Is there any benefit in applying to colleges through their specialized applications?

For the past few months, especially in the last few weeks, I have been getting tons of emails from colleges telling me to apply through their “(Insert Adjective Here) Application”. Most of these colleges contacting me I’ve never considered, but some have crossed my mind. So, would it benefit me in any way to apply through these specialized applications over the Common App or should I just solely focus on the Common App? Thanks!

I’d probably reread the emails. They might waive an application fee or promise an answer back by a certain early date or whatever. Maybe there’s no difference. But everything should either be on their website or in their promotional materials like the emails.

Many offer waived application fees.

Yeah bodangles, pretty much all of them waive the application fee or state there’s no difference. I guess I was just wondering if there would be any specifically competitive advantage in applying through these applications over applying through the Common App.

You’ll get dozens, maybe hundreds of “priority applications” or whatnot – wanting you to submit an app. But if you really don’t want to spend the time to get a real transcript to them (or actually, waste your HS GC office’s time) or spend money to send ACT or SAT to them, why even bother?

Like I said, at the end, you’ll probably get 100s of these offers. Does Joe Bob university want to admit you? Or more truly, your tuition? You bet it does. What does that do for your ego? They’re ads. Actually, many of them can be considered spam ads. Use your time wisely. You’ll be inundated with appeals now for the rest of your life. Learn how to sift through the chaff.