High school students interested in applying to the University now have the opportunity to use the Common Application.
In previous years, students looking to apply to the University could only do so by filling out the University application available online.
This year however, the University has officially become a member of the Common Application. The Common App is a single application that can be found online and submitted to a large number of various institutions of higher education.
According to commonapp.org, “We serve students, member institutions, and secondary schools by providing applications that students and school officials may submit to any of our over 500 members.”
The colleges and universities that are not members of the Common Application typically have an application that is specific to their institution that prospective students are required to fill out. Up until this year, the University was one of these universities.
Victoria Bobik, Director of Undergraduate Admission, is excited about this recent change. “The Common Application has become a premiere application for students from all over the country, and we think that this will assist in students applying to Monmouth,” she said.
Although the previous application used by the University was fairly easy to complete, students currently enrolled would have much rather preferred to use the Common Application when they were applying.
Kristen Catalano, freshman biology major, was able to use the Common Application for several of the schools she applied to during her college application process. The University, however, was not one of them.
“I didn’t think [MU’s application] was a lot more work than the Common Application, but it would probably be a lot easier if Monmouth was a part of the Common App so it’s one less application to do,” Catalano said.
Due to the fact that most high school seniors generally apply to more than one college, the Common Application is said to be an easier way for students to submit applications to multiple schools while simultaneously lessening their workload.
Casey Kohut, freshman management and marketing major, said, “The application process at Monmouth was pretty simple and self-explanatory, although it was a little more work filling out an extra application.”
Some students may only apply to schools that use the Common Application just so they can avoid having to fill out more than one application. If that is the case, there is a chance that the University’s former application may have been ignored by many high school students looking to apply to college in previous years.
Every college student knows how much work goes into applying to school, but the Common Application exists to help make the process a little easier. Catalano said, “Applying to college is stressful enough, so the less applications you have to fill out, the better.”
The University hopes that with the addition of the Common Application, the Office of Admission will see an increase in interested students. “We are anticipating that more students will apply to Monmouth because we are now a member of the Common Application,” explained Bobik. “The application is convenient for both students and guidance or college counselors, and as a member, Monmouth will gain more national exposure,” she added.
Mary Anne Nagy, Vice President for Student and Community Services, agrees with Bobik. She feels that the Common Application will bring in more student applications and also increase our exposure to potential students. “I think it is a good idea and I look forward to seeing the impact,” Nagy said.
PHOTO TAKEN from blindgossip.com
