Introducing CA4: The Next-Generation Common App

I N T R O D U C I N G C A 4

N P E A 2 0 1 3

C A M B R I D G E

S C O T T A N D E R S O N

Agenda

• Association Overview

• 2012-13 Review

• CA4: The Next-Generation Common Application

• Your Questions

The Association

• Not-for-profit membership association founded in 1975

• Mission: to promote holistic admission as a path to college access

• Free services for applicants and secondary schools

• Volunteer Board of Directors– 9 chief enrollment officers– 4 school counselors

• Two Advisory Committees– Applications: primarily admission operations professionals– Outreach: school and CBO counselors

Membership Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree granting institution

• Regional accreditation or CIS Membership

• NACAC member in good standing

• Commitment to association’s non-discrimination statement

• Holistic admission process– One academic recommendation– Untimed writing sample

2012-13 Statistics (Projected)

Applications• 730,000 unique applicants (+10%)• 3.1 million applications (+10%)

School Forms• 20,500 high schools represented (+10%)• 350,000 school officials will submit an online form (+15%) • 9.5 million school forms (+22%)

2012-13 Demographics

Sex• 56% Female, 44% Male

Ethnicity• 58% White, 29% Students of Color, 13% No Response

Country of Home Address• 91% Domestic, 9% International

Parental Education• 69% At least one parent with a Bachelor’s, 31% First Generation

School Affiliation• 74% Public, 14% Independent, 12% Religious, <1%Homeschool

2012-13 Averages• 4.4 online applications per applicant• Without transfers and singleton ED apps: 4.6

2012-13 Averages• 4.4 online applications per applicant• Without transfers and singleton ED apps: 4.6

NE INTL MID-AT WEST SW MW SOUTHSCHOOL

AVG

IND 6.5 5.9 6.5 6.2 5.4 5.5 4.8 5.8

CHART 6.0 5.2 5.2 4.2 4.4 5.7 3.9 5.0

REL 6.2 5.3 5.4 4.7 4.1 3.8 3.8 4.8

PUBLIC 5.2 4.9 5.0 4.0 3.6 3.3 3.3 4.2

HOME 4.7 5.0 4.1 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.1 3.9REGIONAVG 5.4 5.4 5.2 4.3 4.0 3.6 3.6

RED: Above average BLACK: Below average

2012-13 Averages• 4.4 online applications per applicant• Without transfers and singleton ED apps: 4.6

NE INTL MID-AT WEST SW MW SOUTHSCHOOL

AVG

IND 6.5 5.9 6.5 6.2 5.4 5.5 4.8 5.8

CHART 6.0 5.2 5.2 4.2 4.4 5.7 3.9 5.0

REL 6.2 5.3 5.4 4.7 4.1 3.8 3.8 4.8

PUBLIC 5.2 4.9 5.0 4.0 3.6 3.3 3.3 4.2

HOME 4.7 5.0 4.1 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.1 3.9REGIONAVG 5.4 5.4 5.2 4.3 4.0 3.6 3.6

Public schools account for 74% of applicants

2012-13 Members

39 new members (527 total)• 47 states plus DC (1 new: Hawaii)• 16 international members (5 new)• 7 countries outside the US (1 new: Austria)• 17 public flagships (3 new: Purdue U, CU Boulder, U. Oklahoma)• 81 public institutions (15 new)• 7 HBCUs

The Application

Improved Online Experience• Smart, dynamic questions presented one at a time• Onscreen support and at-a-glance progress checks• Streamlined CEEB/School search

Enhanced Data Collection• Expanded reporting for several fields, including citizenships,

languages, schools, colleges, siblings, parent degrees, stepparents

Arts/Athletics• Arts supplement replaced by Slideroom for Exclusive II members• Athletic supplement discontinued

The Application

Paper Application• Paper application discontinued; students must apply online• Print-preview still available, identical to what colleges see

Alternate Versions• Supported with a new process• Unlimited edits to all data except the Common Essay• Common Essay limited to 3 submitted versions• Balanced need for corrections and updates with philosophy of a

common application• College-specific essays will be part of Member Supplement

Payments

Submission• Payment or fee waiver and application submitted together• Current three-step process eliminated• No “mail check” option

International Payment• Online payment for international students without a US credit card

or US-based checking account

Fee Waivers• One-and-done process using ACT/CB/NACAC eligibility criteria• No limit on the number of waivers a student can use• Counselors need to confirm eligibility• Open to international and transfer students• Non-need-based waivers still available

School Forms

School, Midyear, Optional & Final Reports• New demographic info, one-and-done for online counselors• No current-year courses• Counselors asked to describe attached grades (1st qtr, 1st tri, etc.)• Paper still available, but applicants must obtain forms from within

their accounts

Other First Year Forms• No changes to the Teacher Evaluation• International and Homeschool Supplements discontinued as a

standalone forms• New non-academic evaluation form for peers, coaches, clergy, etc.

Transfer School Forms• Online: Revised College Report and Instructor Evaluation• Offline: Mid-term and Final Report/High School transcript

Member Supplements

New Supplement System• Standalone forms replaced by two new sections• Member Page

– Expanded, customized version of Future Plans– Members select questions and permitted responses– Submitted with Common Application

• Writing Supplement– Short-answer or essay-length responses to member questions– Uploads permitted for members willing to receive resumes,

research papers, and graded assignments– Submitted after Common Application

Member Supplements

Advantages• August 1 launch of all Member Pages and Writing Supplements• Smart Essay Prompts: Student responses to Member Page

questions can drive Writing Supplement content• Consistency for students in how questions are asked• Flexibility for members in determining acceptable responses

Unsupported Questions• Questions asked elsewhere in the Common Application• Questions that violate NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good

Practice• Arts questions (to be collected via Slideroom or members arts form)• Appointment scheduling (visits, auditions, overnights, etc.)• Financial aid questions beyond intent to apply for need, merit

Writing Sections

Three Writing Opportunities• Essay: Required for all applicants• Additional Information: Optional for applicants• Required Explanations: Conditionally required based on responses to

discipline, criminal history, education interruption, military discharge

Specific Changes• Five new essay prompts, reviewed annually• Short answer moved to Writing Supplement if member wants to ask• Enforced 650 word limit for all sections• Enforced 250 minimum for essay only• Uploaded documents replaced by text-entry• Basic formatting available (bold, italics, underline and accented

characters); cut and paste retains formatting

www.commonapp.org

Questions For You

1. How can The Common Application reach more underserved students?

2. How can The Common Application better support counselors who work with underserved students?