1. What is the Coalition Application?
Created by the Coalition for College, the Coalition Application was created by the Coalition for College, a group of distinguished colleges and universities across the U.S. committed to making higher education accessible, affordable, and successful for all students. Through the Scoir platform, students can collaborate with their supporters (like counselors and parents), search for colleges that match their financial needs, and build a locker of achievements starting as early as 9th grade!
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2. Is the Coalition Application free?
The platform itself is free, but individual colleges may still charge application fees, with many of them offering fee waivers to eligible students.
For example, Harvard College charges students a $90 application fee, but students can request a fee waiver.
3. What’s the Difference Between the Common App and the Coalition Application?
The Common App is the industry standard used by over 1000 schools, while the Coalition App is more selective, being used by over 160 top-tier institutions that must meet a specific criteria for student graduation rates and financial aid.
Furthermore, the Coalition Application via Scoir places greater emphasis on a student’s profile and integrated discovery tools, whereas the Common App is more of a traditional form-filling experience. Many schools accept both, so you can choose the platform that feels more intuitive to you!
4. Why Does the Coalition Application Exist?
As the Common Application grew in popularity, students and school administrators began to report challenges, including website outages that were caused by heavy traffic and concerns that the platform did not adequately serve low-income or under-resourced students. In response, 80 colleges and universities launched the Coalition Application in 2015. Designed specifically to improve access for disadvantaged students, the Coalition Application emphasizes affordability, accessibility, and early college planning.
5. What Colleges Use the Coalition Application?
Currently, more than 160 institutions, including all Ivy League schools, major state flagship universities, and elite liberal arts colleges, accept the Coalition App. These schools are committed to providing substantial financial aid and ensuring that students from all backgrounds receive equal educational opportunities. Check out the list of over 160 institutions here.
6. When is the Coalition Application Due?
Coalition Application deadlines vary per college, but they generally fall around November 1 to15 for Early Action/Decision and January 1 to 15 for Regular Decision, with some colleges having priority deadlines in the late fall. You should check the deadlines of each specific college on their website or within the Coalition Application portal.
7. Benefits of Applying Through the Coalition Application
One of the most significant advantages is the “Coalition Locker,” a private digital space where you can begin collecting your best work as early as 9th grade. Unlike other platforms that feel like a mad dash during senior year, the Coalition App encourages you to store essays, awards, and even multimedia projects over time. This can create a holistic portfolio of your high school journey, ensuring that when it’s time to submit it, you will have a rich experience to draw from.
This platform is built on a foundation of equity and accessibility. Every institution that joins the Coalition must meet rigorous standards, including high graduation rates and a commitment to providing substantial financial aid. This means that by using this platform, you are automatically filtering for schools that are smart choices and providing peace of mind for many students.
Collaboration is also central to the Coalition experience through its partnership with Scoir. The platform allows you to easily invite supporters, such as teachers, parents, or community mentors, to view your progress and provide feedback on your materials before they are sent to admissions officers.
8. 2025-2026 Coalition Essay Prompts
The essay is your chance to stand out and show the admissions officers who you really are. You have six prompts to choose from for the 2025-2026 cycle. Let’s break them down:
Prompt 1: Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.
The question asks you to pinpoint a specific moment from your personal experiences, rather than your whole life story, that reflects your values, ethics, or personality. Focus on “showing,” not “telling.” For example, instead of saying you are a “determined” student, describe the late nights you spent fixing a broken robot or the grit it took for you to learn a new language. The key part is: how did that experience shape you into who you are right now?
Prompt 2: What interests or excites you? How does it shape who you are now or who you might become in the future?
This question is all about your intellectual and personal curiosity. Whether it’s your love for coding, climate activism, or baking bread, you must show the depth of your engagement. Answering the question, “Why does this matter to you?” and using the “future” part of the prompt shows how this interest might evolve in college and beyond.
Prompt 3: Describe a time when you had a positive impact on others. What were the challenges? What were the rewards?
Admissions officers want to see how you’ve contributed to a community through this prompt. It’s not just about your “good deed,” but the friction you’ve encountered and the lessons and realizations you’ve gained emotionally or mentally from the act. Avoid complex narratives by keeping it humble and grounded. For example, you once helped a younger student feel less lonely, or you organized a small local recycling drive.
Prompt 4: Has there been a time when an idea or belief of yours was questioned? How did you respond? What did you learn?
This prompt looks for maturity, open-mindedness, and critical thinking. It explores how you handle conflict and whether you are capable of self-reflection when you are faced with a different perspective. You don’t have to change your mind to write a great essay here, but you do need to show that you’ve listened. The best responses demonstrate a “growth mindset” by showing that you can engage in civil discourse and emerge with a deeper understanding of the world.
Prompt 5: What success have you achieved or obstacle have you faced? What advice would you give a sibling or friend going through a similar experience?
By asking for advice, this prompt encourages you to step into a leadership role and reflect on the lessons you have learned through trial and triumph. If you’re writing about an obstacle, describe the struggle honestly before moving to the resolution. You can show off your wisdom through the advice section: “What is the one thing you wish someone had told you when you were in the same situation?”
Prompt 6: Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.
This option is for students who have a unique story that doesn’t quite fit in the other boxes, or for those who have a stellar essay from a class project that they want to adapt. Freedom might be overwhelming for you, so make sure that your essay still has a clear point. Every sentence should work toward showing a specific facet of your character. If you choose this, you must ensure that the essay is deeply personal and wouldn’t be better suited for one of the specific prompts above.
9. Do Common and Coalition Applications Use the Same Essays?
No, the two application portals have different essay prompts, but they are similar in theme (such as personal growth, challenges, accomplishments, etc.). Here are the Common Application prompts:
Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design
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10. Does Using the Coalition Application Give You an Edge?
Both the Common Application and the Coalition Application are application platforms for students to submit their applications to various colleges. Colleges will take the content of the application into consideration instead of the platform. The choice between the two platforms is dependent on your personal preference. The Coalition App’s unique features, such as the “Locker” for storing materials and its focus on accessibility, can be beneficial when used effectively.
11. Can I Apply to the Same College Using Both the Common App and the Coalition Application?
Students should only submit one application per school, even if the college accepts both platforms. Submitting the same application twice can cause confusion for the college you’re applying to and may lead to delays in terms of admission results.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Submitting Your U.S. College Application via the Common App
12. When Should Students Start Using the Coalition Application?
With the Coalition Application’s competitive edge in early planning, students can start as early as 9th or 10th grade using the Locker.
13. Which Application Should I Choose: Common App or Coalition App?
Choose the platform that best fits your needs, preferences, and application strategy. Colleges evaluate what you submit, not how you submit it, so using one application over the other does not give you an admissions advantage.
14. Aralia’s College Application Essay Writing Program
At Aralia Education, we specialize in helping students find their unique voices and craft essays that stand out in a sea of thousands. Our College Application Essay Writing Program is designed to take the stress out of the process. Our expert consultants will help you:
- Brainstorm the perfect prompt for your unique story.
- Structure your narrative to create maximum impact.
- Polish your prose.
- Manage overwhelming deadlines so you can actually enjoy your senior year!
Ready to write an essay that gets you into your dream school? Check out Aralia’s College Application Essay Writing Program here!
