Applying for College Using
the Common App

Not every college and university are members of Common Application. Some may require you to fill out their own application form or ask you to use another application system. Add schools that interest you to the My Colleges list in your Common App account.

Some Common Application schools may have different requirements (for testing, essay, letters of recommendation, etc.). You can use the same Common Application form, but admission requirements may differ from school to school.

Almost every application will ask for:

• A copy of your high school transcript
• A list of your extracurricular activities both inside and outside of school
• Test scores and test dates from your college entrance exams (SATs, ACTs, SAT Subject Tests)
• Parent or Legal Guardian information (educational background, occupational information, employer information, etc.)

Generally the application includes seven sections that are divided as follows:

• Profile
• Family
• Education
• Testing
• Activities
• Writing
• Courses & Grades

Your Application Dashboard will show all the colleges you are applying to. And this dashboard also shows the status of each component of your applications. From your Dashboard: Pick an essay topic; Start filling in general information; Ask a teacher or employer for a letter of recommendation.

Most colleges and universities want to get to know more about you when you apply. Besides the typical personal information and educational background, they usually require a personal essay.

When you use the Common Application, you’ll submit one essay for all your schools for which you are applying. Some colleges may ask you to answer a few additional questions.

It is often difficult to choose an appropriate topic for your essay, but the Common App makes it a little easier. You will be given a choice of several “Essay Prompts” to get you started. The list changes each year, but you can see this year’s list when you visit their website.

Start by choosing a prompt that is relevant and meaningful to you. Plan what you want to communicate to the colleges of your choice. Write a draft of your essay ahead of time. Then edit and re-write until you are confident that your essay is true to you and your values, thoughtful, and enumerates your interests, priorities, and passions.

Some of the Essay Prompts, from previous years, have been:

• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure
• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time.
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice.

The best essay topic is one to which you can connect. Choose a prompt that inspires you to share a part of yourself or something important to you, with the college admissions staff at each school on your list.

When you create your Common Application account, you will be presented with your personal dashboard. The icons on the dashboard will indicate your application status for all the colleges and universities you are applying to. A green check means your work has been submitted to that particular college, a yellow circle means your application is still in progress, and a red dash implies that a specific section is not required for admission to that college.

Submit all your application materials by 11:59 PM on the deadline date posted on your Common App Dashboard.