This year’s college application process includes two, new platforms.  These are both optional, but worth considering depending on your student and the schools to which he or she may apply.

The Coalition Application
http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/

Introduced last year, this application platform allows students to search for and apply to multiple schools – provided the school are members (49 members schools now; expected to expand to 135 schools soon). It is an alternative to the Common App, and very few schools will require its use exclusively.

Features:

• Locker. Allows students to easily store and retrieve any materials from their high school years that they want to save for their applications.
• Collaboration. Students can invite a mentor or counselor to view and comment on their locker contents and/or application.

Go here for a list of member schools.

ZeeMee platform
https://www.zeemee.com/

The ZeeMee platform lets students submit images and video as part of their application. For schools that accept ZeeMee, it may take the place of a written activity resume entirely.
ZeeMee started with a few schools last year with more coming online for the coming season. (Note that this platform is optional – not all schools will look at your work, even if you send the link.)

To look at examples and details on this option, visit the website above and register for a free account.

The typical ZeeMee submission includes three parts (not everyone includes all three):

1. Meet Me: Film a short video introduction of who you are, what you are passionate about and what you are looking for in a school. It’s best to keep this below one minute (two minutes tops).  And – very important – these should not be professionally filmed!
2. My Story: Include images, videos and documents that detail your history in a visual manner. You can also supply a link to a website highlighting your work in art, photography, music, game design, film, etc.
3. My Activities: Supply images, videos, and documents to show what you have accomplished. Best to focus on three to five activities.

For a list of current ZeeMee partners, click here.

As with most things in the 21^st century, the college application process and associated tools continue to evolve. It’s hard to tell how fast these new platforms and others will gain widespread acceptance, but it’s nice to see more choice for our students in how they share their accomplishments and personal stories.