When should I start the Common App?

When preparing to start the Common App, it's important to have your family information, test scores, course grades, extracurricular activities, and other necessary documents ready. Most college applicants begin this process during the summer before their senior year of high school. This is an ideal time to sit down with your parents to create your Common App profile and complete as much of the information as possible together. Once that's done, you should finalize your SAT scores and educational details, such as GPA and class rank, during the first semester of your senior year. Following this approach will help set you up for success.

By the summer before applying to colleges, you should ideally be in your junior year and have already taken some AP exams or SAT tests. The advantage with most colleges is that they allow you to update your scores even after submitting your application. For instance, if you submit your application in the fall, it won't include the AP exams you take during your senior year. To accommodate this, the Common App provides a tab where you can update documents, including test scores. However, it's important not to find yourself in a situation where you haven't taken any exams or have no test scores, as this could put you at a disadvantage.

When setting up a profile on the Common Application portal, there is certain information you may need help from your parents to complete. Details such as your social security number, parents' education, and family income, among others, often require their input. Additionally, going through the "college process" can feel much more manageable and less overwhelming when you involve your parents. While the process can be tedious, utilizing all of your available resources will help you navigate it successfully.

Many students often ask, "How do I start my essay?" or say, "I don't have anything exciting to write about." This isn't true at all. Everyone has unique stories, experiences, and moments that shape who they are. Sometimes, the things we overlook can turn into great essay topics. A helpful strategy for generating ideas is to write down everything you do in a day, no matter how random, and review it at the end to see if anything stands out that you hadn’t considered before. Maybe you drink too much coffee or always put one shoe on before the other. Whatever the case, there's a story for everyone.

While the Common App is the most popular platform for college applications and is used by a wide variety of institutions, not all schools utilize it. For example, the University of California system, technical schools, and colleges with religious affiliations often have their own application platforms. It's important to research each college's specific application process, as they may require different supplemental essays or additional information. That said, if you're applying to most private or public schools, chances are you'll be using the Common App.