Over 30 institutions use the Universal College Application. The application for a first-year student begins with personal and family information. Then you must provide academic information, such as current classes, Advanced Placement scores and standardized test results. The final section asks for extracurricular activities, volunteer work, employment information and any pertinent activities. If you wish, you may add a personal essay and web links to social media sites, newspaper articles or Net-based portfolios. The Universal College Application website also has forms for instructor recommendations, transfer applications, school counselor reports and arts and athletic supplements.
Fifteen private colleges began using the Common Application in 1974; this has grown to over 400 public and private institutions. Some of these schools also use the Universal College Application, while others restrict themselves to the Common Application. It comes in both hard copy and on-line formats. The forms are much like those used for the Universal College Application, although the new applicant paperwork requires two essays.
One goal of the Universal College Application is to to open up the college application process to a more diverse group of students.The essay section of this application is flexible, while it's required on the Common Application. If your prospective schools don't require one, you can omit it. Students who are weak in essay writing can take advantage of this alternative. You have the option of including links to web content, such as informational videos, websites and audition videos that support your application. If you choose, your transcripts and letters of recommendation can be sent to institutions before your application has been completed. That isn't an option with the Common Application.
More than 10 times as many schools use the Common Application. In fact, some schools use only this application method. In additional, all member schools agree to holistic selection processes. This requires them to use both subjective and objective measurements when deciding if a student is the right fit for the institution. In addition to the application form, grades and test scores, a school must consider recommendation forms, an untimed essay and issues related to its campus diversity needs. The Common Application website contains a great deal of organized information, including history, frequently asked questions, and financial and application advice.