Side by side

Common App vs OpenEMIS Admissions

Both stand on admissions software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Common App

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+1

Common App brings college discovery and application guidance together for first-year and transfer students. College fees and waiver rules depend on the institutions involved.

Visit Common App

OpenEMIS Admissions covers online application submission, review and enrolment status management. Schools should consider its internet-dependent form and choose between self-installation and hosted workspaces.

Visit OpenEMIS Admissions

The facts

	Common App	OpenEMIS Admissions
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Android, API, iPhone, Web	Self-hosted, Web
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Free or on request
Plans published	2	1
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	commonapp.org	openemis.org
On admissions software	#1 of 29	#5 of 29

Common App: what it does well

Explore more than 1,100 Common App colleges.
Guidance covers key first-year application steps.
Accounts and answers can roll over year to year.
Direct admission offers may precede applications.
Web, Android, and iOS access.

What to know first

Application fees vary by college.
Fee waiver policies vary by participating college.
No free trial is offered.

OpenEMIS Admissions: what it does well

Parents can apply to multiple institutions.
Administrators can approve or reject applications.
Links directly to OpenEMIS Core.
Works in browsers and on connected mobile devices.
Free plan: free.

What to know first

Online application form requires an internet connection.
Supported browser list names Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

Alternatives to Common App Alternatives to OpenEMIS Admissions The whole list