CommonApp now has more than 500 of the nations colleges/universities on their register. A program that used to provide students with the opportunity to be quite creative and individualistic has fallen far short of that goal. This year CommonApp released a new version of the application and has been plagued with problems ever since for all involved. As different problems are exposed, the company has worked feverishly to find solutions. The problem lies in the fact that students do not necessarily know that there is a problem. CollegeBound strongly suggests that students check back regularly to verify that completed applications have been submitted. A completed application includes the general application, application fee, supplement (if the college has one), and supporting documentation from recommender(s) and counselor, which includes the transcript. The student must also remember to send their official scores from the testing agency.
The Chronicle of Higher Education posts a timely article discussing the affects of the US Government shutdown on the higher education system. All but a handful of colleges and universities receive some sort of federal funding in the form of student financial aid, research grants, federal training programs, etc. Grant proposals are due this week for the next round of research funding and much is on the line. Many of the largest institutions in this country are heavily funded by federal research grants. Another area of concern is access to databases and other technical information housed on government sites. As of this writing the Bureau of Economic Analysis is inaccessible via the internet, posting a shut down for lack of government funding. Although the Chronicle’s article discusses possibilities that affect the fiscal viability of colleges and universities, it does not address the very real ramifications of inaccessibility to information–a very real and present danger.