Filling out applications for the countless colleges that
you're aiming for can be a mind-numbingly painful and repetitive
process. It often seems like you're just repeating the same
information over and over again. That's where the Common
Application comes in. Because so many schools participate, the
Common Application can simplify the admissions process.
What is it?
The Common Application is a single application for
undergraduate college admission, used by a consortium of
selective colleges and universities. Students have been using the
Common Application for 25 years.
There are currently 230 member colleges and universities, both
public and private, that agree to give full consideration to
applications submitted on this one common form. Not sure if your
target school is one of them? You can find the member list on the
Common Application website, commonapp.org.
How do I use it?
There are two different ways of using the form: on paper or
online. Using the paper form (available in your guidance office
or by downloading from commonapp.org), you complete one Common Application,
photocopy it, and send it to any of the member colleges to which
you want to apply. Using the electronic version, you may either
submit your application via the internet or print it and mail a
hard copy.
Do colleges prefer that I use their own application?
No. All Common Application member colleges and universities
also belong to the National Association for College Admissions
Counseling (NACAC), which requires that members not discriminate
against applicants based on the particular form an applicant
uses. Several colleges even use the Common Application as their
own form.
Is that all?
Well, sometimes. But some colleges require a supplemental form
of their own. At commonapp.org you can access supplemental forms to
complete online and links to downloadable forms on individual
college sites.
For further information, including a Common Application in
paper form, contact the National Association of Secondary School
Principals at 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20190-1537—or
call 1-800-253-7746.
