Columbia University has just become the last Ivy League school to join the Common Application. Columbia is one of 25 new members, including two popular public universities, the University of Michigan and University of Connecticut. These additions mean that 414 colleges will be using the Common Application this fall. A few prominent universities, including Georgetown, MIT and USC are resisting the trend and keeping their own applications.  In addition to saving students a lot of unnecessary work, the Common Application is easier for teachers and counselors, who only need to submit a recommendation one time.