What exactly is the common app?

College Admissions

Our Counselors Answered:

What exactly is the common app?
Helen H. ChoiOwnerAdmissions Mavens

A Centralized Online Application Tool

The Private school Common Application is an online undergraduate first year and transfer application that is currently accepted by over 450 colleges and universities in the U.S. Once students complete and submit the application and Common App essays — it will be forwarded to the schools of the students’ choosing. In addition, the Common App also provides students with access to particular schools’ “supplemental” information requests (essays). Students can submit their answers to the supplements online. School reports, teacher’s recs, and counselor recs can also be submitted online through the Common App.

Annie ReznikCounselor/CEOCollege Guidance Coach

Common App May Be Your Best Friend

For students the “common app” is a streamlined method for submitting college applications to multiple institutions. The Common Application is a non-profit organization formed by admissions officers seeking a way to decrease the college application burden on students. The organization requires member institutions to comply with a set of guidelines regarding application design and review. In recent years, Common Application membership and usage has skyrocketed.

Laura O’Brien GatzionisFounderEducational Advisory Services

The Common Application

This standardized application form is accepted by more than 450 colleges and universities (including a handful of international schools). It is convenient because you enter your main details (including family information, educational information, extracurricular activities and a couple of essays) only once. Many colleges do require a college specific supplementary form in addition to the main form.

Trevor CreedenDirector of College and Career CounselingDelaware County Christian School

What exactly is the common app?

It is one application that over 400 colleges in the country will accept as their application when applying to their college or university. This way you only have to complete one application instead of 10 different ones if applying to colleges that accept it. College like it because it is a lengthy and detailed application. It is online and very comprehensive when it comes to teacher and counselor recommendations. So don’t think it is an easy application but you do only need to do it once if applying to schools that accept it. The only part of the Common Application that will be different for each school is the supplement section. If they ask for supplemental materials, these will need to be completed differently for each college.

Erica WhiteCollege & Career CounselorMiddletown High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app is one application that can be used to apply to mutliple schools.

It makes things a bit easier because you only have to fill out information on where you live, your parents, your current academic courses etc. Each college will have a few sections on the common app that are specific to their requirements: 1) future plans 2) sometimes a supplement (addtional info and/or addtional essay) 3) payment 4) school forms (recommendations)
Rana SlosbergOwnerSlosberg College Solutions LLC

The Common App

The Common Application is a not-for-profit organization that provides an undergraduate admission application. Students can use this application at over 450 member colleges or universities.

Charles Bealcounselorcovina high school

The common answer

The common application is accepted by a large number of colleges as an application that a great deal of colleges agree suits their own needs if they were designing their own college application. It requires a combined effort by the student and their counselor to successfully complete this application

王文君 June ScortinoPresidentIVY Counselors Network

use for over 400 colleges

it is commonly used for private colleges and universities. it has more than 400 schools on board. it allows freshman and trasnfer applications

it is used as universal application to save time and data base management for schools.
Suzan ReznickIndependent Educational ConsultantThe College Connection

The Common Application is a huge time-saver!

The Common Application(CA) is a non-profit organization that offers students the opportunity to apply to more then 450 schools using just one application. Ten years ago, there were maybe one hundred colleges who accepted the CA and they were mostly small private schools. Today, many major universities , including large state schools like Michigan accept the CA. All of the Ivy league schools are now on the CA and many school no longer have their own application. The CA offers the student the opportunity to answer all the key information about: family, education, test scores, activities plus a personal statement that would then be sent to all of his schools.

Rod BugarinFormer Admissions OfficerColumbia, Brown, and Wesleyan University

What exactly is the common app?

Here is my video response to the question.

Lily TrayesFounder and CEOIvy League Placement

What exactly is the common app?

Here is my video response to the question.

Rebecca JosephExecutive Director & Foundergetmetocollege.org

What exactly is the common app?

The common application is a beautiful thing. It helps you apply to more than 500 colleges with one master application. It enables you to complete one application with your vital information, activities, and long and short essay. It also enables you now to send in online teacher recommendations. More than half of the schools also have separate supplements you must submit. So in that way the application is also uncommon. Also remember, you don’t have to submit test scores or grades through the common app. You submit to each college separately and you need to pay each college separately. So keep a chart and keep track of the application, supplements, and payments.

Sarah ContomichalosManagerEducational Advisory Services, LLC

What exactly is the common app?

From their website www.commonapp.org:

The Common Application membership association was established in 1975 by 15 private colleges that wished to provide a common, standardized first-year application form for use at any member institution. With the administrative support of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the organization grew steadily throughout its first 30 years. Now in our fourth decade, the Common Application currently provides both online and print versions of its First-year and Transfer Applications. Our membership of more than 400 institutions now represents the full range of higher education institutions in the US: public and private, large and small, highly selective and modestly selective, and East Coast, West Coast, and every region in between. We have also welcomed our first two international members.
Mollie ReznickAssociate DirectorThe College Connection

What exactly is the common app?

The common application (or common app, as it is often referred) is a universal application that allows you to apply to 500 some odd different schools using a single application. This means that you only have to fill out your personal information, parental information, activities, academic record, etc once and it can be sent to as many schools as you’d like. Most of these schools, however, will have their own supplemental information and/or essays for you to complete as well.

Lora LewisEducational ConsultantLora Lewis Consulting

What exactly is the common app?

The Common App is a single application used by most private schools. If the colleges you’re applying to are Common App members, you fill out one application, write one main essay, upload your school and reference information, and it all goes to every college you indicate. In addition to the main Common App, many school also request that you complete a school-specific supplement, which is also part of the Common Application.

Karen Ekman-BaurDirector of College CounselingLeysin American School

The Common Application

The Common Application is an undergraduate college admission application, sometimes referred to as the “Common App”. Students may use the Common Application to apply to any of the organization’s member institutions, over 450 colleges/universities in the United States and several other countries. In addition to the Common Application for First-Year Admission, there is also a Common Application for Transfer Admission.

Institutions accepting the Common Application may additionally require a “Common Application Supplement,” which asks further questions or requests essays which are specific to that college/university. International students are asked to submit the “International Supplement”, which deals with information relevant to the student’s international status. One advantage to using the Common Application is that a student may apply to an array of institutions while only having to fill out the one application form (with any required supplements). The application includes objective criteria, such as grades, class rank, and standardized testing, as well as subjective areas – essays and guidance counselor and teacher recommendations. The Common Application may be filled out online and submitted at one time to all of the institutions to which a student is applying, with each school receiving the same information. Once the application has been submitted to colleges/universities online, the information which has been sent cannot be changed for those institutions, so proofread carefully before clicking “Submit”. If a student wishes to correct a mistake or to provide more information after the application has been sent, each of the relevant colleges must be contacted directly. Other components of a student’s application, such as supplements, payments, and additional school forms, may also be submitted and tracked through the online system.
Nancy MilneOwnerMilne Collegiate Consulting

What exactly is the common app?

The Common App is a standardized on line form used by over 300 colleges. The beauty of this invention is that you no longer need to enter the same information for each school. Just complete the application once and then indicate the schools you would like to receive the application. The downside is that students find it easy to apply to more schools than is really necessary/reasonable.

Bill PrudenHead of Upper School, College CounselorRavenscroft School

What exactly is the common app?

The Common Application is standardized application form for undergraduate admissions use by institution across the country. Intended to reduce the burden of repetitive paperwork that can be a part of the process, the Common Application has helped streamline the process tremendously over the course of its almost 40 year history. Applicants are able to fill out a single copy of the Common Application and then submit it to as many of the large number of participating schools (while the originasl associaotn had 15 founding schools, over 450 schools now use the Common App) as they wish. At the same time, schools are also able to require the completion of a more individualized supplement (generally it involves additional essays) so as to garner additional information that they need to make their admission decisions.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Lynda McGeeCollege CounselorDowntown Magnets High School

What exactly is the common app?

The common app, which can be found at www.commonapp.org, is one basic application that can be used to apply to hundreds of colleges accross the country. It allows a student to apply to a variety of schools without having to input the same basic information over and over. it also allows teachers and counselors to input letters of recommendation one time for all the schools without having to mail them separately. Many of these schools will also have a supplement portion, which will have either an extra essay (or two or three) and short answers to get more personalized information from you. Some of these supplements take nearly as long as the common application to complete, but this is not the norm. As more and more schools decide to use the common app, students are finding that they have the time to apply to a wider variety of schools, and having options to choose from can help students make a better decision about where to enroll.

Reecy ArestyCollege Admissions/Financial Aid Expert & AuthorPayless For College, Inc.

What exactly is the common app?

It’s found at commonapp.org & used by over 400 colleges, some of which use it exclusively.

Angela ConleyCollege Admission ExpertVentureForth

What exactly is the common app?

The CommonApp is the easy way to submit your credentials to some 500 or so colleges and universities. Used by the vast majority of the highest ranked colleges and universities, the CommonApp provides a one-stop portal wherein students can upload the very important application essay and if one chooses a resume. In addition, there exist the means for students by invitation to have guidance counselors and teachers upload their applications. In many cases colleges offer a waived application fee to those who submit via this portal. The CommonApp is also a website, so I encourage students to use cut and paste software so as to proof, review and insure their responses correspond to the supplements, and other arenas word or character limits. Because of the CommonApp, many more students apply to college finding the one-stop process inviting. However, be warned that users should employ consistency in the names, dates and passwords used. It is NEVER wise to create two CommonApps. Ease and insight characterize the approach one should apply using this application site. Also, check before creating your portal access and not every college participates in their site.