Common App vs FACTS Enrollment
Common App
commonapp.orgFACTS Enrollment
factsmgt.comSide by side
| Figure | Common App | FACTS Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Admissions Software | 8.7 (#1) | 6.9 (#26) |
| Founded | 1975 | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Arlington, Virginia, United States | Lincoln, Nebraska, United States |
| Integrations | Counselors using a Common App integration partner submit school forms through that partner rather than directly in the recommender system. | Enrollment status updates flow from Application & Enrollment to FACTS Financial Aid Management. |
| Security | The privacy policy says supported browsers use TLS for server authentication and data encryption, and that personal data is stored in the United States. | FACTS states that multi-factor authentication changes for Application & Enrollment were released ahead of an MFA launch scheduled for Q3 2025. |
| Support | Common App directs first-year applicants to online support and provides a separate online support route for transfer students. | FACTS offers existing Application & Enrollment customers concierge enrollment support from its Enrollment Management Specialists. |
Plans
In their own words
Common App
Common App helps students explore colleges, submit applications, and navigate the admissions process. It serves first-year and transfer applicants and lets students explore more than 1,100 Common App colleges. Its first-year guidance covers gathering materials, setting up an account, adding colleges, engaging supporters, reviewing requirements, planning essays, and submitting an application. Accounts can roll over from year to year, and answers in My Common Application can be saved across years. Students who complete a profile may receive non-binding direct admission offers from participating colleges before submitting an application; applying through the program to colleges offering those admissions is free. Otherwise, each college decides whether to charge an application fee and the amount, and many colleges do not charge one. Qualifying students may be eligible for a Common App fee waiver, subject to participating colleges’ policies. The nonprofit membership organization describes its focus as access, equity, and integrity in college admission. Common App is available on web, Android, and iOS. It lists integrations with CRM and SIS providers, school counseling platforms, and embedded services including SlideRoom and UStrive.
FACTS Enrollment
FACTS Enrollment has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.