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Articles / Applying to College / 64 New Colleges Will Accept the Common App in 2021

64 New Colleges Will Accept the Common App in 2021

Joy Bullen
Written by Joy Bullen | July 28, 2021
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College Campus Photo by Ryan Jacobson on Unsplash

Common App Adds 64 New Members for the 2021-2022 Application

What is the Common App?

Common App online application system is a streamlined college application platform that is used by over 3 million applicants, teachers, and counselors each year. The Common App strives to make college admissions easier to navigate, and more accessible for students around the country.

The Common App was first introduced in 1975. Today roughly 921 colleges and universities use the application for their admissions process.

The 2021-22 Common Application opens on August 1, 2021. The Common App has announced some changes for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle, including a new essay prompts and more inclusive questions around gender and citizenship.

The 64 colleges and universities joining the Common App in 2021 are:

  1. Austin Peay State University
  2. Bangor University
  3. Belmont Abbey College
  4. Blackburn College
  5. Charleston Southern University
  6. Chowan University
  7. Claflin University
  8. Clarion University of Pennsylvania
  9. Cleary University
  10. Colorado Mesa University
  11. Colorado School of Mines
  12. Concordia University- Ann Arbor
  13. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
  14. Eastern Illinois University
  15. Evangel University
  16. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
  17. Florida Memorial University
  18. Fort Lewis College
  19. Gordon College
  20. Governors State University
  21. Grace College
  22. Greenville University
  23. Illinois State University
  24. Indiana State University
  25. Indiana Tech
  26. James Madison University
  27. Lebanese American University
  28. Lincoln College
  29. Lincoln University
  30. Madonna University
  31. Manor College
  32. Mississippi College
  33. Mount Saint Joseph University
  34. Northeastern Illinois University
  35. Oral Roberts University
  36. Oregon Institute of Technology
  37. Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
  38. Portland State University
  39. Pratt Institute
  40. Rockford University
  41. Saginaw Valley State University
  42. Saint Augustine’s University
  43. South Carolina State University
  44. Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  45. Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville
  46. St. Mary’s University
  47. Tecnológico de Monterrey
  48. Texas A&M University-Commerce
  49. Texas Wesleyan University
  50. Towson University
  51. University of Alabama
  52. University of Illinois at Springfield
  53. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  54. University of North Georgia
  55. University of Northwestern, St. Paul
  56. University of Saint Katherine
  57. Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
  58. Villa Maria College
  59. Washington State University
  60. Western Carolina University
  61. Western Illinois University
  62. Westfield State University
  63. Wingate University
  64. Worcester State University

View a full list of all 921 of the Common App member schools.

2021 New Common App Member Schools By State

Illinois becomes the first state to requires all public 4-year colleges to use the Common App

The newest Common App member schools are in 24 states and four countries. The new international schools include universities in Lebanon, Wales, and Mexico.

Jenny Rickard, President & CEO of Common App said on the Common App blog,

“Key to our mission at Common App is lowering the logistical and systemic barriers to college access. Thanks to our diverse membership, all students, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to apply to the colleges or universities that will help them achieve their best future.”

As part of a statewide push to increase college access, Illinois is now the first state to require all of its 4-year public colleges to accept the Common Application. Illinois is the state with the highest number of new members; 13 of the new Common App colleges are from Illinois.

Explore colleges in all 50 States in the USA

2021 Common App Colleges by State - New Members 2021:

Alabama:

  • University of Alabama

California:

  • University of Saint Katherine

Colorado:

  • Colorado Mesa University
  • Colorado School of Mines
  • Fort Lewis College

Florida:

  • Belmont Abbey College
  • Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
  • Florida Memorial University

Georgia:

  • University of North Georgia

Illinois

  • Blackburn College
  • Eastern Illinois University
  • Governors State University
  • Greenville University
  • Illinois State University
  • Lincoln College
  • Northeastern Illinois University
  • Rockford University
  • Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  • Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville
  • University of Illinois at Springfield
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Western Illinois University

Indiana

  • Grace College
  • Indiana State University
  • Indiana Tech

Maryland

  • Towson University

Massachusetts

  • Gordon College
  • Westfield State University
  • Worcester State University

Michigan

  • Cleary University
  • Concordia University- Ann Arbor
  • Madonna University
  • Saginaw Valley State University

Minnesota

  • University of Northwestern, St. Paul

Mississippi

  • Mississippi College

Missouri

  • Evangel University

New York

  • Pratt Institute
  • Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
  • Villa Maria College

North Carolina

  • Chowan University
  • Saint Augustine’s University
  • Western Carolina University
  • Wingate University

Ohio

  • Mount Saint Joseph University

Oklahoma

  • Oral Roberts

Oregon

  • Oregon Institute of Technology Oregon
  • Portland State University* Oregon

Pennsylvania

  • Clarion University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania
  • East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania
  • Lincoln University Pennsylvania
  • Manor College Pennsylvania
  • Pennsylvania College of Art & Design Pennsylvania

South Carolina

  • Charleston Southern University South Carolina
  • Claflin University South Carolina
  • South Carolina State University South Carolina

Tennesee

  • Austin Peay State University

Texas

  • St. Mary’s University Texas
  • Texas A&M University-Commerce Texas
  • Texas Wesleyan University Texas

Virginia

James Madison University

Washington

  • Washington State University

International

  • Bangor University - Bangor, Wales
  • Lebanese American University - Beruit, Lebanon
  • Tecnológico de Monterrey - Monterrey, Mexico

New Common App Schools by Region

Of the 64 new Common App schools, 12 are in the Mid-Atlantic region:

  1. Clarion University of Pennsylvania
  2. East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
  3. Gordon College
  4. Lincoln University
  5. Manor College
  6. Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
  7. Pratt Institute*
  8. Towson University
  9. Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
  10. Villa Maria College
  11. Westfield State University
  12. Worcester State University

22 of the new Common App Schools are in the Midwest

  1. Blackburn College
  2. Cleary University
  3. Concordia University- Ann Arbor
  4. Eastern Illinois University
  5. Governors State University
  6. Grace College
  7. Greenville University
  8. Illinois State University
  9. Indiana State University
  10. Indiana Tech
  11. Lincoln College
  12. Madonna University
  13. Mount Saint Joseph University
  14. Northeastern Illinois University
  15. Rockford University
  16. Saginaw Valley State University
  17. Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  18. Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville
  19. University of Illinois at Springfield
  20. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  21. University of Northwestern, St. Paul
  22. Western Illinois University

20 of the New Common App School are located in the Southern United States

  1. Austin Peay State University
  2. Belmont Abbey College
  3. Charleston Southern University
  4. Chowan University
  5. Claflin University
  6. Evangel University
  7. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
  8. Florida Memorial University
  9. James Madison University*
  10. Mississippi College
  11. Oral Roberts University
  12. Saint Augustine’s University
  13. South Carolina State University
  14. St. Mary’s University
  15. Texas A&M University-Commerce
  16. Texas Wesleyan University
  17. University of Alabama*
  18. University of North Georgia
  19. Western Carolina University
  20. Wingate University

7 of the Common App's New Members are in the West

  1. Colorado Mesa University
  2. Colorado School of Mines
  3. Fort Lewis College
  4. Oregon Institute of Technology
  5. Portland State University*
  6. University of Saint Katherine
  7. Washington State University

3 of the New Common App Schools Are International

  • Bangor University (Wales)
  • Lebanese American University (Lebanon)
  • Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico)

Written by

Joy Bullen

Joy Bullen

Joy Bullen is College Confidential's Senior Editor and Head of Content. She is a graduate of Kenyon College, where she majored in English and Creative Writing. She also earned a master’s in Psychology from The New School for Social Research in NYC.

Before becoming a full-time writer and editor, Joy coached thousands of prospective and enrolled college students on admissions and academic and career success. She also managed a team of academic and career coaches and consulted with universities on how to create programs that have better outcomes for students.

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