The Common App word limit is 650 words, while the Coalition Application suggests that students write an essay of between 500 and 550 words: If both essays are in the 500 to 550 word range, you are good to go!
WHY NOT? Colleges that choose not to use the Common App usually want to stand out from the crowd. They want to the kid who has done extensive research, understands the school's mission and culture, and has decided, THIS is the right school for me.
The Coalition will recommend a limit of 500-550 words, but students can submit an essay much longer. This is a great improvement, as students choosing to reuse their Common App essay (with a 650-word limit), will not need to make any changes.
Students can submit their applications even though their recommenders have not completed and submitted letters of recommendations and can even have the recommenders send letters through another means (outside the MyCoalition site).
You may not create more than one account of each type. You may only create one (1) First Year account and one (1) Transfer account since the system will not allow duplicate accounts.
You can start working on these essays at any time and save drafts in your MyCoalition Locker. While there is no perfect length for an essay, we recommend that you aim for 500 to 650 words.
The UW will continue to use only self-reported course information for application review, not accept or consider letters of recommendation, require that test scores be sent electronically directly to the UW, and require final and official transcripts only of those who have accepted our offer to enroll.
California
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- Claremont McKenna College.
- Harvey Mudd College.
- Loyola Marymount University.
- Pomona College.
- Stanford University.
In general, most students apply to 7-10 colleges. This is a good number to aim for, assuming that the applications you submit represent a broad variety of colleges. Usually, you will want to apply to 2-3 safety schools, 3-4 target schools, and 2-3 reach schools.
Additional Information: Cappex.com is a free service that helps students connect with colleges and universities that want them before they apply. To be awarded a scholarship, the recipient must enroll at an accredited college or university located in the United States.
Students don't have to wait until Aug. 1 to get started on the Common App. They can create an account at any time and transfer their information into the new app when it opens.
How many colleges can I add to my Dashboard? Common Application member colleges have stipulated that applicants may not add more than 20 colleges. The college list cannot be expanded for any applicant. You can apply to more colleges that have their own application forms or through Coalition for Access & Affordability .
How to Fill out the Coalition Application
- Fill out your basic biographical information in your profile.
- Request official documents through the application.
- Add in your extracurricular activities to your profile.
- With a 100% complete profile, tackle school-specific application parts.
- Attach your school-specific essays.
A few examples are Clemson University, Georgetown University, and the University of Wisconsin. A few other colleges accept a shared application as well as their own application. Tulane has had its own application since it began in 1834, and several years ago began accepting the Common Application.
The Common App is a great tool to save you time during your senior year of high school. Double check that the schools you want to apply to accept the application, track the deadlines for supplemental materials like essays and letters of recommendation, and only apply to schools that align with your goals.
Some colleges with a more STEM or technical focus—like MIT or the Colorado School of Mines—choose not to accept the common application.
What does the Common App cost? The platform itself is free to use, but every college charges their own application processing fee (usually $30 to $75 for U.S. applicants and more for international applicants). You can apply for a fee waiver if you need one.
As early in the fall as possible, please submit: Your application to Harvard, via the Common Application, the Universal Application, or the Coalition Application. This is needed to open your admissions file, track your documents, and set up an interview. The $75 application fee or a fee waiver request.
Keep in mind that MIT does not use the Common Application, and instead uses its own system called MyMIT. To those seeking admission, MIT requires students to complete 5 additional essays, all of which understandably appear intimidating to approach.
You can self report your test scores within the Common Application Testing section including the ACT, SAT/SAT Subject, AP, IB, TOEFL, PTE Academic, and IELTS. It's important that you research which test scores are required by your prospective colleges.
WHAT IS THE COMMON APP ONLINE SCHOOL FORMS SYSTEM? When you create an account on the Common App Online, you must first indicate what high school you attend. Once this information has been saved, you can access a 'School Forms' section of the Common App where teachers and counselors can be identified.
Note: The Common Application is a standard college application used for undergraduate admission primarily at 4-year colleges and universities, so students applying to a community college, seeking online degrees through distance learning programs or pursuing a higher degree such as an MBA will need to use the school's
Adding a college is easy! You may add a college using the add button in the search results list. You can also select a college and add them using the "Add to My Colleges" button from their info screen. Once you've added colleges, you can see them on your Dashboard and in your My Colleges tab.
You can apply to Stanford by submitting online either the Coalition Application or the Common Application . You must submit the Stanford Questions online through the Coalition or Common Application. When you apply to Stanford, you apply to the university as a whole, not to a particular major, department or school.