Many college bound students and their parents are aware of traditional institutional applications for admission, and as they dive deeper into the college search process, may quickly learn about the Common Application, as well. Lesser known among most applicants, but gaining ground among colleges and universities who offer it as an application option, is the Universal Application.
Similar in goal to the Common App, the Universal App seeks to allow students to complete a single application to submit to multiple schools. In addition, counselors and teachers also need only complete one form for each student applicant and are then able to send their recommendations to multiple schools. The singular form is designed not only to be a time saver, but also to encourage the applicant and his/her supporters to spend more dedicated time on the most important components of the admission file (essay, resume, letters of recommendation, etc.), rather than simply filling out forms.
Currently, 86 colleges and universities are Universal App members. The criteria for becoming an affiliate are less stringent than those of its counterpart, the Common App. Specifically, institutions must be accredited and must uphold the standards set forth by the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s (NACAC) “Statement of Principles and Good Practice,” known by its acronym as the SPGP. This code of ethics is designed to maintain a level of integrity among colleges and universities, as well as their representatives, in an effort to best serve higher education applicants.
Other differences include a student’s ability to easily create a more tailored submission to each school on his/her list versus a requirement to submit the exact same application to every school with Common App. This versatility is most notable with regard to the essay.
Additionally, the Universal App allows the applicant to include a video or a link to an online collection within the electronic application. The video “essay” received a lot of national and viral media hype during the 2009-2010 application season. This feature is a key enhancement for students who are brilliant verbal communicators, who have an audio talent such as vocal or instrumental performance, who have created a virtual portfolio of artistry, and for athletes to include video of their prowess on the field or the court.
Once a student has crafted the inventory of schools at which to apply for admission, take a look at the list of colleges and universities that accept either the Common App or the Universal App to see which best fits his/her needs, whether solely as a time saver, because all or most schools are member institutions for one application mechanism or the other, or for the flexibility of submitting specific application components online.
Note: During the summer of 2010, the Universal App is undergoing a transformation. The application will receive a make-over for the 2010-2011 academic year, so look for the changes after July 1.
Similar in goal to the Common App, the Universal App seeks to allow students to complete a single application to submit to multiple schools. In addition, counselors and teachers also need only complete one form for each student applicant and are then able to send their recommendations to multiple schools. The singular form is designed not only to be a time saver, but also to encourage the applicant and his/her supporters to spend more dedicated time on the most important components of the admission file (essay, resume, letters of recommendation, etc.), rather than simply filling out forms.
Currently, 86 colleges and universities are Universal App members. The criteria for becoming an affiliate are less stringent than those of its counterpart, the Common App. Specifically, institutions must be accredited and must uphold the standards set forth by the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s (NACAC) “Statement of Principles and Good Practice,” known by its acronym as the SPGP. This code of ethics is designed to maintain a level of integrity among colleges and universities, as well as their representatives, in an effort to best serve higher education applicants.
Other differences include a student’s ability to easily create a more tailored submission to each school on his/her list versus a requirement to submit the exact same application to every school with Common App. This versatility is most notable with regard to the essay.
Additionally, the Universal App allows the applicant to include a video or a link to an online collection within the electronic application. The video “essay” received a lot of national and viral media hype during the 2009-2010 application season. This feature is a key enhancement for students who are brilliant verbal communicators, who have an audio talent such as vocal or instrumental performance, who have created a virtual portfolio of artistry, and for athletes to include video of their prowess on the field or the court.
Once a student has crafted the inventory of schools at which to apply for admission, take a look at the list of colleges and universities that accept either the Common App or the Universal App to see which best fits his/her needs, whether solely as a time saver, because all or most schools are member institutions for one application mechanism or the other, or for the flexibility of submitting specific application components online.
Note: During the summer of 2010, the Universal App is undergoing a transformation. The application will receive a make-over for the 2010-2011 academic year, so look for the changes after July 1.
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