Common App opened today (i.e. August 1) and many students and parents have already started to work on applications or even submit. Take the poll below and let us know where you stand!
The Common App is now open. Are you already planning to submit applications?
Yes, already submitted a few
Have started working on some applications and plan to submit soon
Not yet, but I entered to check on some schools
Did not open Common App yet
0voters
Also, let us know in the comments below your questions and/or tips.
In the meantime, we’ll start by sharing some important things to keep in mind:
Although the app is live, some schools will not appear until September 1 (U. Washington and some of the Ivies are in this group…feel free to list any others that you know of below!)
Schools have until September 1st to finalize their application. Beware, school-specific supplemental essay prompts MAY CHANGE between now and September 1st. Make sure to check the prospective student portal for any updates if you plan to apply before September 1st. Usually, if a school does change a prompt at the last minute, they give students the chance to write and submit the new essay through that portal
Make sure you select the appropriate button to waive FERPA rights for letters of recommendation. Once you’ve make your selection, it applies to all schools, but if you don’t waive the rights, unfortunately you can’t change it later.
My daughter submitted her common app to several schools. I just realized instead of putting her highest ACT composite score she put her super score. Each of the sub categories are correct but her composite is listed as a 29 (her super score) instead of a 28 (highest composite). I have sent official ACT report to most of the schools but they may not receive it before they receive common app. I am wondering if schools ignore self reported scores if official scores are sent. Also worried she will be denied because self reported does not match official.
D24 started filling it out today. In the “honors” section, there was no place for description, only a title. Some online sites mention a description? Is that a change?
Is it better to wait until school starts to submit common app if everything is done other than requesting LORs, official transcripts etc? For example, there are some schools that don’t require additional essays so if common app essay is completed, is it good to go ahead and submit it (SAT scores are also done, not taking anymore)?
Or is there any advantage to waiting until after school starts when students have opportunity to request LORs, official transcripts etc?
S23 found it helpful to assemble and submit a few relatively low stress applications as early as possible, choosing schools with either a known advantage to applying early (example: Pitt) or rolling admissions (example: UMN). Schools like these also frequently don’t require LORs, so the application can be complete right away.
For many EA and RD schools, however, there isn’t an advantage to applying months before the actual deadline. S23 felt that it was helpful to plan ahead to spread out the EA / RD applications, so that he had plenty of time to work on supplemental essays without doing them all at once. After he finished the earliest schools, he also felt that he had improved at writing applications, and revised his common app essay and activities list. He also changed his mind a couple of times about what major he wanted, so it turned out to be helpful that he didn’t submit ALL applications right away with the first major
In general, he felt that spreading out the process lowered his stress and improved the quality of his applications.
On the other hand, some students prefer to get everything done and submitted and finish the process in September. It’s really up to your student how they want to organize the process!
Tried to apply to one college today. Common app says school needs questions answered but they are not available. Their applications opened on Aug 1st. Does this mean their common app isn’t ready?? I think we could apply separately
I have 2 questions on filling the application in Common App:
Q1: Which year should be used to add Summer Courses under the Common App->Courses & Grades->Other Courses section? For e.g. if a summer course was done in the summer of 2021 (June-July 2021), does it count as School Year 2020-21 or 2021-22?
Q2: Also, my daughter did a Geometry course after finishing her Middle School, in the summer before the start of High School, at another private high school. Should that also go in this Other Course section as a Summer Course - even though it was in the summer after 8th but before 9th grade (summer 2020)?
Schools have until Sept 1 to add/change/remove questions and essays on their common apps. It is appropriate for your child to contact their AO and ask when CA will be updated and if they should/could use the college’s own app instead (assuming they have one).
The summer courses are reported in the rising year. Summer before 9th is in 9th grade, summer before 10th is in 10th grade.
My son also took Geometry in summer before 9th. But we had the summer school submit the transcript to his current high school so he could be placed in Algebra 2 in 9th. His Geometry grades are included in his high school transcript so it makes it easier for us.
Do you have a transcript for the Geometry? It would then be reported as summer (9th grade).
Our school’s summer courses end up on transcript under the prior school year so we were advised to list under the same year (eg, course taken summer after sophomore year appears on transcript under sophomore year).
Once you submit an app, the school will provide your student a link to an application portal. That’s where you’ll be notified of the status of your application, including documents received/not received, and ultimately the admission decision.
You will be able to see that the college downloaded the application in the common app.
The student who applied should receive a link from the school (sent via email) to set up a portal. Make sure the student is checking emails daily. Check junk folders too.
The student will have to set up a portal for every school they apply to. The portal will show if the school has received all required materials. All communication will be in the portal, including the admission decision.
One thing to add about the admissions portal - many (most (?)) colleges do not update with optional materials, e.g. additional recs, art portfolios. If you sent, they received.
Should you wait to submit an application till the counselor’s report is in, if your test scores, transcripts and 2 of the 3 required LOR’s are already submitted?
Thank you very much Curium. Apologies for the delayed ack. Thanks, will report it as 9th grade.
Yes, we do have a separate transcript from the other highschool (it was at a private highschool), but the grades are not part of her regular/graduating public high school transcript.
