Common App
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Wednesday Buzz: Education Coalition Wants to Replace the Common App

Education groups take heed: High-ranking colleges and universities are introducing a new application form. Plus: A major change could be in store for Twitter.

Many college graduates no doubt remember stress-filled nights during high school spent wrestling with the Common Application, an undergraduate college admission app used by more than 600 national and international schools. But as early as next January, college-bound high school students may have another option.

The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success announced a new online form this week designed to replace the Common App.

The organization, composed of more than 80 public and private institutions across the country, aims to use this new tool to simplify the process and even the playing field for students of different socioeconomic backgrounds.

“The college admission process today can be stress-inducing, and we know it can present barriers for all students, especially for those who are the first in their family to attend college,” Zina L. Evans, vice president for enrollment management at the University of Florida, said in a statement.

The new form features three parts: a digital portfolio, a collaboration platform, and an application portal.

The coalition hopes its new online application can streamline the process for students who would otherwise opt out of applying to schools.

“The fact that some highly motivated and well-prepared students do not apply to and enroll in the college they are best suited for is a persistent problem,” Barbara Gill, associate vice president for enrollment management at the University of Maryland, said in a statement. “This coalition is working to mitigate this problem by empowering students from disadvantaged backgrounds to immediately identify a diverse set of schools that are likely to provide considerable financial support and will invest in their academic success.”

Tweet of the Day

Rumors are spreading that social media giant Twitter may change its 140-character limit on direct messaging. While Twitter has not commented about the possible change, The Washington Post speculates this rumored action is likely a response to Twitter’s lack of innovation, which has resulted in declining market value and nervous investors.

Other good reads

Your organization may have insurance for its building, but what about its online presence? ACE Group has announced a new insurance policy that will include privacy and network liability coverage for nonprofit organizations.

Meet an association that says yes to success. Only a year after its debut, the Nonfiction Producers Association boasts that it now represents half of the industry’s largest reality TV producers.

Don’t let your organization commit a social media faux pas. Read through Entrepreneur contributor and Boom! Social founder and CEO Kim Garst’s list of the nine most common mistakes made on social media.

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Eli Zimmerman

By Eli Zimmerman

Eli is studying Journalism at the University of Maryland. When not studying, he likes to relax with a nice book or a couple rounds at the local boxing gym. MORE

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