's education and future career development, allowing them to occupy a more favorable position in US undergraduate applications and their subsequent life paths.
Among the many ways to apply for a Green Card, EB-5 investment immigration has attracted the attention of many families with plans to study and develop in the United States due to its unique advantages. Currently, the rural project in the EB-5 reserved visa category is the preferred choice among the best ways to quickly obtain a US Green Card. The EB-5 rural project combines the advantages of no visa backlog, sufficient quotas, priority processing, and concurrent filing. Investors invest $800,000 and can simultaneously submit I-526E and I-485 applications. They can get a Combo card in about 3 months, and the waiting period for the Green Card does not affect entry and exit, allowing them to legally reside, study, and work in the United States. Interested investors should submit their applications as early as possible to lock in their priority date and realize their dream of immigrating to the United States sooner.
Currently, the popular boutique EB-5 project on the market — "Aspen-Kodiak Apartments" — has already received dual approval for both the I-956F and I-526E project cases. This project is a high-quality EB-5 rural project that has been screened and strictly vetted by the Worldway Group, and it is undoubtedly your best choice for quickly immigrating to the United States.
For detailed inquiries, please contact Mainland China: 400-138-2929, Hong Kong Customer Service Center: (852)2802 8798* Investment involves risks, the above information is for reference only. *