Common App vs. Coalition App: Which One Should I Use?

tl;dr: There are four main college applications: Common App, Coalition for College, CUNY, and UC. Each one has its own pros and cons, so you should consider which colleges you are applying to and which one fits your needs the best. You can also use a combination of college apps if some schools you are applying to are only on one application and not the other. No matter which one you choose, there is no advantage or preference from colleges. Good luck!

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Agh, the age-old question! There are so many different applications you can use to apply to college. The list 📝 below presents the pros and cons of the four most common application choices. Then we will dive into the details of which application would be best for you to use. For some people, one application is clearly "best," while others opt to apply to college through multiple applications. This depends on which colleges they are applying to, of course 🤩.

Which schools use the Common App and Coalition App?

The most important consideration in choosing an application—which applications are accepted by the colleges that you want to apply to?  The links below take you to a list of the colleges which accept each application. Look through the list of colleges to find whether the schools you are interested in accept that application. Some colleges are available on multiple applications. You can apply to those schools through either application; one application service over another will not change the likelihood of admission. However, it is easier to use one service over multiple since you will not have to add your information twice!

Nationally accepted college applications

🌈 Common App:

This is the most used application, accepted by 916 colleges.

⛈ Coalition for College Application:

This application covers over 150+ colleges, many of which are also covered by Common App. Coalition schools are required to meet a specific criteria for financial affordability, success rate, and access to disadvantaged students. Some of the Coalition Application schools covered include:

• American University
• Barnard College
• Cal Tech
• Duke University
• Emory University
• Franklin and Marshall College
• Harvard University
• Illinois University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Knox College
• Loyola Marymount University
• Michigan State University

Region-specific 🗺 college applications:

🌊 CUNY (City University of New York) Application:

This application covers 25 schools all over the New York City area (Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island), including:

• CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies
• LaGuardia Community College
• New York City College of Technology
• Queens College
• The City College of New York

🌪 UC (University of California) Application:

This application covers 9 University of California schools:

• UC Berkeley
• UC Davis
• UC Irvine
• UCLA
• UC Merced
• UC Riverside
• UC San Diego
• UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Cruz

What is the difference between Coalition and Common App requirements?

Application requirements needed for both the Common and Coalition Apps:

• High school transcript
• Extracurricular activities list
• SAT/ACT score (unless applying test optional)
• Parent or guardian information
• Awards list
• Essay (Common App essay prompts and Coalition essay prompts)
• Recommendations (depends on the school that you are applying to)

Differences in application materials:

• (Optional) Coalition Locker filled with pictures, materials, and other important documents that you would want to send to colleges
• The Common Application and Coalition Application will have different essay prompts, so you won't necessarily be able to submit the same essays for both applications.

More Application Information:

• Common App
• Coalition for College

Which college application is best?

Generally speaking, if financial aid is a priority, I would recommend the Coalition Application. However, Common App is excellent if you want an application that many around you are using, so it may be easier for you to get help from peers and counselors. You should use CUNY or UC if you are looking to apply to specific colleges in New York or California.

Can I use a combination of college apps?

Yes, absolutely! You can use a combination if some schools you are applying to are only on one application and not the other. However, this will take more work than only using one application.

What should I do if none of the applications cover the school I’m interested in?

Some schools require that you use their unique application so you will not see them listed as accepting any of these four applications. Just go to the their website to find the application process.

Is there an advantage to using one over the other?

Nope. Not at all. Colleges do not prefer one over the other.

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