UC Admissions Makes Plans For Simplifying The Application Process For Prospective Students

The University of Cincinnati’s Office of Admissions is tweaking the application process for next year’s incoming freshmen on the Uptown Campus, as the university launches its membership in The Common Application next summer.

The Common Application is described as a not-for-profit membership organization that makes a prospective student’s one, common application available to all members in The Common Application organization.  That amounts to nearly 500 institutions, including public and private institutions, highly selective and relatively open enrollment institutions.

Members in The Common Application represent 46 states and the District of Columbia, plus France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom and Switzerland. The Ohio State University became a member this fall. Other Ohio institutions in The Common Application include Case Western Reserve University, Miami University, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Otterbein University, Denison University, Kenyon College, University of Dayton and Xavier University.

Institutional membership in The Common Application is limited to colleges and universities that screen students using a so-called holistic selection process, incorporating review of all elements of the student’s application.

UC Admissions added subjective criteria for all first-time baccalaureate degree-seeking students applying to UC next fall to begin the holistic review process. Prospective students are directed to submit a minimum 250-word essay, a personal statement and a list of extracurricular high school activities. The application process would still include UC’s $50 application fee.

“We have been communicating to students, parents and high school counselors that student academics will still be emphasized in the selection process,” explains Thomas Canepa, associate vice president for UC Admissions. “In fact, the more selective the institution, the more likely that they are to be doing some form of holistic review. From that standpoint, this is the next logical step for UC in following stronger academic standards that we set over the past six years to build on student success.”

Canepa adds that UC Admissions will also be assessing high school curriculum as they review applications.

“While academic criteria will still be heavily weighted, each student’s application will be assessed based on responses to the essay question, teacher recommendation, strength of high school, as well as other holistic review factors,” says Canepa.

Canepa says membership in The Common Application will support goals set forth in the

UC 2019 Academic Master Plan

of strengthening the academic profile of students, plus it will increase opportunities to recruit out-of-state students who are applying to universities through The Common Application.

The essay, personal statement and activities list does not affect prospective students applying to associate degree programs.

UC will launch The Common Application by Aug. 1, 2013, for incoming freshmen in 2014.

UC Admissions