Common App: Everything you need to know

When students want to apply to graduate school, it can take a lot of time and be frustrating for both them and their parents.
They might have to deal with things like the SAT, visiting schools, tough courses in their last year of high school, studying applications, and paperwork.
The purpose of the app is to try and reduce the barriers that students face when applying to college.
The Common App is a way to make a crucial part of applying to schools easier. It’s accepted by more than a thousand schools, including some from outside the United States.

Even though lots of people use it, some families who aren’t familiar with how to apply to college might find the Common App confusing. This blog is here to help guide parents and students through using the Common App.

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What is the Common App?

The Common App is a group that works with over 900 colleges and universities. They’re all about helping students do well in school by:

• Sharing information with the schools that are part of their group
• Supporting the people who help students
• Making it easier for students to get into college by removing some of the hassles
• Providing services to lots of different groups and students

The Common App website lets students apply to a bunch of different universities at the same time. This means they only have to fill out the same basic information once, like their name, where they live, and what they do for fun.

How to Use the Common App

Here are the steps to follow when using the Common App:

1. Create an Account
   Go to Commonapp.org and click “Start your application” to find out how to create an account and log in. You can also get the Common App mobile app to help you remember things, talk to people who will recommend you, and know when things are due.
2. Choose Your Status
   Choose if you’re a new student or transferring from another school.
3. Provide Your Information
   Fill out your info like name, phone number, email, birthday, where you live, and when you want to start.
4. Complete Your Profile
   Fill out a profile with more details, like about your family, hobbies, and school activities.
5. Add Recommenders
   List people who can send in extra information or letters of recommendation, like teachers or mentors.
6. Select Colleges
   Pick the colleges you’re interested in.
7. Learn Application Rules
   Learn the rules for applying to each school and follow them when you apply.

Latest Common App Essay Prompts

For the 2022-2025 school year, these are the questions you can choose from for your Common App essay:

1. Think about a time you had questions about something. What made you curious, and what happened?
2. Some students feel like they need to talk about an important part of their background, personality, goals, or talents. If that’s you, share your story.
3. Write about anything you want. It could be something you already wrote, a response to a challenge, or something new.
4. Tell about a time you got a surprising favor that made you happy. How did it change you? Did it inspire you?
5. Describe a topic or idea that’s so interesting you lose track of time. Why are you still interested? Who or what do you go to for more information?
6. Sometimes the problems we face help us succeed later. Tell about a time you had a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn?

Not all schools need essays. Some might want you to write an extra essay. You can check what each school wants on the Common App website or your account.

Colleges and Universities Using Common App

Over 950 colleges and universities use the Common App for students to apply. Many big schools, including Ivy League universities, state universities, and some international schools, are part of it.

Some of the well-known schools that use the Common App are:

1. Cornell University
2. University of Chicago
3. Dartmouth College
4. Arizona State University
5. Yale University
6. Columbia University
7. Duke University
8. University of Pennsylvania
9. University of Minnesota Twin Cities
10. Johns Hopkins University
11. Princeton University
12. Stanford University
13. Brown University
14. Northwestern University
15. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
16. Vanderbilt University
17. Harvard University
18. The Ohio State University

Some schools might use their own system, so make sure to check how each school wants you to apply.

Using Common App for Transfer Students

Using the Common App to transfer to a new school is pretty similar to using it for the first time. More than 800 schools let transfer students use the Common App.

Transfer students need to provide more information about the colleges they’ve been to before. They’ll have to say where they studied, when they started, and what classes they took.

Transfer students also need to write an essay.

Disadvantages of Using the Common App

Just like anything else, there are good and not-so-good things about using the Common App. Let’s talk about some of the not-so-good things:

1. It’s Easy to Get Carried Away
   Even though lots of schools take the Common App, you shouldn’t apply to all of them. But it’s easy to forget that and try to apply to a ton of schools at once. It’s important to research and only apply to schools that really match what you want.
2. Less Personalization
   The Common App lets you apply to many schools, but that can make it harder to show your interest in one school or program. This might make it tough for schools to know if you’re a good fit for them.
3. Privacy Concerns
   Because the Common App collects your private information, there’s a small chance that it could get leaked or misused. The Common App does try to protect your info, but there’s always a risk.
4. Technical Problems
   The Common App is online, and like any other website, it can have bugs or go down sometimes. This can be stressful if you’re trying to finish your application.
5. Costs
   Using the Common App is usually cheaper than applying to each school separately, but there’s still a fee. And some schools might have more fees too.
6. Not as Much Customization
   The Common App is used by lots of schools, so it might not let you customize things as much as you’d like. Some schools might have special essay questions that the Common App doesn’t cover.

Expert Tips for Using Common App

• Get mentors who can help you with your application and progress.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to apply. Even if you’re running out of time, it’s better to take your time and do it right.
• Start early and use the Common App preview to check your application before you send it.

Who Should Use the Common App?

Most top colleges and universities accept the Common App, which makes it easier to apply to a bunch of schools all at once. This way, you don’t have to worry about filling out lots of different forms for each school.

Even if your school doesn’t use the Common App, you can still use it to send over things like your high school records and final test scores. This can save you time and effort.

Key Features of Common App

The Common App website has five parts. Usually, you start by looking for schools using the “College Search” option. You can see the schools you’re interested in by clicking on “Dashboard.” This shows your progress and what you still need to do for each school.

Finish the rest of your application, like transcripts, test scores, family info, on the “Common App” page.

Common App Fee Waiver

The Common App and most colleges think that the cost of applying shouldn’t stop any student from applying. If you meet certain requirements, you might be able to get a fee waiver for the Common App.

Go to your Profile on the Common App website and ask for a fee waiver. Your counselor can also help you get one. This waiver will cover the fee for all the schools you apply to.

Conclusion

Lots of students use the Common App to apply to college. With over 900 schools on board, the Common App makes it easier by letting you apply to many schools using just one application. This saves time and lets you apply to more schools. The Common App keeps adding more tools, like tracking your application, getting recommendation letters, and uploading files. Experts are here to help you understand and use the Common App better.

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