234 Colleges Join Common App Direct Admissions
Listen to the story
Common App is a system that helps students apply to colleges. Now, 234 colleges will join a new program. It is called direct admissions. In this program, colleges offer a spot to a student before the student applies. This can make applying easier for students.
At the same time, new numbers show a problem. Fewer international students are using Common App this year. An international applicant is a student from another country. The number of these applicants has gone down.
There is also news about student visas. A visa is a document that lets a person enter a country. New student visas dropped by 23% in 2025. This means fewer international students got visas to study in the United States.
Colleges often want international students. These students bring new ideas. They also pay tuition, which is money for school. Fewer international students can affect college money and campus life.
Vocabulary5 words
- Common App
- a system used to apply to many colleges
- direct admissions
- when a college offers a place before a student applies
- international applicant
- a student from another country who wants to join a college
- student visa
- a document that lets a student enter a country to study
- tuition
- money paid to attend a school
Quiz
Answer key
1. 234 2. They went down 3. 2025
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
_____ is a system that helps students apply to colleges.
Now, 234 colleges will join a new program called direct _____.
In this program, colleges offer a spot to a student before the student _____.
Fewer _____ students are using Common App this year.
The number of international _____ has gone down.
A _____ is a document that lets a person enter a country.
New student visas dropped by _____ % in 2025.
This means fewer international students got visas to _____ in the United States.
Colleges often want international students because they bring new _____.
These students also pay _____, which is money for school.
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