UVa joins effort to ease cumbersome applications

The University of Virginia has joined an organization working to ease college application confusion.

As of July 1, the university is one of three public schools in the state to join Common Application, a Web site that lets high school seniors and undergraduate transfer students fill out one application that can then be shared with 350 schools — public and private — nationwide.

UVa used to require an application unique to UVa, but school officials said they made the switch because many of the application questions overlapped with what other schools ask.

Common has fielded applications for private schools since 1975 and began taking them for public schools in 2001. UVa tried to join Common Application years ago but was told it could not, an admission official said.

UVa applicants are still required to fill out a supplemental application that includes UVa-specific essay questions. 

Applicants will also still be required to pay the $60 online application fee.

The University of Mary Washington and the College of William & Mary are the two other public schools in Virginia using the application.

For more information, visit http://www.commonapp.org.