Every year, the college application process looks a little different, but the trends of 2026 are something no one has seen before. With hundreds of thousands of students flocking to southern schools, application volume rising by more than 5%, and an increased interest in the college football atmosphere, colleges are fighting to accommodate the recent high levels of interest they’re receiving. 

    According to Forbes, the March 12 report from the Common Application revealed that over 1.4 million first-year students applied to colleges for the 2025-2026 school year, a 2% increase from last year. In addition, over 9.4 million applications were submitted, an increase of 5% since last year. 

    This goes along with the recent trend of more applications per individual, per year, as more and more students apply to college. The average number of schools applicants applied to rose from 6.41 to 6.59 this year. As flooding to colleges becomes more and more popular, many students feel a sense of panic, and choose to apply to extensive amounts of schools, if they are able, to be ‘safe’. With the increase in applications, students would rather have more options than needed, rather than end up having no options. 

    This increase in applications has been targeted towards a specific region: the Southwest. The number of applications in the Southwest grew twice as much as those of the next fastest-growing region. According to The Sunday Times, the 16 universities belonging to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) recorded a 91 percent rise in undergraduate students from northeastern states from 2014 to 2023. Southern schools like Alabama, Tennessee, and Ole Miss have had recent enrollment from opposite ends of the U.S., from places as far as New York to California, which was not common a decade ago. 

    So, where is this recent hyperfixation of the south coming from? A huge factor of the obsession with the south is the presence the region and its colleges have on social media. Through things like “RushTok”, viewers spend hours and hours watching game day outfit videos, Greek life dancing videos, school social events, gameday tailgates, and more through their phone screens. They see the vibrant campus culture, warm weather, high-profile sports, and chaotic yet communal Greek life, and are immediately invested. 

    This large social media presence has also increased school spirit for many of these southern schools, and social media accounts are flooded with pictures of things like students decked out in their school colors on gameday posing at the football stadium, students smiling on their way to class, students getting free stuff while walking around, and more. The community of southern schools, especially SEC schools, is almost tangible through these Instagram posts and TikTok videos. 

    Speaking of SEC schools, the first thing most people think of when they hear the University of Alabama or the University of Georgia is…football! It is no secret that the SEC sports teams, especially football, are dominant when it comes to athletics. Credit for this can be given to the successful, elite coaching, talented recruitments, and insane rivalries and school spirit. What’s not to love?

    High school students from across the country are adding Southern schools to their college lists, but the downside of that is the increase in competition. The average acceptance rates of most of these colleges are decreasing and becoming highly selective. Schools that were considered “safe” schools to some four years ago, are now “reach” schools. 

    So, what should current high schoolers do? Get involved, get good grades, and show interest. Students should communicate with their school college advisors, reach out to schools they’re interested in to show interest, and take classes that are unique and geared towards their major. In addition, colleges, especially SEC schools, love to see leadership roles, specifically ones that have to do with leading projects or conducting research. While being the president of a club is good, diving into research and discovery is the next step up, and colleges love to see things like that. These things take time, but they help students stand out immensely, so start now!