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US: Antitrust claims take the university ‘Common App’ to court

By  |  May 11, 2014

CollegeNET, which services universities with operational technologies, has reportedly filed an antitrust complaint against the Common Application, an organization that allows prospective university students to fill out a one-size-fits-all applications accepted by numerous universities in the nation.

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    According to reports, CollegeNET claims “Common Application has abused its market power in the relevant markets and conspired with its member colleges to impose naked and other restraints on competition,” including price-fixing, non-compete agreements, exclusive dealing, and other anticompetitive practices.

    CollegeNET’s complaint also slams the Common Application strategy that allows students to file copious amounts of forms to increase their odds at getting accepted.

    ”This self-reinforcing increase in volume not only drives increased revenue for colleges, it drives a market misperception created by the artificially higher selectivity rating published by U.S. News & World Report—a misperception that is more valuable to member schools than providing an honest accounting of motives to students, families and the public,” the complaint said.

    Full content: Businesswire

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