Application questions: The fee waiver, and the self-reported transcript

Colleges & Universities University of Minnesota
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I plan to apply to UMN via the common app a couple days from now. After filling out the first few questions on the college-specific page (My Colleges → UMN → Questions → General), I got the following message: “Based on your answers to questions on this page, you have automatically received a waiver for the $55 application fee to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Please contact the Office of Admissions if you have any questions.”

The questions I answered to get this message were very basic – which term I am applying for and which state I claim residence in (Washington). My family is not low-income and does not qualify for fee waivers at any other college. Is UMN basically free admissions for everyone? Is there some cutoff date for the free admissions? Is it because I am out-of-state?

My second question is about the self-reported transcript. On the grade-entering page on the common app, it does not list UMN as a school that requires it. Additionally, the UMN website keeps talking about the golden gopher application in regards to the self-reported transcript. If I use the grades section on the common app, is that good enough? Or must I submit them via the golden gopher after I submit my common app?

Bonus question: Is UMN rolling admissions or not? I read threads on here about people who applied in late summer and get their decisions back months ago. On the other hand UMN has an early action date, which is atypical for a rolling admissions school. Does submission date affect chance of receiving a scholarship?

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  1. Not really sure if the fee-waiver expires, but I believe that many out of state students get them. I'm guessing there are certain geographic regions that they'd like to get more applications from.
  2. The self-reported transcript is actually on something called the SRAR (different from the Common App and Golden Gopher App). The link is here https://srar.selfreportedtranscript.com/Login.aspx?pt_ceeb=277AF6C959874A87 Just make sure you link it to your common app.
  3. It is rolling. I would assume that the RD applicants hear back about their decision later than Early Action applicants.

Best of luck!

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^^ Addendum to @cj7runner’s post is that the CA grade-entering page will not be viewed by UMN. You will need to set up an account on SRAR and report your grades through that tool. Give yourself an hour or two for that, and make sure you have a copy of your latest transcript handy so that you report your courses accurately.

OOS has gotten fee waivers in the past. Not sure is that’s everyone or just certain regions. But it happens.

Some RD applicants are starting to hear back already!