Common App General Access for Parents

Hi all - My daughter is a rising senior so common app right around the corner. I’d like to do two things, and it is not immediately apparent how I could do so. I admit to not have done much digging, as I figure maybe some here may have already conquered these.

The two things:

  1. Print out and review a hard copy of the common app.

— It is not apparent to me that I can or should create a common app account to review the application. It is also not apparent to me from the website that the Common App organization makes a hard copy downloadable from its site. A brief search turned up a 2015 pdf of the app online, but overall the internet seems very sparsely populated with hard copies of the app.

Is there an easy way to do this? If a kid creates his/her account, can the common app as a whole be easily printed off by them or is it all just online, sequential fillable fields?

  1. Get an idea of the supplemental essay and/or other application requirements of schools of interest.

– I can probably go to each school’s admission website and hunt these down, but does the common app (once an account is created) make it easy to see the supplemental requirements once a kid adds a school to his/her list?

If so and if I can just open an account in my own name, I can open an account, create a list, and review the requirements. Otherwise, is the choice either using my daughter’s account once she creates one or compiling the supplemental requirements one-by-one from each school’s website?

My daughter would give me access to her account and maybe that’s the route to go, but all things being equal I’d prefer and think she’d prefer I not be right in there sharing her account.

Thanks all!

I’m following this thread, I need to know too.

Right before you submit the Common App for any school, it asks you if you would like to save it as a PDF, so you and your child can do that. The supplemental essays are included in that as well.

Thanks much Chatta and anxiousenior. Anxious, I appreciate the reply very much - I am actually just looking to print out a blank copy of the application to review the info needed and questions asked. To the extent the 2017-18 app is not out yet, wondering how to get a blank copy once it is released. Thanks!!!

I’m not quite sure about a completely blank one; however, with regards to your second question about viewing the app for yourself, anyone can make a Common App account, so there is no need to ask your daughter for access to her account. It’s quite easy to see the university specific questions/supplements; all you have to do is add the school and it’s all displayed in the Checklist.

Perfect, thanks so much!

Following as well