The Common Application is today releasing a report on its applications from students who are seeking to transfer, not gain admission for the first time. In the 2021–22 year, the Common App received more than 400,000 transfer applications.
Most of the applicants applied to fewer institutions on average (2.25) compared to first-year applicants (6.22).
Traditionally well-served students—those who are not underrepresented minority, who have high socioeconomic status and are continuing-generation and teenage students—comprised an oversized proportion of Common App transfer applicants. Only one-fourth of applicants were underrepresented minority students, one-third were first generation and just 6 percent came from ZIP codes with a median household income in the bottom quintile.
