What is the Coalition Application?

I've heard of the Common App, but recently someone mentioned something called the Coalition Application. Can anyone tell me what it is and how it's different from the Common App?

The Coalition Application is an alternative to the Common App for college applications. It was created by the Coalition for College, a group of over 150 colleges and universities dedicated to increasing access to higher education. The Coalition Application aims to provide a more inclusive, user-friendly platform, particularly for students from underrepresented and lower-income backgrounds.

One key difference between the Common App and the Coalition App is that the Coalition App requires its member schools to meet certain affordability and support standards, such as providing financial aid to meet the full demonstrated need of domestic students and having a graduation rate of 70% or higher. This ensures that the institutions represented are committed to helping students succeed.

The Coalition Application also includes the "Locker" feature, which is a digital space where students can upload and store various materials throughout high school, such as essays, projects, research papers, and other achievements. This feature can be helpful in keeping track of potential application materials, and even sharing them with mentors or counselors.

The application process itself is similar to the Common App in that you fill out a single application to apply to multiple colleges. However, not all colleges accept the Coalition Application, so you will need to check with the specific schools you are interested in applying to. The list of colleges accepting the Coalition Application is smaller than the Common App's list, but some institutions accept both, so you may have the option to choose the one that works best for you.

While the Coalition Application was designed with underrepresented youth in mind, it is open to all students. If you're considering applying to more than one college using the Coalition Application, be sure to research the individual schools to understand their specific requirements, as supplemental materials and essays may vary.

In summary, while both the Common App and the Coalition Application serve as centralized platforms to apply to multiple colleges, the Coalition Application is primarily intended to support underrepresented and lower-income students with its affordability and support criteria for member schools and its unique Locker feature. The choice between the two depends on the colleges you are interested in and your personal preferences.