With competition at an all-time high and admissions practices increasingly unclear, it’s not an easy time to be a college applicant, especially for students of color. The Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action was considered a massive blow to decades-old efforts to boost enrollment of minorities at American universities through policies that accounted for applicants’ race. “In terms of ensuring access to higher education and income opportunities, the barriers are already so high,” said Cara McClellan, director of the Advocacy for Racial and Civil Justice Clinic and practice associate professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. However, this year’s admissions cycle, which marked the first in which race was not considered, is already reflecting an unexpected dynamic. College application volume is rising As of Jan. 1, college application volume rose 9% in the 2023-24 academic year compared with a year earlier, according to the latest report by the Common Application. More students are applying overall, and a larger share of applicants identified as an underrepresented minority. The percentage of first-year applicants identifying as Black or Latino jumped 12% and 13%, respectively, year over year, outpacing other groups. At the same time, colleges are seeing an increase in first-generation applicants and international students, the Common App found.