Planning to study higher education in the US can be overwhelming. More often than not, a student applicant would feel a bit confused about how to apply to a university in America due to several application platforms available. A student cannot just simply apply directly to his/her university of choosing, rather, most of the universities require the applicant to register to another application platform to apply and submit their requirements.
In the US, international students can apply in several ways, through, Common App, Universal College Application, Questbridge, and School-specific applications. Which US application will you be using will depend on the school you are applying for. To learn more, let’s explore each type of college application.
Types of US College Applications
1. Common App
Common App or the Common Application is the most used type of college application. It has affiliations with more than 700 US colleges. This application facilitates the admissions process by using one standardized application form for hundreds of colleges. Common App is mostly accepted by all the colleges to which you are planning to apply.
In the Common App, an applicant can apply for up to 20 schools. If you choose to apply to more than 20 colleges, you may use other applications such as Universal College Application, Questbridge, or School-specific Application. However, it is not advisable to apply to more than 20 colleges as you will need to submit different sets of documents and you will have to spend more money on application fees.
2. Universal College Application
Another US Application platform you can use is the Universal College Application, which currently serves 40+ colleges. Since the Universal College Application is newer compared to the Common App, it is accepted by only a handful of colleges. Because of this fact, Universal Application should be only used if you have exceeded the application limit of 20 colleges in the Common Application.
3. Questbridge Application
Questbridge Application is another type of college application intended for students with outstanding academic ability coming from low-income backgrounds. One perk of applying using the Questbridge platform is that applicants will have a chance to receive full-ride scholarships to one of its 50+ Questbridge partners. If you are a domestic or international student currently enrolled in an American high school, you are eligible to apply through the Questbridge Application.
Although Questbridge is intended for students from a low-income family, students from middle-class backgrounds can also apply through Questbridge. Firstly, many colleges waive the application fee for Questbridge applicants. For example, Amherst University will waive the application fee for applicants who will use the Questbridge Application. Secondly, the Questbridge Application asks many personal questions and essays. This will be shared with the university or college you are applying to. As your application is reviewed, the admissions committee will be able to get a good grasp of how you are as a student and person.
There is only one drawback to the Questbridge application: time. The deadline to submit the Questbridge Application is late September which is two months before the Early Decision deadline. To make your Questbridge Application shine, you will need to start the application during the summer break. Also, you will need to ask two teachers for recommendations as soon as school begins. Still, starting your application early can be a positive aspect since it would prepare you for the Common Application early.
4. School-Specific Application
Some schools do not participate in the Common App, Universal College Application, or Questbridge Application. Colleges such as Georgetown and the University of California (system) use applications specific to the college. School-specific applications are time-consuming and require more attention than the other application platforms mentioned. But if your dream college uses the school-specific application, then you should definitely apply! However, you need to think twice about applying to colleges that use school-specific applications because it is more work for you, your counselor, and your teachers.
Scholarship Recipient’s Take on US College Applications: Hyun Lee
I applied through the Common Application and Questbridge Application. I applied to Bates, Connecticut, Hamilton, Kenyon, Rhodes, St. Lawrence, Union, University of Richmond, Whitman, and Birmingham Southern College using the Common Application. I applied to Swarthmore, Colorado, and Bowdoin using the Questbridge Application. I applied to Williams, Amherst, Washington and Lee, Vassar, Grinnell, and Colby using both the Questbridge and Common Application. In the end, I paid only $110 for applying to Hamilton College and Connecticut College. I did not have to pay for the application fee to other colleges because they waived it for Questbridge applicants, for international students, or for all applicants.
For me, applying through the Questbridge Application was a huge benefit because I saved hundreds of dollars, it allowed me to show more about myself, and it forced me to start the college application process early. If your parents make less than $100,000 per year, then you should think about applying through the Questbridge Application.
In summary, if you are planning to apply to many universities without worrying about the application fees, then it is advisable to apply using the Common App. However, if you are in need of financial aid, then the Quesbridge Application is right for you. Whichever application platform you use will highly depend on your choice. Choose the application platform where you are willing to spend most of your time preparing for the requirements and the money you are willing to spend!
We hope that this article on the types of college applications was helpful. Make sure to also check out our Guide to Studying in the USA and Available Undergraduate Programs for International Students sections!
