Monmouth College Initiative Makes Application Process Mobile-Friendly, Affordable

Students Can Apply with a Smartphone; College will Review Applications with an Unofficial Test Score

by Duane Bonifer

Monmouth, Ill. (08/06/2018) — Monmouth College has taken major steps to ensure access and affordability in the college-application process.

The liberal arts college has launched its own mobile-first application that allows students to apply to the College with the device they carry in their pocket every day. Students can now apply to the college using a smartphone.

"We created this application because we recognize that colleges must serve a mobile-first generation," said Monmouth Vice President of Enrollment Management and Communications Trent Gilbert. "This generation of young people wants a straightforward, no-nonsense way to apply to college. They also have a low tolerance for obstacles that from their point of view unnecessarily complicate the application process."

About 95 percent of U.S. teens report that they either own or have access to a smartphone, and nearly half of teens report that they use the internet nearly constantly.

"A greater percentage of teens have access to the internet through their smartphones than they do through a laptop or desktop computer," said Gilbert. "Creating a truly mobile-centric application process will help ensure that Monmouth remains accessible to the greatest number of qualified students."

Monmouth will continue to accept the Common Application, said Gilbert.

In addition to saving students time on the application process, Monmouth has taken steps to save students and their families money.

Students can continue to apply to Monmouth without an application fee, and the College will also allow students to submit unofficial test scores, which Gilbert said removes "a significant barrier to entry."

"We know that the cost of applying to college can be expensive, and Monmouth is committed to being a place of access and affordability," said Gilbert said. "We understand that as students apply to multiple institutions, the price of applying to college goes up. Therefore we will review a student's application to Monmouth with an unofficial test score."

The third initiative Monmouth has taken is to offer three deadlines to apply to the college.

"This creates a timeline that a busy high school student can use to manage their college-application process," said Gilbert.

Monmouth College

Monmouth College Initiative Makes Application Process Mobile-Friendly, Affordable

Students Can Apply with a Smartphone; College will Review Applications with an Unofficial Test Score

Monmouth College

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