ACAC Evaluation and Success

Annual American College Application Campaign® Survey

Estimated Number of High Schools

9,200 +

Estimated Number of Students

467,000 +

Estimated Number of Applications

1,398,024

*Totals are estimates since not all participating high schools report data to the state campaigns.

2023 Campaign Results

Data from the 2023 American College Application Campaign, as reported by participating state campaigns, indicate that:

  • Over 9,200 high schools hosted a College Application Campaign event – an increase of nearly 80% over last year.
  • More than 467,000 seniors submitted at least one college application during events.
  • Students submitted a total of 1,398,024 applications.

Because not all data are reported, we know these results are conservative. To date, over 4.7 million students have been served, submitting over 8.7 million college applications since the campaign’s inception in 2005.

The History of the American College Application Campaign

2005

ACAC has seen a meteoric rise in participation and impact since it began in a single North Carolina high school in 2005.

2014

By fall 2014, it reached a tipping point, expanding to all 50 states and the District of Columbia to include more than 4,100 high schools and almost 265,000 high school seniors, generating approximately 411,000 college applications.

2019

Launched the ACAC School of Excellence Awards as an annual opportunity to lift up and highlight exemplary high schools for their work in helping students pursue postsecondary success. Twenty-one high schools received the award in its first year.

2023

During the 2023 implementation, over 9,200 high schools hosted programs with more than 467,000 seniors submitting nearly 1.4 million college applications.