CollegeNet Sues Common Application

CollegeNet this week sued the Common Application, a non-profit college application system, of anti-trust violations. The Common Application charges member colleges different rates depending on whether they are exclusive or non-exclusive members. The Common Application was accused of preventing rivals from using key services. Currently other application systems cannot integrate Docufide, Parchment, SlideRoom, or Naviance.

The lawsuit got noticed by Bloomberg and Inside Higher Education. CollegeNet is a business that provides a admissions-related products to colleges. Last year the majority of elite colleges exclusively used the Common Application. Those, like Duke and Harvard that also used the Universal Application, had to pay significantly higher rates to use the Common Application because they were not exclusive members. Many colleges do not have finances to cover the higher rates.