Common App 2025-2026: What’s New This Year? An Interview Session……
The Common App is celebrating 50 years in business, and for the 2025-2026 application season, the nonprofit behind this widely-used college application tool is launching with significant updates. With more than 1,100 colleges and universities worldwide accepting Common App, I wanted to understand what’s changed this year. When I came across Katie Burns, Premier College Admissions Counselor at educational consulting firm IvyWise, discussing these updates, I learned about changes that go beyond simple improvements. Here’s what Katie explained about the 2025-2026 Common App updates and what they mean for students applying this year.
Common App 2025-2026: What’s New This Year?
What You’ll Learn
- The new responsibilities and circumstances question
- How the direct admissions program works
- Changes to standardized testing requirements
- Which updates help first-generation and low/middle-income students
Overview: The 2025-2026 Updates
According to the news report Katie discussed, this year’s new Common App features include:
- Design updates
- Multiple changes to optional questions
- A direct admissions program for first-generation, low, and middle-income students
The Common App organization, celebrating its 50th year, has made these changes for the application season serving more than 1,100 colleges and universities worldwide.
The Responsibilities and Circumstances Question
What Katie Is Most Excited About
When asked about the updates, Katie responded: “One of the updates that I’m most excited about this year is really allowing students to present a fuller, truer picture of themselves in the admissions process. And that’s through the responsibilities and circumstances question.”
From Pilot Program to Main Application
Katie explained that “this was piloted over the last couple of years with a select number of colleges, and now as part of the main Common Application” it’s available to all students.
Why Katie Says This Is Exciting
According to Katie: “This is exciting because for so many students, especially those from low and middle-income backgrounds, the academic, the extracurricular achievement is just one part of the fuller story.”
She continued: “And this allows students to disclose things like responsibilities, caring for siblings, supporting a family business, translating for relatives. And so it gives a much fuller picture of who they are in the application process.”
The Direct Admissions Program
How Katie Described It
Katie explained: “There is also a new direct admission program. So 144 colleges across the country, now by filling out a couple of the different sections on the main part of the Common Application, like your GPA, your family educational background, you can actually get an offer of admission from one of these 144 schools that is matched based on what your qualifications are and what they’re looking for.”
Timeline for Offers
Katie noted: “And some of those offers are going to come out as soon as September, which is really nice for students to have an offer of admission that early in the process to say, ‘Okay, I am going to college.’ And now let me think about what the rest of my application cycle might look like.”
Standardized Testing Updates
The Post-Pandemic Reality
When asked about how standardized testing requirements have changed, Katie responded: “I think post-pandemic was like everything is test optional. You don’t need to test anymore. And many schools have brought back those requirements.”
Katie’s Testing Advice
Katie said: “I encourage students to make sure they’re still preparing for the test, giving them a try, doing their best. Just like practicing for a sport, you want to practice for the test. See how you do, and then see how that matches up with the schools that might be on your list, and where you might be a good fit for in terms of those standardized test scores.”
My Research Takeaway
After learning about these updates from Katie Burns’ explanation, what stood out to me was how the 2025-2026 Common App is creating more opportunities for students to share their full stories. The responsibilities and circumstances question addresses something many students face—having obligations that affect their time for traditional activities. The direct admissions program offers early certainty for eligible students, which could reduce stress during the application season. And Katie’s guidance on testing was clear: even with varying policies across schools, preparing for and taking the tests gives you information about where you might be a strong fit.
For a complete walkthrough of how to fill out your Common App, check out our comprehensive Common App 2026 guide. And to understand all the deadlines you’ll need to meet, read our detailed breakdown of Common App deadlines.
Want to connect with other students navigating the college application process? Join Inkwrit and share your experiences.
Author: Bridget Austin
Ifeoma, who writes under the pen name Bridget Austin, is the founder of Inkwrit — a freelance writing platform built for African writers and storytellers. With a background in copywriting and content strategy, she created Inkwrit to give African voices a professional home to publish, build portfolios, and grow their writing careers. When she's not building the Inkwrit community, she writes about freelance writing, African literature, and the business of creative work.
