Which university gets the most applications?

I'm really curious about which universities in the U.S. receive the most applications each year. Is it usually the larger schools like UCLA or maybe a prestigious one like Harvard? Any stats or insights on this?

Each year, universities across the United States see hundreds of thousands of applications roll in. While this fluctuates annually, certain colleges consistently attract extremely large volumes of applications.

For the last few years, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has led the pack for the most applications. In a recent application cycle, UCLA received over 100,000 applications, making it the most applied-to four-year university in the country.

Following UCLA, other UC System schools like UC San Diego, UC Irvine, and UC Berkeley also typically receive a high volume of applications, often surpassing many other schools nationwide. The large number of applications to these schools is partially due to California's large in-state population and the UC application process, which allows students to apply to multiple UC schools with one application.

Among the Ivy League and highly selective institutions, schools like Harvard, Columbia, and NYU also draw significant numbers of applications each year, although the numbers are not as high as those for the flagship UC schools.

Please note that a greater number of applications does not necessarily equate to a more academically rigorous institution, and vice versa. It’s important to consider a wide array of factors when evaluating which college would be the best fit for one's personal circumstances.