We recently had a prospective student email us to ask a question that many applicants
have when August rolls around and they begin, after months of research and visiting
schools, to actually apply places: which application type should I use?
The short answer is: Whichever one you want! We don’t view any of the application
types differently, so you have an equal chance of admission to TCU using any of the
four types available.
The long answer is: Whichever one you want, but there are some crucial differences
between them that can help you figure out which application will be the best fit for
you.
The most popular application for TCU applicants is the Common Application. More than 1,000 schools across the country use the Common App, so this is a great
option if you’re applying to a handful of different schools, especially if those schools
are outside of the state of Texas. This is the biggest application out there and it’s
highly likely that other schools you’re interested in use the Common Application.
Meanwhile, Apply Texas is the application used by all Texas public schools. If you’re applying to UT Austin,
Texas A&M, Texas Tech, University of Houston, Stephen F. Austin or any of Texas’ other
public-school options, you’ll already fill out this application. Because this application
is so popular in Texas, many private schools within the state (such as TCU) also use
it.
The newest application type, the Coalition Application, has only been accepted for a couple of years at TCU. This application was created
a few years ago and is much smaller than the other types for TCU. The Coalition App
is most popular among highly-selective institutions, like the Harvards and Stanfords
of the world. This might be a good fit if you find yourself interested in multiple
Ivy League schools or other similar schools.
And then, of course, there’s always the TCU Application. This is our own personal application, so it only works for TCU. It’s convenient
and easy to use, but you can save yourself some time by filling out a different type
if you’re applying to different schools.
At the end of the day, we pay attention to the application itself and not the type
it comes from. No matter which type you apply to TCU with, we will read it all the
same. Because of this, the most important piece to remember is that we want this crazy,
stressful college application process to go as smoothly as possible, so do what’s
most convenient for you. And, of course, please reach out and let us know if you still
have lingering questions. We are always happy to help!
Dalton Goodier is a Senior Admission Counselor at TCU. He's still waiting on that call from Gary
Patterson to be a walk-on.