The Common App Welcomes 42 New Members for 2020-21

Loyola University Chicago

The Common Application recently announced the addition of 42 new members to a roster of what will be well over 900 colleges and universities accepting the Common App for 2020-2021. The popular online platform and college planning website annually serves and supports over three million students, teachers and counselors in the U.S. and around the world. And with the addition of several well-known institutions including Auburn University, Clemson University, Coastal Carolina University, Loyola University Chicago, Tuskegee University, and the University of Georgia, these numbers are bound to increase significantly.

“Through these unprecedented times, these 42 colleges and universities continue to help forge a direct and unambiguous path to a viable future for all students, and reduce barriers to college access for underserved students. We are honored to welcome them into our membership,” said Jenny Rickard, President and CEO of Common App. “Thanks to our diverse membership, all students, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to apply to the colleges or universities that will help them achieve their best future.”

Membership in The Common Application is open to colleges sharing the organization’s mission of advancing college access and must be

• Not-for-profit
• Undergraduate degree-granting
• Accredited by an association recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education
• If located outside the U.S., a member of the Council of International Schools
• Committed to the pursuit of access, equity and integrity in the college admission process

Member institutions are no longer required to also be members of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). The requirement to evaluate students using a “holistic” selection process including a recommendation and an untimed writing sample (essay) was also dropped to accommodate a wider variety of member institutions.

 As a result, Common App membership before new members are included includes

• Colleges from all 50 states plus Washington, DC
• 419+ colleges with no application fee
• 78% with admission rates greater than 50%
• Over 230 public universities
• Over 50 minority-serving institutions and 10 historically black colleges
• 28 women’s colleges and 3 all-male institutions
• 45 Hispanic-serving institutions
• 60 international universities in 20 countries
• Over 630 accepting transfer applications

But the Common App isn’t the only online application from which students can choose. They may consider the Coalition Application or the Universal College Application (UCA), which was welcomed last year by Harvard, Cornell and Princeton. The Common Black College Application enables students to apply to any number or combination of 55 HBCUs for a single low fee. The QuestBridge National College Match application is currently welcomed by 42 highly selective colleges and universities. And a significant number of colleges use a variety of school-based applications created specifically to meet their institutional needs.

With all these different application platforms, it’s not unusual for a college or university to offer two or more options for prospective students. While the Common App remains by far the most popular of the platforms, it’s usually worth investigating how other applications are structured and what specific questions are asked. There can be significant differences some of which might provide better vehicles for presenting credentials.

But the Common App can’t be beat for its reach into a variety of academic communities. And among the new member colleges and universities offering the Common Application for 2020-2021 are:

Arkansas Baptist College (AR)
Auburn University (AL)
Augusta University (GA)
Baker College (MI)
Bethel University (MN)
Bryn Athyn College (PA)
Buena Vista University (IA)
Carlow University (PA)
Clemson University (SC)
Coastal Carolina University (SC)
Cornerstone University (MI)
Fresno Pacific University (CA)
Holy Family University (PA)
Indiana Wesleyan University (IN)
Lake Superior State University (MI)
Lees-McRae University (NC)
Loyola University Chicago (IL)
Medaille College (NY)
Milligan University (TN)
New College of the Humanities, London
Norfolk State University (VA)
Northern Illinois University (IL)
Palm Beach Atlantic University (FL)
Richard Bland College of William and Mary (VA)
Spalding University (KY)
Texas Tech University (TX)
Trevecca Nazarene University (TN)
Tuskegee University (AL)
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (CO)
University of Georgia (GA)
University of Louisville (KY)
University of South Florida (FL)
University of Texas at Dallas (TX)
University of Texas at San Antonio (TX)
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)
Wilmington College (OH)
Winthrop University (SC)

UVa announces essay prompts for 2020-21

The University of Virginia announced this week that essay prompts for fall 2020 applicants will be slightly different from those used in previous years and will feature a few minor tweaks to keep things interesting.

The basic instructions to applicants will remain the same. In addition to a required personal statement, UVa applicants are asked to write two short responses to prompts specified in the application. And as in past years, UVa is “looking for passionate students” to join a “diverse community of scholars, researchers, and artists.”

For the first essay, applicants should respond in a half page or approximately 250 words to one of a series of questions corresponding to the school/program to which they are applying (changes from last year are noted):

• College of Arts and Sciences: What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way?
• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences: Describe an engineering feat that serves the common good and why it inspires you to study engineering.
• Kinesiology Program: Discuss experiences that led you to apply to the kinesiology major.
• School of Nursing: School of Nursing applicants may have experience shadowing, volunteering, or working in a health care environment. Describe a health care-related experience or another significant interaction that deepened your interest in studying nursing.
• School of Architecture: Describe [a] significant experience that deepened your interest in studying in the School of Architecture.

While the engineers moved away from their decade-old request for applicants to come up with a “small engineering project,” the College of Arts and Sciences remained loyal to the tried-and-true prompt seeking a challenging or surprising work of art, music, science, mathematics or literature.

For the second essay, applicants are being asked to pick one of five questions to answer also in roughly 250 words:

• What’s your favorite word and why?
• We are a community with quirks, both in language and in traditions. Describe one of your quirks and why it is part of who you are.
• Student self-governance, which encourages student investment and initiative, is a hallmark of the UVA culture. In her fourth year at UVA, Laura Nelson was inspired to create Flash Seminars, one-time classes which facilitate high-energy discussion about thought-provoking topics outside of traditional coursework. If you created a Flash Seminar, what idea would you explore and why?
• UVA students paint messages on Beta Bridge when they want to share information with our community. What would you paint on Beta Bridge and why is this your message?
• Rita Dove, UVA English professor and former U.S. Poet Laureate, once said in an interview that “…there are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints.” Describe a time when, instead of complaining, you took action for the greater good.

For 2020-21 applicants, UVa replaced a prompt requesting “an example of a community that is important to you and how you worked to strengthen that community” with one on action taken “for the greater good”—perhaps a more focused reflection on the challenges of our times.

In the past, associate dean of admission Jeannine Lalonde, “Dean J” to the readers of the UVa Admissions Blog, gently suggested, “A good essay conveys the voice and personality of the writer. A good essay shares something that hasn't come through in the other parts of the application. A good essay has made it to its final form after a round or two of editing.”

And students applying to the University of Virginia will be using the Common Application, which goes live on August 1, 2020. 

In the meantime, the early release of essay prompts will give prospective ‘Hoos months to consider their topics carefully and write compelling essays in time to meet either the nonbinding early action or new early decision deadline—both now set for November 1.

Colleges still welcoming applications for fall 2020

Penn State is still accepting applications for fall 2020.

In an upside-down world in which we’re learning to expect the unexpected, a number of high school seniors are second-guessing college lists they made last fall. Some want to be closer to home and some suddenly see value in considering schools with more reasonable tuitions or those with more generous scholarship opportunities.

By the end of March, the college admissions cycle would usually be winding down. But that doesn’t seem to be the case this year, as students with lots of time to reflect are thinking deeply about where they want to be next fall and under what terms.

And for students who want to explore other options, there are literally hundreds of colleges across the country ready, willing and more than happy to consider additional applications for fall 2020. It’s no secret that most enrollment models are out the window, and colleges are looking for ways to remain flexible and attract a solid class of undergrads. And by virtue of some admissions policy changes forced by the Department of Justice, students are now freer to shop than ever before.

In fact, a substantial number of wonderful schools located on stunningly beautiful campuses will consider applications from prospective undergrads well into August. And some of these schools still have scholarships to offer.

Colleges with “published” deadlines of March 30 or later include: Agnes Scott College, Appalachian State University, Arizona State University, Baylor University, Clemson University, College of Charleston, Florida Institute of Technology, Frostburg State University, Hofstra University, Jacksonville University, Marquette University, Michigan State University, Ohio University, Ole Miss, Oregon State University, Penn State, Pitt, St. John’s College (MD/NM), University of Arizona, University of Central Florida, University of Houston, University of Iowa, University of Kentucky, University of Missouri, West Virginia University, Westminster College (MO, PA, UT) and Xavier University (LA and OH).

And note there are quite a few more that have extended their deadlines without publishing the fact or changing information contained on application platforms or websites. Watch your email for notifications if you happen to be on the right mailing lists or have expressed any interest in these colleges.

But don’t delay. Even those colleges with “rolling” admissions eventually fill their seats. And if you need financial support, be aware that scholarships are often allocated on a first come, first serve basis or until the money runs out.

Still, if you’re looking or thinking about submitting additional applications, here are a few insider tips to jumpstart your research long before NACAC’s “space available” list comes out shortly after May 1:

1. Common Application member institutions still open to new applicants may be found by going to the Common App website. Click on the College Search tab. Indicate that you’re looking for Fall 2020 and complete the deadline box according to your interest. If you happen to be looking for colleges with deadlines on or after March 30, 2020, you will be rewarded with a list of 563 institutions.
2. The Universal College Application makes the search even easier. Simply go to go to this link and find colleges and universities still accepting new applications.  And as a public service, the list includes some that are not UCA members!
3. The Coalition for Colleges has prepared a list of member college deadlines: https://www.mycoalition.help/hc/en-us/articles/115004795234-2019-2020-Coalition-College-First-Year-Application-Deadlines (if the link doesn’t work, go to the Coalition Help Center, click on MyCoalition Counselor, Applying to College and 2019-2020 Coalition College First Year Application Deadlines). Twenty-three Coalition members have deadlines on or after March 30.
4. Using the College Board’s Big Future search engine, start by using the Type of School filter and select “4-year,” “private” and “public” (this eliminates for-profit institutions). Scan through the other filters and select your preferences for size, location, majors, etc. Click on “Close and see results.” Once results appear, go to the dropdown box labeled “Sort by:” (upper right) and click on “Application Deadline.” Caution: The list starts with “01-Jan,” goes through the calendar year. At this point, you’d want to start reviewing the colleges with early April deadlines, starting on about page 14. Schools with “no deadline” are listed at the end. It’s a little confusing, and the information is only as good as what colleges tell the College Board.

Once you have a “starter” list of schools that may still be accepting applications, verify deadlines by visiting individual websites.

But if websites are unclear or you find conflicting information as to the current status of the process, contact admissions offices directly and simply ask.

You might be surprised to find many are more than happy to hear from you!