Most Colorado College students remember the stressful months leading up to the college application deadline, a time of “I didn’t know I needed two teacher recommendation letters!” and “I can’t go out on Saturday—I still need to cut 103 words out of my college essay.”
However, CC officials hope to make the process a little less traumatic very soon by joining forces with 82 other colleges and universities in the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success.
The Coalition, which includes the likes of Harvard, Stanford, and Washington University in St. Louis, aims to create a platform of online tools intended to streamline the college application and financial aid processes and make them easier to navigate.
Coalition members believe that the application process will be less stressful if future students are exposed to it well before they actually apply to schools. The Coalition’s new application process will enable its users to build lists of extracurricular activities, essays, and other application materials starting in the ninth grade.
“One drawback of the current Common App is that the application only serves students during an eight- or nine-month window,” said Mark Hatch, Vice President of Enrollment. “It resists early outreach.” As a result, some students are overwhelmed, and settle for a college that has a less vigorous application process, or opt not to apply to college at all.
College admissions offices across the country are starting to realize that many students are smart enough to get into college, but don’t understand the path and the planning required to apply for college.
The Coalition specifically wants to reach out to low-income families and other underrepresented groups that, statistically speaking, have been less successful gaining admission to top colleges and universities. With its free online tools and increased transparency surrounding admissions and financial aid, the Coalition’s program should help level the admissions playing field for families that might not understand the application process.
In addition, because it will be available to students all throughout their high school careers, the Coalition’s new application process could act as a sort of guidance counselor.
“Some high schools have one counselor working with 500 kids, whereas other high schools have one guidance counselor per100 kids,” Hatch notes.
CC first-year Amy Bolton said that the Coalition’s approach sounds appealing.
“One of my biggest struggles in filling out the Common App was trying to remember back to all the activities I participated in my freshman and sophomore year of high school,” said Bolton.
The Coalition’s new application is expected launch July 2016. What does this mean for our beloved Common App?
“The Common App has had glitches, but at the same time, it is a beast of an organization serving 650 colleges and universities and hundreds of thousands of students each year,” said Hatch. “It has a significant brand name. Everyone depends on it.”
For now, CC plans to utilize both application processes. Coalition members are optimistic that their new approach will help alleviate the panic and confusion of the application process, and make it more relaxing and engaging.
For more information, please visit http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org