New transfer application and enrollment data solutions to be delivered in collaboration with Liaison
ARLINGTON, Va. (May 9, 2017) – Citing its deep commitment to access, equity, and integrity, The Common Application, the leading college access platform, announced today that it will release a new application solution tailored to meet the needs of today’s increasingly diverse transfer applicants and new analytics tools designed to enable colleges and universities to harness the power of data more effectively in managing admissions and enrollment.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “traditional” students, defined as “enrolling immediately after high school and attending full time,” represent only around 15 percent of current undergraduates. The remaining 85 percent — about 15 million undergraduates — are a diverse group that includes students who begin their higher education career at two-year colleges, military and veteran students, adults returning to higher education to complete degrees or certificates, and adults beginning post-secondary education for the first time.
“Providing a dynamic and robust application for this important, but often-unrecognized group of learners will promote inclusiveness and expand educational opportunity,” said Jenny Rickard, President and CEO of The Common Application. “We are excited to be working with Liaison on these initiatives, which will support access both by expanding the student population we serve and by providing our member colleges and universities with the data insights they need to better understand overall enrollment patterns and achieve their goals.”
The new solutions will be the result of a collaboration with Liaison International, the leading graduate and professional admissions solution provider. “Liaison is proud to be supporting The Common Application’s legacy and unwavering commitment to access,” said George Haddad, CEO and founder of Liaison. “This is a natural fit for Liaison, given our two-decades of admissions experience, in managing applications with complex requirements for such a diverse group of applicants. We are excited about this collaboration to deliver a set of innovations to colleges and universities as well as to a wider cohort of college students.”
The Common Application and Liaison will be working with member colleges and universities to shape the solutions, building on the work of a transfer working group and several data analytics focus groups. The new transfer application will be available in early 2018 for an early adopter group of 10 to 12 colleges and universities, with a full release set for August 2018. The new data analytics solution, which will provide insights about both first-year and transfer applicants will be available this fall.
“Throughout its more than 40-year history, The Common Application has continuously leveraged technology to evolve from a paper-and-pencil application to an online resource and application center used by more than 3 million prospective students, applicants, and recommenders annually,” said Rickard. “Along with our new Liaison partnership, we recently announced several innovations to our current platform including Google Drive integration, a self-reported transcript, and enhancements to meet the needs of counselors and advisers working with students of all means and circumstances.”