College Applications

A college application is a form, or series of forms, a student must complete in order to be considered for admissions at that particular college or university. This page will focus solely on 4-year college applications. If you are interested in the community college application process, please refer to the “Community College” page.

Contents of an Application:

  • The application
  • Essay(s)
  • Letter(s) of Recommendation
  • Test Scores (ACT and/or SAT)
  • Resume (or a list of extracurricular activities)

Most college applications are completed and submitted electronically. Most college applications are found on a school’s website on their admissions page. However, there are a number of schools that use college application hubs, which allow students to complete multiple college applications in a shorter amount of time and within one location. Such application hubs include Common Application (CommonApp), Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Equity (CoalitionApp), and Common Black College Application.

 

CommonApp

Commonapp.org

Virginia colleges included on the CommonApp:

Christopher Newport University

Emory & Henry College

Hampden-Sydney College

Hollins College

Marymount University

Old Dominion University

Randolph College

Randolph-Macon College

Roanoke College

College of William & Mary

Mary Washington University

University of Richmond

University of Virginia

Virginia Commonwealth University

Washington & Lee University

 

Some schools, such as Old Dominion University, have both their own online application and an application through CommonApp.

CommonApp Sections

  • Dashboard– Keep track of applications and progress
  • My Colleges– College-specific applications added from the “College Search” section
    • Contains college’s contact information, application deadlines, fees, and required recommendations
    • Questions include school, academic, family, and residency questions
  • Common App– General application section that is sent to every school listed in the “My Colleges” section
    • Fee Waiver- if you qualify, select specific qualifications under “Profile” tab
    • Education- must list ALL senior courses (Fall and Spring)
    • Testing- you may self-report test scores; however, you MUST send your official score reports to each school
    • Writing- there is one CommonApp essay; however, some schools may require additional essays. Review 2018-19 CommonApp essay prompts here.
      • If applicable, read “Disciplinary History” carefully. Do not provide more information than is necessary.
      • The “Additional Information” section is an opportunity to explain extreme circumstances that may have contributed to poor grades, etc.
  • College Search– Search for colleges and add them to the “My Colleges” section

 

Coalition App

Coalitionforcollegeaccess.org

Nearby Partner Schools:

American University

College of William & Mary

James Madison University

North Carolina State University

University of Mary Washington

UNC- Chapel Hill

University of Virginia

University of Richmond

Virginia Tech

Wake Forest

Davidson College

Duke

 

Purpose:

  • Encourage early engagement surrounding college exploration and the application process
  • Provide a private, unlimited space to store items that could be included in a student’s college application (projects, papers, etc.)
  • Collaborate with counselors, teachers, mentors, etc. using the “Collaboration Space”

Student Resources:

  • The Locker– unlimited storage space to save papers, artwork, videos, photos, letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.
  • Collaboration Space– spare to essays with mentors for editing purposes
  • College List– track colleges of interest and contact admissions and financial aid personnel
  • Application Portal/ Tracker– upload supplemental materials and track applications

Fee Waivers

There is a universal fee waiver for low-income students that can be applied to all partner institutions.

 

Common Black College Application

Commonblackcollegeapp.com

Nearby Member Institutions:

Virginia State University

Norfolk State University

Shaw University

 

The Common Black College Application allows students to apply to as many as 50 member Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) using one application for $35.

On the application, you may list up to four of your top member HBCUs you are interested in applying to; however, all of the member institutions will have access to your application.

Steps to Submitting the Application & Other Materials

  1. Complete and submit the application.
  2. Pay $35 application fee using credit, debit, check, or money order.
  3. Receive a Confirmation Letter, which explains how to submit your transcript and test scores.
  4. Essays and Letters of Recommendation should be sent directly to the colleges and universities you’re interested in.

Fee Waiver

Fee waivers are not available through this application.