{"id":2025,"date":"2017-02-21T15:17:01","date_gmt":"2017-02-21T15:17:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.top10onlinecolleges.org\/?page_id=2025"},"modified":"2023-10-04T20:22:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-04T20:22:41","slug":"what-is-the-common-application","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.top10onlinecolleges.org\/faq\/what-is-the-common-application\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the Common Application?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"WhatThe Common Application is a single application that nearly 700 colleges accept as their application for admission. Sometimes referred to as the Common App, this application allows prospective students to answer the general questions that all schools want to know just once, rather than filling out a different application for each school.<\/p>\n

What You Need to Know<\/h3>\n

The Common App is a great time-saving tool for college applicants. The website<\/a> is very helpful for getting students organized when applying to college. The application asks for your personal information, like name, address, email address and phone number. It will ask for your high school, your extracurricular activities, and your interests. There is a place for you to indicate who you would like to write recommendations for you, and will collect those recommendations for you.<\/p>\n

The Common App also includes essay questions, which are often a source of stress for students applying to college. The essay questions can change from year to year, so you won\u2019t know which questions you\u2019ll be able to choose from until the Common App is available on August 1st before your senior year of high school, but answering essay questions from previous years is a great way to practice your writing skills.<\/p>\n

Selecting Schools<\/h3>\n

The Common App website has tools that will help you decide which colleges you want to apply to, and what their requirements are. There are also \u2018virtual counselors\u2019 who can answer questions and provide guidance.<\/p>\n

The Common App collects the information that all colleges want to know about each applicant, but many colleges want to know more. Many colleges have an additional application, called a supplement, that each applicant also needs to complete. This may include additional essay questions, requests for more recommendations, and other information. You\u2019ll need to submit the Common App and the school\u2019s supplemental application at the same time.<\/p>\n

A Cautionary Tale<\/h3>\n

There is no fee<\/a> for using the Common App, but every college charges a fee to apply. This is where the ease of applying to many schools using one application can come back to bite you. It\u2019s tempting to apply to dozens of schools when it\u2019s so easy to do, but when you remember that each college can charge an application fee of $50 to $100, it makes sense to pare down your list.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Rush<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not called the \u2018college admissions process\u2019 for nothing. It\u2019s a process, and it takes time. Any decision that is as important as the choice of a college shouldn\u2019t be rushed. Fortunately, you don\u2019t have to complete the Common App in one sitting. You can stop, save your work, and return to it later. Just be sure to keep on top of the deadlines for individual schools.<\/p>\n

Ask for Help<\/h3>\n

The Common Application can be confusing, so don\u2019t be afraid to ask for help. If you are a high school senior, your guidance counselor can be a great source of information about the Common App, since they\u2019ve probably seen it many times. Of course, no one should write your answers and essays except you.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n

The Common Application saves time for students who are applying to college, and helps them focus more on providing thoughtful answers to the application questions. The website also includes tools that help students narrow down their college choices, streamlining and enhancing the application process.<\/p>\n

Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n