The Common Application announced here Friday that it would no longer require member colleges to use "holistic" admissions in which candidates are reviewed in ways that go beyond numbers, most typically with essays.
The shift is a significant one for the Common Application, which has seen huge growth in membership over the last decade, experienced major technology problems a year ago,and could face difficulties growing if it continued its ban on colleges that don't use holistic admissions, which has been a requirement since the organization started 40 years ago. In the past, Common Application leaders have spoken with pride of the holistic requirement, and used it to distinguish their service from other entities that process applications.
Paul Mott, interim CEO of the Common Application, discussed the change (sort of) in a session at the annual meeting of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. But his comments there were somewhat vague, and some attendees didn't think there was any real change in policy. Via email, Mott confirmed that the policy was changing.
Read more at Inside Higher Ed: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/09/22/common-application-ends-longstanding-requirement-member-colleges-use-holistic