ASU announced last month that incoming freshman can now apply to the University via the Common Application in addition to the University's traditional application method.
The University's adoption of the Common App is now in effect, and students applying for the Fall 2018 semester can use this application method.
Over 700 universities nationwide use the Common Application. It is an easy method for prospective students to apply to many universities at once.
A Niche survey found that 60 percent of college freshmen in 2017 applied to four or more schools during their application process. One in four incoming students applied to at least eight colleges.
During the 2016-17 application process, more than one million students submitted applications via the Common Application.
The Common Application allows prospective students to apply to up to 20 institutions using the same form, allowing students to save time and effort.
Matt Lopez, the executive director of admission services at ASU, said his goal is to make the application process easy and accessible for all students.
"Our University charter states our commitment to making ASU accessible to all qualified students," Lopez said. "This year, ASU decided to broaden the admissions pathways to students through the Common Application. This option will provide yet another way for students to apply to and ultimately enroll at ASU."
The University announced in an official statement that the adoption of the Common App will have no effect on admissions or admissions rate, as all applications will be reviewed under the same standards.
"ASU has no preference on which application is used, and the process will not differentiate how the application is submitted," the University said in a statement.
Applying through the Common App requires a $70 fee, the same as ASU's out-of-state application fee. In-state students currently pay a $50 application fee through the traditional application. Both in-state and out-of-state students will have to pay a $70 fee to use the Common App.
According to ASU, the Common Application makes it easier for students who qualify for a waiver of their application fee. The application asks a series of questions that determines if students are eligible to have their fees waived.
Andrew Piazza, a freshman mechanical engineering major, said his high school encouraged students to use the Common Application because it would make it easier to apply to a variety of colleges.
Piazza applied to both ASU and UA, the latter of which was previously the only public university in Arizona available on the Common App.
“If you're applying to more than one or two colleges, it would definitely help,” Piazza said. “In my instance, it would have helped to a certain extent because I only applied to two (schools), but getting the bulk of it done in one go would be quite easier than intermingling each one.”
Reach the reporter at rdhood@asu.edu or follow @rhoodofficial on Twitter.
Reach the reporter at sabine.galvis@asu.edu or follow @sabinegalvis on Twitter.
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