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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.