The Common App’s early‑cycle data shows a rise in applications from underrepresented U.S. cohorts and a simultaneous drop in international applicants. Compared with last season, applications from Black students increased by 16%, first‑generation applicants rose 12%, low‑income applicants grew faster than their peers, and rural applicants climbed 15%. At the same time, international applications fell about 9%, with a notable 14% decline from India and steep drops from other regions. The brief also found that the most selective institutions are seeing the slowest growth and that more applicants are submitting standardized test scores—reporting an 11% increase in score submissions. Admissions officers say visa delays, policy shifts, and perceptions of the U.S. international‑student environment are contributing to the decline overseas, while domestic outreach and test‑policy reversals are buoying diversity at home.