College application is the process by which individuals apply to gain entry into a

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...

university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

. Although specific details vary by country and institution, applications generally require basic background information of the applicant, such as family background, and academic or qualifying exam details such as

grade point average Grading in education is the process of applying standardized measurements for varying levels of achievements in a course. Grades can be assigned as letters (usually A through F), as a range (for example, 1 to 6), as a percentage, or as a numbe ...

secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

and

standardized test A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a predete ...

ing scores.

United Kingdom

Almost all

British universities Universities in the United Kingdom have generally been instituted by royal charter, papal bull, Act of Parliament, or an instrument of government under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 or the Higher Education and Research Act 2017. De ...

are members of UCAS, a

clearing house Clearing house or Clearinghouse may refer to: Banking and finance * Clearing house (finance) * Automated clearing house * ACH Network, an electronic network for financial transactions in the U.S. * Bankers' clearing house * Cheque clearing * Cl ...

for

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-lev ...

admissions. Applicants submit a single application for up to 5 courses at different universities. There is a maximum limit of 4 choices for medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses. The application also includes current and expected qualifications, employment, criminal history, a personal statement, and a reference (which generally includes predicted grades if the applicant is still in education). Additional forms are required for application to

Oxbridge Oxbridge is a portmanteau of Oxford and Cambridge, the two oldest, wealthiest, and most famous universities in the United Kingdom. The term is used to refer to them collectively, in contrast to other British universities, and more broadly to de ...

. One can only apply to a particular college at

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

in a single year. Many Oxbridge applicants are assessed through academic interviews and sometimes further testing.

United States

Undergraduate programs

Application for Admission form, back cover of Carlisle Military Academy Annual Announcement (10013169)

Most colleges and universities in the U.S. have their own set of requirements for the information that is necessary for a college application. A common requirement on a college application is the applicant's standardized test scores, most commonly the ACT or

SAT The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times; originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, it was later called the Schol ...

, and a high school transcript. Some colleges also require applications to include a

Letter of Recommendation A letter of recommendation or recommendation letter, also known as a letter of reference, reference letter or simply reference, is a document in which the writer assesses the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the person being recommen ...

and a personal essay. A commonly accepted application used by many universities is the "

Common Application The Common Application (more commonly known as the Common App) is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to over 1,000 member colleges and universities in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as we ...

" which is an online application that is used by over 500 undergraduate colleges and universities. (See more about "graduate" degree programs below.) Deadlines for admission applications are established and published by each college or university. Many college-bound students receive application assistance and advice from their high school guidance counselors. Students who are transferring from a community college to a four-year college can obtain guidance from their college counselors. Aided by marketing firms, some colleges send out "fast-track" applications. These applications typically waive the application fee, do not require essays, and assure an admittance decision within a shortened amount of time. Critics warn that these types of applications are misleading, because they give the impression that the student is pre-approved to be admitted and may not explore other colleges because this easy option is provided to them.Steinberg, Jacques. "Colleges Market Easy, No-Fee Sell to Applicants." ''The New York Times.''https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/education/26admit.html

Graduate programs

A substantial number of graduate programs in the United States (5,500+) have centralized their applications for admission to masters and doctoral programs by program discipline. These are commonly referred to as Centralized Application Service(s) or CASs and function somewhat similar to the

for undergraduate programs. Graduate school applicants are able to submit their credentials for consideration to several colleges, universities, schools and programs from a single application.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:College Application University and college admissions