Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success
(College Application, Locker and Collaboration Space)
Frequently Asked Questions:
▼ What is the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success?
The Coalition represents more than 90 American higher education institutions that share a commitment to
providing students with the best possible college experience, beginning with the college application
process. Coalition schools offer an affordable education, promising low-cost, in-state tuition for residents
of their state (for public schools) or meeting the full, demonstrated need of admitted domestic students (for
private schools). Coalition members offer proven track records of student success, with graduation rates
exceeding 70% at all schools. The barriers that have persistently kept low-income and first-generation
students from attending and graduating from college will not be eliminated easily. However, the
commitment of Coalition members to work together to improve access is a promising step.
▼ What is the Coalition Locker?
The Locker offers a private space for students to collect and organize materials throughout their high
school journey. Whether collecting thoughts on college options or storing classwork or personal writing,
students can confidentially save documents that may be useful later in their college search or application.
▼ What is the Collaboration Space?
The Collaboration Space is a meeting place where counselors, teachers, and mentors can support the
student’s college search and application through feedback and editing.
▼ What is the Coalition Application?
The Coalition Application is a technology platform for applying to schools in the Coalition. The Coalition
Application features a modern, intuitive interface that adapts to a student’s life, providing a seamless
experience whether engaging through a notebook computer, tablet, or even mobile device.
Important Notice to Students: Coalition schools may have their own unique application requirements,
which will include the standard section of Coalition application. Students who will be applying to any
Coalition school should check individual application requirements for each institution to which they are
applying, as Coalition members have different requirements and have created their supplemental
application sections to reflect their unique options. A college or university may require:
▼ What is the difference between the Coalition and Common Application
The Coalition and Common applications are similar in that students can complete one application and use it
to apply to multiple institutions. In addition, they both allow institutions to ask unique questions the
individual institutions need for application review but which aren’t included within the standard form.
There are also some differences:The Common Application has nearly 700 member institutions while the
Coalition Application has about 90.
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With the Common Application, counselors can submit transcripts and other required documents to
universities directly through Naviance. With the Coalition Application, schools may provide
documents as they do now for non-Common App schools or they can upload electronic documents
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to the student’s account in a virtual “sealed envelope,” which the student can then submit
electronically to the institutions of their choice.
The Coalition Application includes a virtual “locker,” a private storage area where students can
save any material they think might be helpful to them when they’re ready to apply for college –
papers, artwork, projects, videos, music, etc. They can also share individual items in their locker
with trusted mentors, counselors or others from whom they want personal guidance or feedback.
With the Coalition Application, students can begin establishing their online profile and using the
virtual locker as early as 9th grade.
▼ What Colleges are using the Coalition Application for the 2017-2018
Right now, 58 colleges and universities plan to accept student applications from the Coalition Platform this
fall. These schools will give the student a choice of which application (school, common application or
coalition application) they would like to use. All remaining Coalition member schools will accept the
Coalition application in the 2017/2018 cycle. An updated list can be found on colleges website or the
Coalition website.
▼ Why aren’t all colleges in the coalition using the application next year?
To avoid technical issues with the platform, some members are waiting a year or offering the choice of
college application that is best for the student.
▼ Are there any colleges using the coalition application exclusively?
Yes, right now, it is the University of Florida, University of Maryland- College Park, and the University of
Washington-Seattle are using the Coalition Application.
▼ Are there any resources for using the Coalition tools?
Yes, The Coalition website includes easy-to-use videos and tutorials for school administrators as well as a
“how-it-works” video for students. Students may begin to create an online profile and add material to their
locker now. If they choose to, they can use their locker as storage for future college planning whether or not
they ever use the Coalition App to apply to colleges.
▼ Does EPHS recommend using the Coalition Application?
For the 2016-2017 school year, we recommend, using the college’s application or Common Application.
This is due to schools figuring out the platform and our ability to send your applications off electronically
to colleges using Naviance. If you are using one application for more than one school, it seems that the
Common Application will be the most efficient application to use for a larger number of colleges.
That said, we are committed to supporting students to use the application they are most confortable with
and that offers the most seamless college application process for your list of colleges.