Everything About The Coalition Application

Applying for colleges means filling out tons of applications. In fact, the average student sends out around 7-10 college applications. That’s a whole lot of applications! (and time)

You could choose to fill out the applications one by one, but shouldn’t there be a better way? 

In fact, there is! The Coalition Application allows you to fill out one application for all the schools you want to apply to. You can even score some financial help along the way. 

Sound good? Keep reading to find out exactly what you need to know about the Coalition Application.  

What Is the Coalition Application?

The Coalition Application offers students an alternative way to apply to college. Rather than apply to colleges one by one, students can use The Coalition App to apply to many colleges, all at once.

The Coalition Application is part of the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success. The Coalition’s main goal is to give lower-income and underrepresented students greater access to college. The Coalition is still very new, having only launched in 2016.

The colleges and universities included in The Coalition must meet two of the following requirements: 

• The graduation rate of 70% or higher

• Percentage of enrolled underrepresented students 20% or higher. 
• Percentage of enrolled low-income students 20% or higher.

• Have affordable in-state tuition or meet the full needs of students.

Benefits of Using the Coalition Application

The Coalition Application is a great tool that lets you apply to over 150 schools with only one application. What many students don’t know, however, is that The Coalition provides students with a bunch of free online college-planning tools through what they call “MyCoalation”. The Coalition App is only one of these free tools.   

By joining MyCoalition, you get access to several awesome features that can help you on your college journey. As we’re about to show you, it helps to start using MyCoalition early on in high school, so you have more time to prepare for applying to college.

Here are a few of the free tools you get access to via MyCoalition: 

• Locker: The locker is a private online space where you can build a portfolio. You can upload documents like transcripts, essays, videos, awards, artwork, and more. Once it comes time to apply to college, you will have all the documents you need in one place. The Locker is your private space and only you have access to it.  You can also share documents from your locker with counselors or mentors.

• Collaboration Space: In the collaboration space, you can connect with counselors, teachers, and mentors. They can help you with essays and applications. 

• The Coalition Application: You can start your application as early as your freshman year of high school. There are over 150 schools you can apply to!

• MyCoalition Counselor: You can get advice from college admissions officers.

Coalition Application Schools

The Coalition has over 150 colleges and universities. Every Ivy League school such as Harvard and Yale are part of The Coalition. Other schools include Vanderbilt, University of North Carolina, University of Michigan, Stanford, and other top schools. There are also small liberal arts schools like Vassar and Wellesley.

Coalition Application Versus the Common Application

There are several differences between The Coalition Application and The Common Application. First, let’s look at their similarities:

• Both applications are free to use. Students must pay extra application fees for every school they apply to (costs are according to every school).

• Most schools included in the Coalition Application are also included in the Common Application.

So, Which One Is For You? 

The Common Application might be a better option if you want to fill out one simple application for most schools you want to apply to. Almost 1,000 colleges and universities use The Common App.

But, if you’re a student with significant financial need, you might want to look into The Coalition Application. Through The Coalition Application, you may be eligible for application fee waivers. It’s also useful to know that all Coalition schools offer students a significant amount of financial aid and other resources.

Regardless of which application you dec

ide to go with, make sure to check that the schools you want to apply to are included in the application. 

Is There a Coalition App Essay?

You’ll need to submit at least one essay as part of your Coalition application. You can start working on the essays as soon as you’d like and save your drafts along the way to your MyCoalition Locker. Depending on the school you apply to, you may have to submit alternative or extra essays. Be sure to check the requirements of each school.

What Are the Coalition Application Essay Prompts?

The following are the current Coalition Application essay prompts: 

1. Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.
2. Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.
3. Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?
4. What is the hardest part of being a student now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?
5. Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

Your main goal in your essays is to make yourself stand out. Paint a picture of your character by using a lot of details and personal anecdotes. Be yourself, but do emphasize those winning sides of yourself.

While The Coalition Application doesn’t specify a word limit, we recommend keeping your essays around 500 words. Of course, remember to proofread your work. You’d be surprised at how many little mistakes you’ll catch.

Final Thoughts

The Coalition Application can save you a ton of time, and ultimately even some money! College application fees can add up, but through the Coalition Application, you may be eligible for fee waivers. The college planning resources that MyCoalition offers are another great reason to check out this application.