Free, Fast College Applications Pay Off

January 27th, 2010

There are many things for college-bound students to complain about when it comes to filling out college applications. Hefty application fees are usually at the top of the list, ranging anywhere from $25 to upwards of $75. (That’s right, Yale and Harvard, I’m talking ‘bout you). Unless you are approved for a waiver, you can expect to pay hundreds of dollars in app fees. Ouch.

Some schools, like The College of Saint Rose, are starting to feel your pain. The Albany college sent out a whopping 30,000 “Exclusive Scholar Applications” to high school seniors, which eliminated not only the app fee, but also the essay. Additionally, the school promised a speedy response—an acceptance or a rejection in only three weeks. Needless to say, The College of Saint Rose and other colleges and universities that jumped on this marketing bandwagon saw their application numbers soar.

According to the New York Times, some schools paid around the $1 million mark to send out “fast-track” applications to top students, but the increase in applications received makes the investment worth it. Other schools that are mailing out trimmed-down applications include Marquette University and its “Advantage Application,” Rensselaer Polytechnic and its “Candidate’s Choice Application,” and the University of Minnesota and its “Golden Gopher Fast Application.”

Even if some of these fast-track app schools aren’t on your radar, it makes a ton of sense to send in an application anyway because it increases your chances of getting accepted without further emptying your wallet. It will be interesting to see how many students end up enrolling at these schools after being wooed by a free and easier application.

Did you get a fast-track college application in the mail this year? Did you apply? Leave a comment below.

–Barbara Bellesi

Entry Filed under: College Admissions,College Trends