{"id":26057,"date":"2020-05-04T13:00:42","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T18:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=26057"},"modified":"2020-09-11T20:39:54","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:39:54","slug":"common-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/pre-college\/common-app\/","title":{"rendered":"All About the Common App"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left\"><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h5    avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_heading  avia-builder-el-first  '><h5 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >What is the Common App?<\/h5><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<p>The Common Application (or Common App) is the free online college application used by 800 colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. For many schools you apply to, the Common App is the only application you have to submit.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"  wp-image-26796 alignnone\" src=\"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2019\/08\/Story2KapCTA.jpg\" alt=\"story2-kaplan-admissions-advice-tips\" width=\"592\" height=\"74\" \/><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Common App asks you questions on many topics. In addition to objective data, students also submit essays, activity lists, and other pieces of information that reveal their personal background, academic interests, character, and personality. Even though it\u2019s a standardized form, students can still use the Common App to present a powerful and unique story about themselves.\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h5    avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_promobox  '><h5 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Features of the Common App include:<\/h5><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>College Search<\/strong>, which enables you to search for prospective colleges using criteria like name, state, and your semester entry term.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A <\/span><b>My Colleges<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> section, where you can view up to 20 colleges you\u2019re considering, including any supplements those schools require.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The <\/span><b>Dashboard<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which shows you at a glance what you\u2019ve completed, and still need to complete, for each college.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The actual <\/span><b>Common Application<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> itself.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <strong>Financial Aid Resources<\/strong> section, which connects students to tools and resources to pay for college. In this section, students can get tips on filling out the Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA), which is necessary to apply for need-based financial aid. Students can also connect to scholarship opportunities through a tool called Scholar Snapp.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">\t<div   class='av_promobox  avia-button-no   avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_iconlist '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.story2.com\/kaplan-ultimateguidetothecommonapp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Access Story2&#8217;s\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Guide to the Common App<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. You can also unlock more\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Story2 admissions prep materials for the Common App, essays, and interviews<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, sign up for unlimited office hours, and enroll in live online courses that help you complete your personal statement in just 2 hours.\u00a0\u00a9\u00a0<strong>Story2 2019. All rights reserved.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">\n<\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<p>The Common App is long and can take a while to fill out. To best prepare yourself, you\u2019ll want to make sure you have the following materials before you start:<br \/>\n<div  class='avia-icon-list-container   avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_heading '><ul class='avia-icon-list avia-icon-list-left av-iconlist-big avia_animate_when_almost_visible avia-iconlist-animate'>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue84b' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >A copy of your high school transcript<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>You will be asked to enter your high school grades and current courses, and some colleges may ask you to self-report your entire high school transcript.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue8a5' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >A detailed list of your activities, work, and family responsibilities<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>This will help paint a clear picture of who you are outside of academics. Share things like extracurricular activities, work, volunteer experience, and hobbies. Being as detailed as possible here will ensure you provide admissions committees with a well-rounded profile.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue8a8' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Academic honors and achievements<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>A list of any awards or recognitions you\u2019ve received in high school.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue8c5' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Your SAT or ACT scores and dates<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>You will be asked to self-report your scores.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue840' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Parent \/ legal guardian section<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>You should have your parents\u2019 occupation, employment status, and education level handy. If your parents graduated from college, you will need to provide the name(s) of the school(s) they attended, as well as what kind of degree they earned.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition to the information above, you will be asked to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/college-admissions\/college-admission-the-essay\/\"><strong>write an <\/strong><\/a><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/college-admissions\/college-admission-the-essay\/\"><strong>essay<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and to submit letters of recommendation. Be sure to have identified and asked your recommenders (e.g., teachers, counselors, advisors, work supervisors) far in advance to make sure that they have enough time to write you as strong of a recommendation as possible before the deadline.<\/span><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h4    avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_iconlist  el_before_av_heading  '><h4 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >When is the Common App due?<\/h4><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Speaking of deadlines, you\u2019ll want to make sure you are aware of the Early Action, Early Decision, and Regular Decision deadlines for each of the schools to which you are applying. The good news is that the Common App website lists all of this information for you once you select your colleges. You\u2019ll also want to take note of which schools have Rolling Admissions\u2014these schools begin reviewing applicants as soon as their applications are submitted, even if it\u2019s far ahead of the deadline. For schools with Rolling Admissions, you can increase your chances of getting in the sooner you apply.<\/span><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h4    avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h4 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >When does the Common App become available?<\/h4><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nThe Common App usually becomes available on August 1. Though you can start working on it as soon as it opens, know that schools that have supplemental applications may not make their questions available until later.<br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h4    avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_sidebar  '><h4 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >What does the Common App cost?<\/h4><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nThe Common App is free to fill out, but you will have to pay a fee to submit. This processing fee varies and is set by each individual college.<br \/>\n<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Common Application (or Common App) is the free online college application used by 800 colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. For many schools you apply to, the Common App is the only application you have to submit. The Common App asks you questions on many topics. In addition to objective data, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26619,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[129],"tags":[149,127,146],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26057"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26057"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26057\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33800,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26057\/revisions\/33800"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26057"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26057"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}