The Urban Institute, a nonprofit research organization dedicated to improving lives and strengthening communities, has published a new article outlining recent trends in college application and enrollment patterns among students from different racial backgrounds.
In partnership with the Association of Undergraduate Education at Research Universities and the Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Practice at the University of Southern California, the Urban Institute analyzed data on shifts in the demographic profile of students who applied to, were admitted to, and enrolled in 18 research universities between 2018 and 2024. In this time period, these universities received 4.4 million applications, admitted 2.4 million students, and enrolled 627,000 students.
In 2024, the share of Black applicants slightly increased from 7.8 percent to 8.2 percent – the largest single-year change among all racial groups. The share of Black admitted students held constant at 6 percent between 2021 and 2024 and the share of Black enrolled students slightly increased from 5.2 percent in 2022 to 5.8 percent in 2024. In comparison, White students’ share of applicants, admitted students, and enrollees have steadily decreased since 2018. However, White students are the only racial group that consistently represent a larger share of admitted students than applicants.
Racial disparities were more pronounced at the seven most selective institutions included in the authors’ research. Between 2023 and 2024, the share of Black applicants at these universities rose from 8.3 percent to 8.7 percent, while the share of Black admitted students decreased from 6.6 percent to 5.9 percent.
