Applications Poured into UNC on Colorado Free App Day$, Students Reveal Specific Interests in UNC
December 22, 2021
The University of Northern Colorado received 5,035 applications during the fourth annual Colorado Free Application Day$ event. For the first time this year, free app day extended from one to three days starting Tuesday, Oct. 19 through Thursday, Oct. 21.
Colorado Free Application Days encouraged high school seniors to apply to a college or university and file their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). UNC joined all 32 public universities and several private colleges in Colorado in waiving application fees as part of the three-day event.
Of those who applied to UNC this year:
- 946 identified as a student of color
- 2,166 identified as first-generation
- 3,486 identified as female, and 1,795 identified as male
This year, UNC adjusted the questions asked on its application to learn more about admitted students’ interests. The goal is to use this information to better inform students about resources available at the university. New students will receive personalized emails and recommendations based off of what they submit. The topics students were most intrigued about were campus housing, work study and on-campus employment opportunities, campus dining and campus recreation and wellness.
Statewide, Colorado students submitted nearly 63,000 college and university admissions applications increasing participation from last year’s efforts by 10%. This saved students more than $2.5 million in waived fees, according to the Colorado Department of Higher Education.
By eliminating application fees, Colorado Free Application Days are designed to boost the state’s college-going rate and make progress toward the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s (CDHE) strategic goal to erase equity gaps—the racial disparities in higher educational enrollment and graduation.
