do colleges ever have sales on their application fees?

[solon]

I thought I remember some colleges would have a special 'sale', or period of time each fall, when they waived their application fees, in order to get more people to apply. I can't seem to find any colleges like that now. Is that still a thing?

My son is applying to colleges right now, but if we have to pay a fee ($50-75) for each application, he will be applying to a lot fewer colleges.

[ormaybemidgets]

I haven't heard of that, but when I was applying 10 years ago, some colleges sent fee waivers via mail or email. Or, you can email the contact person and just ask for one. I did that for law school apps, included my GPA and LSAT score, and had a good response.

[mrl]

You'll probably have the best results having your son call the admissions office and ask for an admission fee waiver.

[mm1970]

after I got my SAT scores, I got a bunch of unsolicited mail from colleges, and I'm sure some of them included an offer of "no fee"

I only applied to two schools.  I took my application form into high school because I needed them to attach my transcript.  They mailed it instead of returning it to me, so they forgot there was no check in there.

Magically when Penn State contacted me, the fee was reduced from $35 to $25!

[teen persuasion]

Lots of different options.

If you qualify for free or reduced lunches, you can get a waiver for the SAT fees.  You have to request it from a guidance counselor BEFORE signing up for the SAT.  You get a code to enter when scheduling the SAT.  Once you've got that waiver, it also works to waive application fees at many schools.

Some schools have alum waivers - an alum of the school can request the fee be waived on your behalf.  We learned this one when DS4 applied to DS2's alma mater, and the school suggested it.  DS2 had no idea it was a perk.

Doesn't the Common App charge once (or is free?) and submits applications to multiple schools that use it?  I'm not as clear on how this one works.

E.T.A.: When visiting schools, they often offered free application if you did it then and there.

[better late]

 I understand there may be fee waivers in the mailings from some of the colleges.

[secondcor521]

Doesn't the Common App charge once (or is free?) and submits applications to multiple schools that use it?  I'm not as clear on how this one works.

Not an expert, but I don't believe so.  I think the Common App is just an online platform that makes it easier to apply to multiple schools; the individual schools still charge application fees.  At least I do know that my son is looking at multiple schools that have application fees and accept the Common App.

[Livingthedream55]

My info is over a decade out of date, but I remember some schools sending an email with a fee waiver after we did a tour.

Yes that still happens. At least was true three years ago.

[Rural]

Some waive the fee for applications before a certain date (Oct. 31 is common) when the final application deadline is some time later (like Dec. 31).


But yes, call and ask for a waiver.