common app education section

The Common App: Everything You Need to Know

The Common App makes it easy to apply to multiple colleges and universities.

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Students need to give themselves at least six weeks to get everything they need for college applications.

Applying to college can be a tedious and stressful process for students and their parents. In addition to doing the research and paperwork associated with applications, teens may also be juggling the SAT or ACT , college tours and a tough senior year course load.

The Common Application, which is accepted by more than 1,000 schools, including some colleges outside the U.S., helps streamline an essential part of the admissions process for students.

Through the platform, first-time and transfer applicants can apply to multiple colleges at once. So students only have to fill out details that most schools require – such as name, address and extracurricular activities – one time.

"The idea behind the Common App is to try and reduce the barriers that students face when applying to college ," says Jenny Rickard, president and CEO of Common App, the nonprofit that manages the application.

Despite its popularity, the Common App may be confusing for some families who are new to the college application process . The guide below can help ease students and parents through the application.

When Can I Start Working on My College Application Through the Common App?

The new edition of the Common App opens Aug. 1 every year. Given the variance in college application deadlines, students should pay close attention to when they need to submit their materials.

For example, students who are applying for early action or early decision may need to submit an application in November or December, whereas the regular decision deadline is more likely to be Jan. 1. Prospective students should treat these ranges as a general rule of thumb and check with individual colleges on deadlines.

Students don't have to wait until Aug. 1 to get started on the Common App. They can create an account at any time and transfer their information into the new app when it opens. College admissions counselors suggest students start completing application tasks as early as possible, including during the summer before their senior year.

"Don’t wait until the deadline day to complete your application," says Keri Risic, executive director of admissions at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities. " You may have questions or need help that may not be possible at the last minute."

How to Complete the Common Application

Here are steps for how students can work on an application through the platform:

• Go to commonapp.org and click on the "Start your application" button to get details about how to create an account and log in. Students also can download the Common App's mobile app to keep track of deadlines, invite recommenders and set reminders.
• Choose the first-year student or transfer student option.
• Add user information such as name, email, phone number, address, date of birth and prospective enrollment year.
• Fill out the user profile with requested details on education, extracurriculars, demographic data, household information and more.
• Add collaborators such as teachers, counselors and others providing letters of recommendation or other supporting documents.
• Search for and add schools to "My Colleges."
• Get familiar with each college's application requirements and follow those accordingly when applying.

How Long Does It Take to Fill Out an Application?

The time it takes to fill out an application varies based on a school's requirements, experts say. However, students need to give themselves at least two months to complete their college applications, says Christine Chu, a premier college admissions counselor with IvyWise, an education consulting company.

That includes time to fill out background information, gather the required documents, and write the personal statement and any supplemental essays that might be required by schools. Applicants can find the various writing requirements for each school in the Common App's Student Solutions Center.

"Given the increase in the number of applications for some students and the number of supplemental essays that students have to write, I would suggest even longer to work on all the essays," Chu says. "Writing is an iterative process, and with revisions, which take time, students can write good essays."

In addition to any optional parental information needed – such as employer details and educational background – many schools require first-year applicants to submit recommendation letters and transcripts. Students need to give teachers and counselors enough time to submit those materials to the Common App before deadlines.

High school counselors encourage students to ask their teachers for recommendation letters before the end of their junior year so that educators can work on them during the summer. Seniors who need recommendation letters should ask for them early in the school year, experts say.

What Are the Common App Essay Prompts and Where Can I Find Them?

There are seven Common App first-year essay prompts for the 2023-2024 school year, and they are the same as the ones used for the 2022-2023- application. Students need to choose only one prompt.

The prompts ask students to, for instance, "reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea" or "discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth." Applicants have a maximum of 650 words for the essay.

An optional non-essay question added in 2020 on how the coronavirus pandemic affected students will remain on the Common App this year. Answers to this question are limited to 250 words. Roughly 14% of all applicants in the 2022-23 admissions cycle provided a response to the COVID-19 question, per figures provided by Emma Steele, director of media and external affairs for Common App.

Not all schools require students to submit an essay . And some institutions may require students to submit a supplemental essay or additional information. Applicants can see the requirements for all schools on the Common App when they log in to their student accounts or download a PDF from the Common App's website.

Applicants can also preview supplemental questions for schools before they start their applications through the platform's Student Solutions Center.

What Should I Do if I Run Into Problems With the Common App?

Students who have questions about filling out the application can ask their high school counselor and admissions officers at the colleges they're applying to for help, experts say. Common App provides resources in English and Spanish for counselors and those writing recommendation letters.

The Common App also has a variety of resources for applicants to help make the application process easier, such as financial aid and scholarship information.

In addition to video tutorials throughout the application, the platform has year-round technical support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Applicants can find answers to frequently asked questions or submit a question in the Student Solutions Center. Response times vary, but the average wait time is 20 minutes, according to Common App representatives.

"Don’t be afraid to ask questions of each school’s admissions representatives," Risic says. "They are there to help you as you work through your applications."

Can I Get Fee Waivers for the Common App?

The Common App is free to use but individual schools can charge application fees, which students pay when they submit their applications. About half of member schools don't charge application fees for first-year students, according to data provided by the organization.

Applicants who qualify for fee waivers – those who meet the standards set by the National Association for College Admission Counseling – will be able to make that known through the application.

"A student only needs to indicate that they have financial hardship once in the application, and that fee waiver can be applied to any school they apply to," Rickard says.

Students who have questions about whether they qualify for fee waivers can reach out to their high school counselors or directly to the colleges that they are applying to, experts say.

What Tips Can Make Filling Out the Common App Easier?

Don't wait until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 1 to finish applications as some students do, experts say. Schools will still accept applications that are a few minutes late, according to Common App representatives, but the stress that comes with fighting against the clock – and the increased potential for typos and other mistakes – isn't worth it.

Besides starting early, experts encourage students to take advantage of the Common App preview that allows students to review their application prior to submission.

Students can also assign advisers who can see parts of an application and the progress they've made.

Do I Have to Use the Common App to Apply to College?

Students are not required to use the Common App. While the platform is popular, it isn't the only one for college applications.

Many schools allow students to apply online through their websites. Some states have application systems that students can or must use in order to apply to colleges. For example, Texas has a statewide system for submitting applications, though some Texas schools also accept the Common App.

Some well-known private institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., accept applications only through their school websites. Many other competitive colleges and universities, such as Harvard University and Amherst College , both in Massachusetts, accept applications through the Common App.

Other platforms accepted by some schools include the Coalition Application and the Common Black College Application , which serves historically Black colleges and universities. Many schools that use those platforms also use the Common App.

Do Colleges Care if I Use the Common App or a Different Platform?

Colleges that allow students to submit applications through multiple platforms don't have a preference on which one is used, but high school counselors might. The Common App's integration with Naviance, a college and career readiness software provider, makes it easy for counselors to submit documentation for colleges, experts say.

But students should submit one application per college using the platform that works best for them.

“As a student selects which application platform to use, we recommend they think about their full list of schools and consider what each school requires for an application," Risic says. " Going in with that information could help them streamline their application approach and reduce some of the stress we know students feel at this stage."

How Does the Common App Work for Transfer Students?

The transfer portion of the Common App works in much the same way as it does for first-time applicants, with some differences. More than 600 schools accept the Common App for transfer.

Unlike first-time applicants, transfer students will have additional information to submit from colleges attended. The Common App asks them to list any college or university attended, dates of enrollment, college coursework completed and GPA.

An essay for transfer students is also required. Common App updated the transfer essay requirement last year, making the question prompts the same as for first-time applicants.

Changes for the 2023-2024 Common App

There are several updates in the 2023-24 Common App, including information related to gender identity and race. Common App will add "X or another legal sex" as an option in addition to "female" and "male." This change follows the 2022-23 addition of “Mx.” and “other” options for counselor, parent, recommender, teacher and advisor prefix options. It also added “legal” to the first/given name question label during the previous admissions cycle.

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down the use of race in college admissions decisions , Common App "will provide its member colleges the option to hide the self-disclosed race and ethnicity data on the application," according to the website .

Common App also added nearly 50 new member colleges and universities, including 15 minority-serving institutions, to its platform.

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College Application Process

• Use the Common App to Apply to College
• How to Complete a College Application
• What Colleges Look for In An Application
• Avoid These College Application Mistakes
• Tips for Choosing a Major

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A Guide to the Education Section of the Common App

Gelyna Price

Head of programs and lead admissions expert, table of contents, how to navigate the education section on your application., additional questions in this subsection, section: current or most recent year courses, the honors section, community-based organizations, future plans.

Stay up-to-date on the latest research and college admissions trends with our blog team.

Navigating the education section of the Common App can be daunting. Our blog provides a comprehensive guide to help you effectively highlight your academic journey. Discover expert tips on accurately reporting your courses, grades, and achievements. Learn how to showcase your academic growth and highlight your strengths. Whether you’re a high school student or a transfer applicant, our blog offers valuable insights to make the education section of the Common App shine. Explore our guide now and maximize your chances of getting noticed by top colleges and universities.

The Common Application , or the Common App, is used by many colleges and universities in the U.S. Unifying many applications into a single platform allows students to apply to several schools with one application. The Education section of the Common App is where students provide information about their high school academic courses and performance. 

This section is one of the most crucial parts of the application. From your class rank to the classes you took to the grades you earned, this information will give colleges a detailed look at your performance as they decide whether to invite you to join their next class of students.

After four years of a high school academic career, there’s a lot of information to sort through, and you will need to enter it by hand before it gets copied to all of the colleges you choose to apply to. 

However, this is one of the biggest benefits of using the Common App — you can save a lot of typing and time since just about every college asks for the same information.

Before You Begin Filling Out Your Application

Before you sit down to begin this long (but important) task, you must gather all the pertinent data from your school records. You’ll find that you need to know things, like what a weighted GPA is in comparison to an unweighted GPA. You’ll also need to learn the answer to the question, “What is class rank reporting?”  

Go over everything and clarify anything that isn’t clear to you. You can’t afford to fill out any part of the Common App incorrectly, whether it’s your extracurricular activities or your class rank reporting. If you’re unclear about anything, you should seek help sooner rather than later.

Getting Started with the Education Section of the Common App

To get to the Education section, log into your Common App account , click on the “Common App” tab, and proceed to the left side of the screen, where you’ll click “Education.” This section is split into nine subsections, so you’ll need to click on each of them to open them up. 

You’ll be guided through questions that cover a wide array of details regarding your high school career and educational history, including where you went to school, your class rank reporting (meaning where in your class you rank grade-wise), and how you did in your classes.

Section: Current or Most Recent School

This part of the Common App is where you provide information about the school you have most recently attended or currently attend. You’ll begin this section with this information and additional facts requested about the school. 

One of the great things about the Common App is that it has a built-in database of high schools you can look through to easily and quickly choose yours. When you do, the correct information is automatically filled in for you.

When you start this section and are ready to search for your school, you’ll see various search options in the top box. You can search for your school by:

• School name

The CEEB code is a numeric code that is assigned to each school by the College Board. When you select this field, you’ll see the results appear. Scroll through the list to find your school and click on it, then click “continue.”

At this point, you’ll see your school and its contact information added instantly to your Common Application. If you make a mistake and need to change the school you chose, just click “remove” or “change” under the school’s name and repeat the search steps.

What If You Don’t See Your School or You Were Homeschooled?

If you’re a member of a widespread homeschooling organization, there may already be a listing for it with the Common App, so use the search function to check. If it’s not there, or if you weren’t homeschooled as a part of an organization, simply choose the “Homeschooled” option and enter your information accordingly.

If you went to a high school but don’t see it on the search screen, make sure you haven’t made a mistake; type in more than just the first word or two of the school’s name because the search function can be fickle. Use the school’s formal name, not a nickname or abbreviated name.

If you’re absolutely sure your school isn’t listed, scroll to the bottom of the list and choose “I don’t see my high school.” Then, just enter the requested information manually.

Once you choose your school, you must fill in some additional information, including:

• Details about your school counselor 
• Date of entry (when you began attending this school)
• Whether it’s a boarding school
• Whether you did or will graduate from this school

Much information is requested regarding your counselor, from their title to their prefix to their contact information. If you don’t have a school counselor, use the information of the person who oversaw your education the most.

Section: Other Schools

Here you can enter information about other schools you’ve attended during your high school career. The first questions you see will ask you to indicate the number of other schools you’ve attended. If the answer is none, you won’t need to answer any additional questions and can move on to the next section.

If you do fill it out, here’s how. You’ll enter the number of other schools you’ve attended, making sure not to count your current one. Use the search feature to fill in school information from the Common App database, just as you did for your current school. You will also add the dates you attended each other school under each listing as applicable.

Section: Colleges and Universities

This section in the Common Application will ask about any universities, institutions, or colleges you have previously attended. You must fill this section out if you took any college-level classes at a university or college while you were still in high school. 

However, if you took International Baccalaureate (IB) courses or Advanced Placement (AP) courses during high school, they would not be considered college courses in this context.

The first item in this section asks you to indicate the number of colleges or universities where you have taken courses. If the answer is none, you can skip the rest of this particular section.

If you have taken at least one college course during high school (excluding AP and IB classes), you’ll choose the number of colleges you attended using the provided drop-down menu. The maximum number of colleges you can add is three. Remember that this number should represent the number of colleges for which you took classes, not the number of courses you took.

If you indicate that you did take classes at one or more colleges, a list of questions for each of those colleges must be answered next. You will input information about the following:

• The name of the college (use the college lookup feature, similar to what you did for high school lookups)
• The date you started attending the college
• The date you stopped attending
• The degree you earned, if any, from the college

Remember to repeat the steps and fill in this information separately for each college you attended.

Section: Your Grades

In this portion of the Education section of the Common App, you will provide information about your high school academic performance. This includes your GPA, class rank report, and more. When you begin this section, you will see several questions. 

It’s likely you won’t know all the answers off the top of your head, but it should be easy for you to get them from officials at your school. In other words, if you’re unsure about what a question is asking or you don’t understand particular answers in the context of your high school, make sure to ask your school counselor.

Cumulative GPA

This is the GPA you earned throughout high school, so make sure to enter it just as it appears on your most recent grade report. Your GPA, or grade point average , is a numerical representation of all your high school grades. 

Each school uses its own grading system for figuring grade point averages, so you will need to enter the number of points on the scale your school uses from the provided drop-down list. This could be anywhere from four to 100, depending on your school.

GPA Weighting

Each school also uses either a weighted GPA system or an unweighted one, so you will need to enter the correct information about this in this section. A weighted GPA system awards extra points for honors, AP, and IB courses. If you don’t know which system your school uses, make sure to ask a school official. 

Class Rank Report

What is class rank reporting? It details how your school ranks students and what your rank is among all the students in your class. The drop-down menu will give you choices to indicate whether your school uses one of the following methods to rank students:

• By quartile
• By quintile

Your school counselor is a good person to go to for help answering this part if you don’t already know it. Some schools do not track rankings, so the question “What is class rank reporting?” is irrelevant. If your school doesn’t track rankings, simply choose “none.” 

Class Rank Weighting

If your school does class rank reporting, meaning it ranks students from highest to lowest using GPA, you must next answer whether your school uses weighted or unweighted rankings.

Graduating Class Size

Here you will simply input the number of students who will graduate along with you as part of your class. This number typically changes from time to time, but you can use the number that is current on the date when you complete the Education section.

In this part of the Education section of the Common App, you will give details about the most recent classes you’ve taken (or are currently taking) in high school. 

If you’re not currently in high school, list courses from your most recent academic year. The Common App then asks how many courses you want to include from the drop-down menu. You’ll need to enter information for each of these courses.

You will also see a statement that asks you to select the course scheduling system your school uses. This just asks you to choose whether your school uses quarters, semesters, or trimesters in how it splits up the school years.

For each course, you’ll enter the full name, the designation (whether it’s honors, for example), and the schedule for the course.

This section allows you to describe as many as five academic honors you’ve earned. This can include anything from honor rolls and summer programs to academic awards and scholarships you’ve received.

Here you will describe local organizations that have helped you with the college application (if any). These can be Questbridge, the Boys and Girls Club, or others. 

Start by stating how many organizations gave you free assistance. If there are none, you are finished with this section. If there are some, you must provide the requested information about each one.

This final part of the Education section asks two questions about your educational and career goals. The first question concerns your career interest, so choose one from the drop-down menu. The second question requests that you choose the highest degree you plan to earn. 

It can be stressful to answer such big questions about your future plans, but don’t worry! Your answers do not bind you to anything or force you to commit to anything permanent. Don’t hesitate to choose “undecided” if that’s the answer that you feel most comfortable giving.

Finishing Up the Common App Education Section

Once you’ve gotten through this section, you are to be congratulated! You have entered a lot of important information. Keep in mind that if you’re not happy with your grades, the Common App does give you many chances to shine a light on other areas of your high school career in which you’ve been successful!

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Common App Questions: Step-By-Step

You probably know already that applying to college is complicated. On top of the laundry list of Common App questions to answer, you will have to write at least one 650-word essay. But maybe more essays if you’re applying to competitive colleges. Also, you’ll have to get recommendation letters from teachers and your high school counselor. The whole process is time-consuming, overwhelming, and stressful. 

Above all else, you must fill out your college application correctly. Any number of mistakes can be costly in terms of reduced admissions chances and merit scholarships.  So, you’ve guessed it! The college application is a big deal. And with the Common Application, also known as the Common App, you can apply to up to 900 colleges.  

To help you work through the Common App, start with this step-by-step resource guide. Here, you’ll learn about each part of the application, one question at a time. Also, know why the Common App asks each question and how to best answer each one accurately for maximum admissions and merit aid consideration. 

Keep reading below to access the guide , which was created for informational purposes only. If you have specific questions, consult the official Common App website  to complete and submit your application.

The Common App Questions: First-Year Applicant

To start your Common App application, visit  commonapp.org  to create an account. You’ll input basic demographic information and choose a username and password. Make sure you keep it somewhere safe. You can download My College Tracker , an excel spreadsheet to keep deadline dates, materials, and passwords organized.

This photo was taken by a screenshot from commonapp.org.

Start here. The College Search tab is where you can look up colleges that you want to add to your “to apply” list. After you look up and add these colleges, they will be visible in the Dashboard and My Colleges tabs. 

You can search for the college by name or city . 

 This photo was taken by a screenshot from commonapp.org.

Also, you can apply more filters and search by:

• Country , drop-down menu for you to select your country.
• State , drop-down menu for you to choose your state.
• Distance  from your zip code.
• Term , fall 2024, spring 2024, or another start date in 2024.
• Deadline , where you can enter a specific date.

The filter feature can help if you want colleges with specific application features on your list. This feature makes it easy to find schools that meet the criteria you are looking for, such as:

• Application fee,  if there is no fee for domestic applicants or no fee for international applicants.
• Writing requirements , if the Common App general essay is required or additional supplemental essays.
• Standardized test policy  if you’re looking for colleges that range in their consideration of scores (e.g., SAT and ACT scores).
• Letters of recommendations , if they are required or not required. 

Make sure you confirm that you’ve selected the right college by checking its address and website information. For example, there would be nothing worse than applying to St. John’s University when you meant to apply to St. John’s College.  

You can also look up the application requirements for all Common App colleges by visiting  this link .

The Dashboard tab is where you will see the colleges you added in the “College Search” tab. Detailed for each college on your list is:

• College name
• Deadline , which will be determined by the Admission plan that you choose. You’ll need to go into the “Questions” part of your college and select a term and plan (e.g., Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision, etc.) 
• Application status  relates to the Common App questions, college-specific questions, recommendations, and completion of  FERPA certification .
• Writing supplement status,  if required by your schools. Not all schools will require a writing supplement. But always check several times as colleges have been known to add supplemental essay requirements well into the fall semester.
• Writing requirements  (supplemental essays and short answer responses)

After you submit your application, you’ll be able to see when the college has accepted and view your application.

A word of caution:  The Common App questions are consistent and will not change when the online form goes live on August 1. College questions, however, may change. Make it a habit to check the dashboard frequently just in case the college adds additional essay questions. You don’t want to be at 10:59 PM on October 31 and see that you missed a 250- or 500-word essay question!

The Common App questions in the personal information section is where you will provide your legal identifying information and basic demographic details. The Common App questions are asked in this section to track who is applying to colleges. You must make sure this information is accurate and matches other legal documents that you have, such as your Driver’s License and high school transcripts. Any discrepancies could lead to processing delays or application confusion. 

The information you will provide is as follows:

• First/given name  (Your legal first name on your birth certificate, Social Security Card, HS Transcripts, etc.)
• Middle name*
• Last/family/surname  (Your legal last name on your birth certificate, Social Security Card, HS Transcripts, etc.)
• Suffix*  (Jr, Sr, III, etc.)
• Preferred name*  (Your nickname or another name you use)
• Pronouns* (He/Him, She/Hers, They/Them,  or add another pronoun set)
• Have you ever used any other names*? (You may have something to enter here if you changed your name due to marriage or adoption)
• Sex*  You can select: Male, Female, Non-binary, or add another gender.
• Gender Identity comment*  (Answer if you do not identify with either of the options referred to above and you’d like the colleges to know your preference).
• Date of birth

*Not required

• Address (the primary place you live and receive mail)
• Alternate Mailing Address* (if you live between two households, in the case of divorced parents, you may provide a second address, where you are more likely to be, but you still want a primary address on file.)
• Preferred Phone (Provide the phone that will most likely be picked up if the college calls).
• Preferred Phone Number
• Alternative Phone * (e.g. your personal mobile phone number, so the college can reach you)
• Alternative Phone Number*

* Not required

Many Common App questions in this section are optional. What the Common App questions are looking for here, on behalf of colleges, is to capture the applicant pool’s diversity in terms of race, religion, ethnicity, and military service. This information is self-reported and may come with favor for colleges looking to diversify their campuses. As such, you’ll need to certify that you’ve answered the questions to the best of your ability.

• Legal Sex  (This is required regardless of how you answered in the first part).
• Religious Preference*
• US Armed Forces Status*
• Hispanic/Latino*
• Racial Identity*
• White Background*
• Confirmation (to certify you’ve answered to the best of your ability)

The Common App asks questions about geography because it is believed the geographic diversity improves a college’s perceived selectivity and speaks to the reach the college has in the world. Students from rural parts of the United States (e.g. Wyoming, Dakotas, etc.) will be favorable here. Also, students from the far stretches of the earth (i.e. Syria, Ghana, etc.), who can bring a unique background and perspective to campus may also be favored by colleges who value such geographic diversity.   

• Birth country/region/territory (e.g. U.S, China, India, etc.)
• City of birth (e.g. Chicago, New York City, Detroit, etc.)
• State/Province of birth (e.g. Illinois, New York, Michigan)
• Number of years lived in the U.S. (the total number of years you’ve lived in the U.S. since you were born.)
• Number of years lived outside of the U.S. (Number of years you’ve held residence outside of the U.S.)

The Common App asks you to report on the languages you’ve studied and learned and those you read, write and speak proficiently. If you’ve taken a language throughout high school, this is the place to identify your proficiency. For colleges who value diversity, language is another strong component and indicator that you’re a student with an expanded worldview and perspective.

• Number of languages you are proficient in
• Select Language(s) – you’ll have to name each language you’re proficient in, as well as selective the level of proficiency explained in the next section.
• Level of proficiency. Your options are: first language, speak, read, write, spoken at home. Many students get stuck here. The rule I follow is to ask yourself if you’ve taken 3+ years of a foreign language and traveled to a country that speaks that language and read, spoke, or wrote it with ease. If the answer is “yes,” then you can identify this language as the one you’re proficient in.

In this section, you identify if you are a U.S. citizen. This will determine if your application will be reviewed as an International Student applicant or U.S. Citizen applicant. The citizenship question is related to how tuition will be charged and the aid you’re eligible for. International students may not get the “in-state” price and may not qualify for certain types of financial aid and scholarships.

Citizenship Status  

• Select U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. If you were born in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Swains Island; if you are a naturalized U.S. citizen; or if you were born abroad, but one or both of your parents is a U.S. citizen, you will choose this option. Once you choose this option, you will be prompted to provide your Social Security number. Although not required, if you plan to apply for financial aid, then you’ll need to disclose it.  
• If you select “US Permanent Resident,”, you’ll have to specify your country of citizenship and upload your Green Card, provide your Alien Registration Number, and its expiration date.
• If you select “US Refugee,” you’ll have to specify your country of citizenship.
• If you select “Other,”  you’ll have to select the country in which you are a citizen. Also, you’ll be asked if you hold a U.S. Visa.
• If you do hold a U.S. Visa, and know the type, add from the options.
• If you do not hold a U.S. Visa, do not plan to get a U.S. Visa, or are not sure, you may want to select “I don’t know.” 
• In any of these scenarios, the best option is to discuss with your  parent(s) or guardian(s) to make sure you choose the right option to avoid any application delays or confusion.

At the submission stage of your application, the Common App will prompt you to submit an application fee.  The fee can range from $35 to $90 for each college’s application. Fees quickly add up if you have a long list of colleges. The good news is that most colleges offer fee waiver options for those who financially qualify.

If you believe that your family does not have the fee to submit your application, here’s where you can request a fee waiver. There is a link where you can find out if you qualify. Eligibility requirements include:

• having free/reduced lunch, 
• being enrolled in a TRIO program (e.g. Upward Bound), 
• receiving public assistance, getting an SAT or ACT waiver, or 
• being a ward of the state or orphan.

The Common App wants to understand your family composition and living circumstances. This can give colleges context and point to factors that may have helped or been barriers to your college journey.

Before you get started, you’ll need to spend some time gathering information about your parent(s) or legal guardian(s), such as but not limited to where they work, position titles, and where they attended college (if applicable). Also, keep Parent 1 and Parent 2 consistent through all applications related to college. This includes FAFSA, Coalition Application, other college applications like the City University of New York’s application, and the College Board CSS Profile). 

• Parents’ Marital Status
• If Divorced, year of divorce
• With whom do you make your permanent home  (the person you live with most of the time. You can select both parents as an option).  Other options to choose are that you have a Legal Guardian, are a Ward of the State, or Other. 
• If you answer Legal Guardian, another section will pop up.  Do not add your legal guardian to a parent section. Also, you must make sure they are a court-appointed guardian. Otherwise, you may still need to enter your birth parent(s)’ information. If you have questions about your circumstance, please check with your guidance counselor.
• If you answered Other, you’d have to explain your living situation.
• Step Parents*
• Name any children that you may have*
• Parent 1  (demographic, contact, education, and employment information)
• Parent 2  (demographic, contact, education, and employment information). You can also select that you have limited knowledge about this parent or do not have a Parent 2 report.
• Siblings  (demographic and education information)

*Not required.

• Current or Most Recent Secondary/High School. There is a look up feature to quickly find and enter your school.
• Date of Entry.
• Graduation Year.
• Graduation Plans.

If you took a gap year, graduated early or late, or took time off, you will have to explain this.

This is a photo taken as a screen shot from commonapp.org.

• Guidance Counselor Information (name, phone, email and title).
• Other secondary school/high school information.
• Any colleges you’ve attended (you can add any courses taken that were sponsored by a college/university, whether it led to credit or not. For example, Coursera classes can be added here). There are options to select the type of certificate earned.
• Unweighted GPA and/or weighted GPA.
• Graduating class size and rank (if available or calculated).
• Honors received (e.g. President’s Award, Honor Roll, National Honor Society, etc.).
• A listing of current or most recent courses you’ve taken and plan to take in both semesters of senior year.

Under the testing section, you can enter any scores that you’d like to be considered, as per the college’s testing requirements. Testing options include the ACT, SAT/SAT Subject, AP, IB, TOEFL, PTE Academic, and IELTS exams. You can select which exams you’d like to report, including dates taken and scores received. 

If you are an international applicant, there are Common App questions about if your “educational system [is] based upon standard laving examinations giving at the lower end and/or senior secondary school by a state or national leaving examinations board?” If you select yes, then a new section will appear for you to insert testing information.

A note about SAT and ACT scores:  like last school year, many colleges have announced test-optional policies for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle. Be sure to check this for your schools of interest and decide if you want to report scores. To learn more, read this  article  to weigh the pros and cons of choosing to apply test-optional.

Please note that if you are sending scores, they will need to be sent directly by the testing agencies, such as the College Board (for SAT, SAT Subject, and AP exams).

In this section, the college is asking you to indicate your intended career choice and level of education you hope to achieve. 

It’s okay to select that you are unsure. Here you should also be strategic about your choice. For example, if you choose that your career interest is to be an engineer, then you should have excellent grades in math and science courses. Otherwise, this will be considered with your application. Whatever you choose, puts you in a more specialized pool. If you have an interest in something more obscure for the particular college, it may boost your chances.

This is the section where you can report the activities and paid work you’ve done during your years of high school. The purpose of this section is to show how active you are. Colleges use this information to gauge how involved you will be in campus life. 

A common question that students ask is, “…can I add activities from middle school?” Generally, the answer is no, for one and done school year activities. However, suppose you started an activity during middle school or earlier and developed it into a unique talent that you still do, such as tennis or piano. In that case, it is OK to include start dates before high school. This shows colleges that you dedicated yourself to many years of training, practice, and development.

In all the activities that you report, you want to show these three things:

• You are a leader
• You can dedicate yourself to something good and productive
• How the activity has been meaningful to you and others (in words and numbers)

What counts as an activity?

An activity is anything you’ve done in or outside of school, during or after school hours. The range of activities you can report is wide. Some examples include:

• Arts or music , such as piano, sculpting, or marching band.
• Clubs , such as Key Club, French Club, drama, or theater.
• Community Engagement  (or volunteer service), where you have volunteered your time. This can be a one-day service project or something ongoing.
• Family responsibilities , like caring for a sibling, older adult, grandparent, or working on adding extra income to your household.
• Hobbies  (and things you do for fun), like photography, dance, hiking, or running.
• Sports  (for school, club, or fun), like golf, basketball, tennis, or swimming.
• Paid work , apprenticeship, internships, or research projects.
• Other  notable projects worth noting.

How should I report my activities?

You should report all activities, that you participated in, no matter how big or small, in this section. You are limited to ten activities. However, the strategy for this section is not about reporting as many activities as possible up to the limit. Rather it’s about reporting quality experiences.

As you enter your activities, put them in order of most significant to least significant (to you). If you think they are all significant, then order them by date of involvement, from most recent to least recent.

You will be prompted in the Common App questions section about activities to include the: 

• Type of activity : The Common App lists the following activities from which you can select — Academic, Art, Athletics(Club), Athletics(JV/Varsity), Career-Oriented, Community Service (Volunteer), Computer/Technology, Cultural, Dance, Debate/Speech, Environmental, Family Responsibilities, Foreign Exchange, Journalism/Publication, Journalism/Publication, Junior R.O.T.C., LGBT, Music (Instrumental), Music (Vocal), Religious, Research, Robotics, School Spirit, Science/Math, Student Govt./Politics, Theater/Drama, Work (paid), and Other Club/Activity.
• Position/Leadership Description : In 50-characters, you can write your title and role in the activity.
• Organization : In 100-characters, the Common App instructs you to write the organization name. However, you want to be as descriptive as possible, so you can include the group name also to use as many characters as possible. Also, many outside organizations host groups at high schools. And if you’re in a major metro-area, like New York, sometimes you may attend groups at other high schools or institutions. Here are some examples:
• For example, Young Scholar’s Club at Longwood High School. Many activities happen at the school that are hosted by outside organizations.
• Description of Activity : In 150-characters, you can write a statement about what you accomplished. Avoid writing short phrases. I advise that you write a statement that leads with “I” and ends with an accomplishment. For example, “I helped raise $250 to purchase school supplies for 25 families in need.” When structured this way, you focus the description on the value you brought to the activity, as opposed to a boring, flat description of your role in the group or activity.
• Participation Grade Levels : Options are 9th, 10th, 11th,12th, and post-graduate (for those who took time off after graduating and are applying). Enter all the years you’ve been involved.
• Timing of Participation : Your options are (1) During school, (2) During school break, or (3) All year.
• Hours spent per week : Round to the nearest whole hour.
• Weeks spent per year : If you choose “During school,” count the number of weeks in your school year calendar that the activity was offered or that you participated. If you were involved the entire school year, this  number is usually in the high 30s. If you choose “During school breaks,” look at the calendar to count the weeks you participated in the activity. This number is usually in the single digits. If you choose “All year,” you can put “52.”
• Intend to participate in college: The college is looking for students who will be active on campus and is trying to gauge if you will continue in this type of activity while a student. If you enjoy the activity and would like to continue in college, say “yes.” If not, then say, “no.” Beware of too many “nos.” This could be a red flag. Too many “yes,” could also be concerning, for example, if you have 10 activities listed. You only have so much time to participate in activities, while adjusting to a new campus and learning environment.

In this section of the Common App questions, you will add your Personal Essay. I advise that you write your essay in a Google or Word Doc first, then copy/paste it into this section when you’re ready to submit. You can upload your essay in multiple formats, including Microsoft Docs, PDF, or Google Drive.

First, you will certify your intent to include the Personal Essay in your application, event to colleges who do not require one. Next, the Common App will list colleges that require the Personal Essay and those that do not require it. Then, you can select one of the essay topics below. The response you insert should be between 250 and 650 words.

Essay Topics

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
•  The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay or any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

For assistance writing your college essay,  download my essay packet , which provides step-by-step help and sample essays to get you started.

The Additional Information section of the Common App is where you can explain circumstances, such as disciplinary actions or an inconsistent academic record. Use this section as a place to share anything you have not shared in any other section of the Common App. 

Also, you can answer the COVID-19 question to discuss the impact the virus has had on your life. Read this  blog post  that gives guidance on how to answer the question and includes a sample response. 

This photo is a screenshot taken from commonapp.org.

This section of the Common App is required by some colleges to inform them about courses you have taken in high school. If you add a college that requires this section, you will need to have a copy of your transcript(s) available.

Colleges that require Courses & Grades can be found here .

All the previous sections are part of the “Common App” tab, which goes to all colleges. Before you can submit your application, you will need to also visit the “My Colleges” tab to complete information for each college listed in the “My Dashboard” tab. 

Information that each college collects is:

• Section of specific questions asked by your college choices. Be sure that you check for supplemental essay questions in this section. Also, one day you may check and see no question. But when you return another day, a question will be added. You’ll need to check this section every time you log in just in case a new question appears.

This photo was taken from a screenshot from commonapp.org.

• Section to invite teachers writing recommendation letters. The dashboard will list how many recommendations the college requires. You will need your teachers names and contact information to enter so that Common App can email your teachers to complete the recommendation form. Before you ask your teachers to write a recommendation, please read the post that I wrote about it.
•  Section to submit your application! After you’ve completed all of the Common App questions and Colleges tab for your particular colleges, you’ll be ready to go through steps of reviewing your application, paying the application fee (unless you got a fee waiver), and submitting your application….YAY!!!

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College Admissions

When you’re applying to college, each part of your application counts. You want to maximize every opportunity to make yourself stand out from the thousands of other applicants vying for a spot at the school of your dreams.

One of the many places you can distinguish yourself is in the Common App Honors section. In this article, we’ll talk about what the Honors Common App section is and how to maximize it to show your best work.

What Is the Honors Common App Section?

You can find the Honors section in the Education section of the Common App. The instructions for this section are simple: you can list up to five honors in 100 characters or less.

You’ll need to indicate the name of the honor, the years you received it, and the level of the honor: school, state/regional, national or international.  A school-level award means that only the students in your school could qualify for that award. A national-level award means that students in your country could qualify for that award.

The larger the pool of potential applicants, the more impressive your award will seem. You’ll want to lead with your most impressive awards first.

What Count as Honors for the Common App?

You might be wondering what should be listed in the Common App honors section and what should be listed elsewhere - in your activities, for example.

In general, honors that are tied to your extracurricular activities should be listed in the activities section, while those that aren’t connected to a specific activity should be listed in the honors section.

For example, if you earn a varsity letter for the football team, you can put that in the activities section, because it’s directly related to an activity at school.

If you’re a National Merit Semi-Finalist, on the other hand, you’ll want to include that in academic honors, since it doesn’t easily tie to a specific activity.

4 Tips for What to Include in the Honors Common App Section

You don’t have a ton of room on the Common App to list and describe your honors, so you should keep it brief and use the space allotted as strategically as possible. Here are tips for what to include and how to write in the Common App honors section.

#1: Lead With Your Most Impressive Achievements

You should lead with your most impressive achievements and make sure that only the best honors make it onto your application. Don’t, for instance, include that you were voted “Most Likely to Forget When Graduation Is” by your peers- stick to real honors that you had to compete to get.

#2: Describe the Award If It’s Unclear

While national awards like National Merit are self-explanatory and obvious to the admissions committee, city or school-level awards might not be. Use the 100 characters of space to describe what it is and why isn’t important, like so: “Julius Caesar Award for the Highest Latin Score in All of Rome.” You should avoid using acronyms unless they’re widely recognizable (think SAT-level recognizable); otherwise, they’ll just confuse the admissions committee and take away from your achievement.

#3: Indicate the Level of Competitiveness

Show off! Use your character limit to show why the award was important. If you won money, say so! If you were selected as one out of 15,000, own it! The more competitive you make the prize (particularly for city and school level honors), the more your application will stand out.

#4: Be Honest

It should go without saying, but don’t lie on your application just to make yourself sound better. Not only is that a scummy thing to do, it can result in some serious punishments. You’re already a stellar applicant - focus on your real achievements, rather than your fake ones.

Recap: Filling Out the Common App Honors Section

The Common App honors section is a great place to call attention to your different achievements. Don't be shy - celebrate the hard work you've done and the recognition you've received for said hard work!

What’s Next?

Wondering how to prepare for your college interview? Check out this list of college interview tips to be sure you know exactly what to prepare for during your interview.

Headed to an interview soon? This list of questions to ask a college interviewer will help you get the most out of your experience.

Are you worried about standardized tests and their role in your college application? Read this article to find out when these tests might not matter for you .  Also take a look at this list of colleges that don't require SAT scores.

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

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Application guide for transfer students

Get tips and best practices for putting together your best application.

What is Common App for transfer?

Common App for transfer is an online application that makes applying to college faster and easier. Through a single platform, you'll be able to search for and apply to any one of the more than 600 colleges that accept Common App for transfer. Whether you're applying to transfer from another 4-year institution or community college or looking to continue your path towards a degree by re-enrolling, Common App for transfer can help you get to where you want to be.

Gather materials

The info you’ll need to start your application

Filling out your application takes time.

And if you have to keep interrupting your progress to find information, like a certificate for a continuing education course or the address of your last internship, it can take even longer. Get a head start by collecting this information before you begin.

Below are some materials you’ll need to gather in order to fill out Common App for transfer.

• Some programs you apply to might ask you to provide this information. You can see what each program on your list requires in the College Coursework area of the Academic History section.
• You also have the option to add any continuing education courses you have taken.

Some programs will ask you to report these test scores. You can check the testing policy of the programs on your list in the Program Materials section.

On Common App for transfer, you have the option to share your experiences, things like research, internships, volunteer work, and more. This is the place to show colleges what makes you unique.

Create an account

Take the first step in the application process

Creating an account is simple.

• Provide your name and contact information.
• Make sure you use an email address you check often, as this is how Common App and colleges will get in touch with you.
• Choose a username and password.
• Review the Terms and Conditions.

Then click "Create my account" to finish the process.

Before you’re taken into the application, you’ll be asked to complete your Extended Profile. This includes information designed to tailor the application experience to you.

• College credits you will have earned when you enroll at the college you’re applying to
• The degree status you will have earned
• Your degree goal for the program you’re applying to

After answering these questions, you’ll be taken into the application. Congratulations! You’re ready to get started.

Counselor tip

Use an email address that you check regularly.

Colleges may need to get in touch with you regarding your application.  

Add programs

Add the programs to which you will apply

Now that you’ve created your account and explored schools that accept Common App, it’s time to start adding some programs to your application.

The Add Program tab is where you’ll find and add these programs. If you already have a college or program in mind, you can search by college name at the top of the page. You can also use the filters to search for programs based on different criteria.

• Program availability
• Application fee

You can select as many or as few criteria as make sense to you. As you select each filter, the program list will update automatically.

To see more information about a particular program, click on that program’s name. An overlay will open with information like the program’s contact information, website links, testing policies, and more.

Adding programs is simple. All you need to do is click the plus icon next to the program’s name.

To see which programs you have already added, click "Selected Programs” at the top of the page. Here you can also remove programs from your list, if you choose.

Engage supporters

Get letters of recommendation and school forms

In addition to your application, many colleges ask for additional documents to be submitted by recommenders on your behalf.

There are four types of recommenders you can invite: Personal, Professional, Academic, and High School Official.

Each program has different recommendation requirements. In order to see a program’s recommendation requirements, go to the program’s section in the Program Materials and proceed to the Recommendation tab of that program. (If a program does not require recommendations, you won’t see the Recommendations tab.)

On the Recommendations tab you’ll find helpful information including:

An "Add Recommendation" button to begin inviting recommenders

The types of recommenders the program requires

The number of each recommendation type they require and how many they allow — for example, a program might require 2 academic recommendations, but will allow up to 4

To invite recommenders:

Select the type of recommendation you'll be requesting

Enter the recommenders name, email address, and a desired due date for the recommendation

Provide a personal message or notes for your recommender (This can be anything you want; you could use it to thank your recommender in advance, provide context for the request, share instructions, etc.)

Choose whether to waive your right to access this recommendation in the future and check the affirmation statements

When you’re ready, click “Save this Recommendation Request” to complete the process. Your recommender will receive an email invitation with instructions on how to proceed.

Transcript collection

Submit your college coursework, if required

Some programs may ask for official or unofficial transcripts. Others may not ask for any at all.

You can see programs’ transcript requirements in the Academic History section under Colleges Attended or College Coursework.

If you’re applying to a program that requires official transcripts, you’ll need to download the Transcript Request Form. You can access this form in the Colleges Attended section. You’ll notice that your information will already be entered on the form. All you need to do is print and deliver it to the registrar of the college(s) you have attended.

The college you attend may send transcripts differently than outlined in the Transcript Request Form. Common App for transfer also accepts electronic transcripts from Parchment and National Student Clearinghouse. 

If your school uses a different service, transcripts should be mailed, instead of sent electronically. Be sure to include your full Common App ID # when entering the Common App mailing address.

If a program asks for unofficial transcripts, you can upload your transcript in the Colleges Attended section.

Some programs may not request unofficial transcripts within the Academic History section. Instead, they may allow you to upload an unofficial transcript in their Program Materials section. Be sure to check to see if there is a College Transcript upload option in each programs’ Documents tab .

Get ready to begin your journey

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Mastering the Common App Activities Section: A Comprehensive Guide (With Examples)

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 5/6/24

Understanding how to write a standout Common App activities section is crucial for college applicants. 

This section isn't just about jotting down your extracurriculars—it's your chance to shine a spotlight on your interests, passions, and achievements outside of class. 

This guide will walk you through the process of crafting an activities section that stands out. With practical tips and clear advice, you'll learn how to present your activities and accomplishments in a concise yet compelling way. So, let's dive in and make your activities section pop.

What Is Common App Activities Section

The activities section on the Common App allows applicants to showcase their involvement outside of the classroom. It's an opportunity for students to provide insight into their interests, passions, and commitments beyond academics. Through this section, applicants can share experiences such as internships , family responsibilities, jobs, volunteer work , hobbies, and sports.

Colleges value this section because it offers a glimpse into an applicant's personality and contributions to their community. By highlighting activities that have been meaningful to them, students can demonstrate their interests and how they may contribute to the college's student body.

Applicants can list up to ten activities but are not required to fill all slots. On average, students include around six activities. Rather than focusing on the quantity, it's essential to concentrate on the quality of activities that best represent the applicant's unique story.

When describing each activity, applicants should be concise due to character limitations. They should briefly outline their position or leadership role, the organization's name, and provide a succinct description of the activity and any accomplishments or honors. Applicants also need to specify the hours per week and weeks per year dedicated to each activity.

Overall, the activities section serves as a platform for applicants to highlight their extracurricular involvement and demonstrate their potential contributions to the college community.

Writing Strategies for Common App Activities Section

Crafting an effective Common App activities section is more than just jotting down a list of what you've done. It's about giving admissions officers a clear picture of who you are beyond your grades. Here's how to how to write the activities section on the Common App that stand out:

• Provide Context : Instead of just listing activities, give a brief background for each one. Explain why you got involved and what attracted you to it. This helps admissions officers understand your interests.
• Highlight Impact : Talk about the difference you've made in each activity. Describe any projects you led, events you organized, or changes you brought about. Try to quantify your contributions if you can.
• Demonstrate Growth : Show how each activity has helped you grow. Talk about the challenges you faced, the skills you gained, and what you learned along the way. Admissions officers want to see how you've developed over time.
• Connect to Future Goals : Explain how your activities relate to your future plans. Show how they've influenced your career aspirations or prepared you for college. This shows that you're focused and driven.
• Showcase Diversity : Include a variety of activities to highlight different sides of yourself. Choose activities that demonstrate your leadership, creativity, teamwork, and community involvement. This gives a more complete picture of who you are.
• Tell Compelling Stories : Share specific examples or anecdotes to make your activities come alive. Talk about memorable moments or challenges you've overcome. Engaging storytelling makes your application more interesting.
• Tailor to Each School : Customize your list of activities for each college you're applying to. Consider what each school values and choose activities that reflect those values. This shows that you've done your research.
• Seek Feedback : Get input from teachers or mentors who know you well. They can help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your activities section. Take their advice into consideration.
• Edit and Refine : Review your descriptions carefully to ensure they're clear and concise. Remove any unnecessary details and ensure everything flows smoothly. This will strengthen your application.
• Stay Authentic : Be honest about your experiences and accomplishments. Admissions officers can tell when you're not being genuine. Be yourself and let your true passions shine through.

Following these writing strategies will help you create a strong activities section that effectively showcases who you are and what you've accomplished.

Common Mistakes

When you're tackling the Common App’s activities section, it's more than just a list. It's your chance to paint a vivid picture of who you are outside of the classroom. Here's a deeper dive into those 15 common mistakes and how to navigate them effectively:

1. Stressing About Calculating Exact Weeks and Hours

While the application asks for specifics, don't get hung up on exact numbers. Instead, focus on conveying the level of commitment and impact each activity had on you.

2. Forgetting to Mention Awards or Positions Held

These details add depth to your accomplishments. Take pride in sharing any accolades or leadership roles you've earned, as they speak volumes about your dedication and achievements.

3. Repeating Verbs

Variety is key here. Instead of using the same verbs repeatedly, explore synonyms to keep your descriptions engaging and dynamic.

4. Leaving out Significant Activities

Don't overlook the everyday moments that have shaped you. Whether it's a part-time job, caring for a sibling, or participating in community events, include activities that have left a lasting impression on you.

5. Listing Your Activities in the Wrong Order

Prioritize your activities based on their impact and significance to you. By arranging them from most to least important, you provide admissions officers with insight into your priorities and passions.

6. Using Bland Verbs

Choose action words that pack a punch. By opting for strong verbs, you breathe life into your descriptions and showcase your active involvement in each endeavor.

7. Failing to Include Highlights of Your Involvement

Don't be shy about sharing your successes. Highlight specific contributions, achievements, or milestones within each activity to give admissions officers a deeper understanding of your role and impact.

8. Using Inconsistent Formatting and Punctuation

Consistency is key to maintaining a polished appearance. Stick to a uniform format and punctuation style throughout your descriptions to ensure clarity and professionalism.

9. Not Using Numbers

Numbers can add depth and context to your achievements. Whether it's fundraising totals, volunteer hours, or event attendance, quantify your impact whenever possible to underscore your contributions.

10. Including Too Few Activities

If you've been involved in a wide range of activities, don't sell yourself short. Use the "Additional Information" section to provide a comprehensive overview of your extracurricular involvement and showcase the breadth of your interests.

11. Not Proofreading Your Activities Before Submitting

Take the time to review your descriptions carefully. Typos and errors can detract from your application's overall impact, so be sure to proofread thoroughly before hitting submit.

12. Including Too Many Activities

Quality over quantity is key. Instead of listing every activity you've participated in, focus on those that have had the greatest impact on your personal growth and development.

13. Using Complete Sentences

Keep your descriptions concise and to the point. Instead of full sentences, opt for clear and succinct phrases that capture the essence of your involvement in each activity.

14. Using Abbreviations No One Understands

When in doubt, spell it out. Avoid confusing abbreviations and acronyms, and opt for clarity and understanding in your descriptions.

15. Not Splitting Certain Activities Into Two Entries

If an activity involves multiple facets or roles, consider breaking it down into separate entries. This allows you to provide a more detailed and nuanced portrayal of your involvement.

By navigating these common pitfalls thoughtfully and effectively, you can make the most of the activities section and showcase your unique strengths, passions, and contributions to admissions officers.

Common App Activities Section Examples

Check out these Common App activities examples, showing what students do outside of school to shine. 

• Hospital Volunteer : Dedicated time to volunteering at a local hospital, providing assistance to patients, visitors, and hospital staff. Tasks included escorting patients, delivering flowers, and assisting with administrative duties.
• Chess Club President : Led the school's chess club, organizing regular meetings, tournaments, and chess strategy workshops. Focused on promoting critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and camaraderie among club members.
• Community Cleanup Organizer : Initiated and organized community cleanup events to improve local parks, streets, and public spaces. Coordinated volunteers, supplies, and logistics to make a positive impact on the environment and community aesthetics.
• Photography Club Member : Participated in a photography club, exploring various photographic techniques, themes, and styles. Organized photo walks, exhibitions, and photo editing workshops to enhance skills and creativity.
• Debate Team Captain : Served as captain of the school's debate team, leading team meetings, strategizing debate topics, and coaching team members. Competed in local and regional debate competitions, honing argumentation and public speaking skills.
• Youth Choir Ensemble Member : Sang in a youth choir ensemble, rehearsing and performing choral music at school concerts, community events, and religious services. Collaborated with fellow singers to achieve harmonious performances and musical expression.
• Mathematics Club Tutor : Offered tutoring services through the school's mathematics club, assisting peers with math homework, test preparation, and conceptual understanding. Provided one-on-one guidance and explanations to help students improve their math skills.
• Dance Team Choreographer : Took on the role of choreographer for the school's dance team, creating original dance routines and coordinating group performances for school assemblies, talent shows, and dance competitions.
• Hospitality Club Member : Joined a hospitality club focused on event planning, culinary arts, and hospitality management. Participated in organizing school events, fundraisers, and themed parties to foster community engagement and appreciation for hospitality industry skills.
• Science Olympiad Competitor : Competed as part of the school's Science Olympiad team, participating in hands-on science and engineering challenges in various disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering.
• Student Ambassador : Represented the school as a student ambassador, welcoming visitors, giving tours, and assisting with admissions events and orientation programs. Served as a positive representative of the school community to prospective students and families.
• Environmental Club Member : Engaged in environmental advocacy and conservation efforts through participation in the school's environmental club. Organized awareness campaigns, recycling initiatives, and outdoor conservation projects to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship.
• Theater Production Crew Member : Contributed to school theater productions as a member of the production crew, assisting with set construction, lighting, sound, props, costumes, and backstage operations during rehearsals and performances.

Hopefully, these examples have offered some insight into Common App activity samples that stand out on a college application. Just make sure to tailor the section to yourself. Whether you’re shooting for the Ivy League or just aiming for a good-fit college, showing off your unique experiences and passions is key. 

Do you have questions about the activities section? We've got you covered with answers to frequently asked questions. 

1. How Should One Calculate the Time Spent on an Activity?

When calculating the time spent on an activity for the Common App, simply estimate the number of hours you dedicate to it each week and the number of weeks you engage in it per year. If you can't recall the exact details, it's perfectly fine to provide your best estimate.

2. What Should Be Done If the Activity Type Is Not Listed in the Dropdown Menu?

If you don't find your activity type listed in the dropdown menu, simply select "other club/activity." Then, provide additional details in the position/leadership and activity description fields. Briefly describe the activity and your role within it.

3. Is It a Concern If There Are Fewer Than 10 Activities to List?

Having fewer than 10 activities to list on the Common App isn't necessarily a problem. Admissions committees prioritize long-term commitments and significant involvement over the sheer number of activities. It's better to showcase a few meaningful engagements than to list numerous activities with minimal dedication.

4. What If the Exact Dates for an Activity Cannot Be Recalled?

If you're unable to recall the exact dates for an activity, don't worry. When filling out the Common App, you'll still need to provide the hours spent per week and the weeks spent per year on each activity. If you can't remember the specifics, it's perfectly acceptable to provide your best estimate. The focus is on conveying your level of involvement rather than providing precise dates.

5. What Are the Character Limits for Each Segment of an Activity Description?

Here are the character limits for each segment of an activity description on the Common App:

• Position/Leadership description: Up to 50 characters.
• Organization name: Up to 100 characters.
• Activity description, including achievements and recognition received: Up to 150 characters.

Keep these limits in mind when describing activities on the application.

Final Thoughts

Mastering the Common App activities section is essential for your college application. It's your opportunity to show who you are beyond your academic achievements. By following the tips outlined in this guide, you can create a standout activities section that resonates with admissions officers. Best of luck!

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• Faculty & Staff

Students admitted to the UW now have until June 1 to commit, a result of FAFSA delays. We anticipate that financial aid offers will be sent in late April or early May.

Applying with the Common App

Only apply once! The UW does not have a preference of application platform. The deadline for both is November 15, and decisions will be released March 1–15. Should you submit both applications, one will be withdrawn and will not be reviewed. You will not receive a refund of the application fee.

General instructions

Grading scale changes/covid-19 impacts.

Running Start / College in the High School / other dual enrollment

Pre-9th grade courses

International curriculum

All applicants

You must complete your Common App Profile and add the UW to your list of colleges before you can start the UW questions.

Use the College Search to find and add the UW.

Then select the UW to begin the UW questions.

As you move through the application, you will be able to complete only one section at a time. Completion of the sections will be indicated with green check marks. Once you have completed all sections within the Common App profile as well as the UW questions, submit your application, pay the application fee and you’re done! We will contact you if we have any questions or are missing any information.

International applicants

Once you have completed the General , Academics and Contacts section, you will answer the Residency questions. This will determine your application type.

If you have attended a school outside of the U.S. that follows a national compulsory curriculum, you are required to upload a scanned, unofficial copy of your transcript(s) for grade levels 9 and higher in the Educational background section of the UW application.

Your admissibility will not be impacted if your school changes its grading scale to Pass/No Pass, Credit/No Credit, A/Incomplete, A-C/Incomplete. The holistic review will accommodate all of the various grading policies that school districts implement in a way that neither advantages or disadvantages any applicant. Use the following steps to notify the Office of Admission of a grading scale change when you self report your courses.

Step 1: Add high school information

Before you begin entering your coursework, you will need to add your high school information to the Common App Education section by selecting Find School .

If you took any classes that allowed you to earn college credit, you will also need to add your college information by selecting Colleges & Universities and Find college .

Step 2: High school coursework

Once you have completed the Current or Most recent Secondary/High School and or Colleges & Universities section of the Common App Profile, you will be able to start entering high school coursework in the Courses & Grades section.

If a school changes the grading scale to Pass/No Pass, Credit/No Credit, A/Incomplete, A-C/Incomplete, select A-F in the Grading Scale drop-down menu. Select the grade that fits your school’s grading scale changes by scrolling through the drop-down list for each schedule type indicated.

If you have courses you are currently taking and need to report, add them in the Education section under Current or Most Recent Year Courses .

Select the Course subject from the closest matching option or choose ‘Other/Elective’ if your subject is not on the list. Then enter the Course name for any class that was part of College in the High School or other dual enrollment program.

Running Start, College in the High School, or other dual enrollment classes

Even if you earned college credits while in high school, as long as you have not taken any college-level courses after graduating from high school, you should apply to the UW with the freshman application. Running Start, UW in the High School, College in the High School or other dual enrollment classes should be entered in the Education section. Be sure you have completed the Current or Most Recent Year Courses and the Courses & Grade sections, and indicate all dual enrollment courses.

• Changes to your senior year schedule If you anticipate your senior year schedule might change or you haven’t met with an adviser to make your plans, please let us know in the “Additional information about yourself or your circumstances” writing section.
• Transcripts. Transcripts are not required for admission consideration, and we ask that you do not send them unless requested. However, having an unofficial copy in hand may help you complete the application.

Step 1: Add high school & college information

Make sure you have completed the Courses & Grade section and reported all subjects taken at a College or University, as well as grades received as they appear on your academic transcript.

Step 2: Self-reporting high school courses

Once you have completed the Current or Most recent Secondary/High School section of the Common App Profile, you will be able to start entering high school coursework in the Courses & Grades section.

Select the subject from the closest matching option or choose ‘Other/Elective’ if your subject is not on the list, then enter the Course name for any class that was part of College in the High School or other dual enrollment program.

Select “Dual Enrollment” in the Course Level drop-down menu.

Include courses taken in grades 7 and 8 only if they are high school courses that are also included on your high school transcript. Most applicants have not completed high school courses in grades 7 and 8.

Before you begin entering your courses, you will need to add your high school information to the Common App Education section by selecting Find School . You do not need to list the name of the school at which you took pre-9th grade courses. Instead, use the name of the high school where you received the credit.

Start entering high school courses in the Courses & Grades section. Select the Other Courses selection, then indicate you have other courses on your transcript by selecting Yes .

Select the School Name where you received credit then the School Year where you took this course. For example, students applying for autumn 2023 who took coursework in 8th grade would select the School Year of 2018-19. Finally, enter the rest of the course information.

International Curriculum

Applicants studying foreign/national compulsory curriculum will self-report their yearly coursework for grades 9 -12.

Step 1: Reporting current courses

If you have not yet graduated high school, you will need to report your courses for the current academic year. Complete the Current or Most recent Secondary/High School section of the Common App Profile then you will be able to start entering high school coursework in the Courses & Grades section.

Once you have completed the Education section of the Common App Profile, you will be able to start entering high school coursework in the Courses & Grades section.

Report your coursework and grades listed on your high school transcript by selecting the appropriate grade level.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT report courses for grade 12 if you are currently enrolled for grade 12. Instead, report your coursework in the Current or Most recent Secondary/High School section of the Common App Profile under the Education tab.

Select the School Name, School Year, appropriate Grading Scale, appropriate Schedule for each course .

•        Choose Semesters if your school has two terms per academic year.
•        Choose Trimester if your school has three terms per academic year.
•        Choose Quarter if your school has four terms per academic year.
•       If your grading scale is not listed in the drop-down menu, please select Other.

Select the appropriate Subject , Course Name , and Course Level

•       If your Subject is not listed in the drop-down menu select subject title with other as an option, for example Math (Other) .
•       Report the Course Name exactly as it is listed on your transcript.
•       Select the appropriate Course Level.

Report your final Grades exactly how they are listed on your high school transcript. Do not convert your original grades. If you did not receive a final grade, select N/A.

Enter Credits exactly how they are listed on your high school transcript. Do not convert your credits. If you school does not provide credits, please enter 1 for an entire academic year of study or enter .5 for a half-year of study.

Review the self-reported information that you have provided.

(I)GCSE sample below

China sample below

IB samples below

Step 3: Upload

You are required to upload unofficial copies of transcripts or exam certificates for grades 9-12 if you attended a school outside the U.S. that follows a local or national compulsory curriculum, even if the year was repeated in the U.S.

You do not need to upload or submit unofficial transcripts if you attended a U.S. high school or an international school that follows a U.S.-style curriculum unless requested by the Office of Admissions.

Do not mail transcripts or exam certificates to the Office of Admissions.

British-Style Curriculum

• If you studied a British-style curriculum, such as, (I)GCSE, SPM, Singapore-Cambridge (O-level) submit your exam certificate in addition to your high school transcripts.

India Curriculum

• Applicants will need to upload their scanned unofficial copies of their 10 th year exam certificate and grade 11 transcripts.
• If you have graduated, we will require scanned unofficial copies of your 10 th year and 12 th year exam certificates to complete your application.

China Curriculum

• Submit your transcripts for grades 9 and higher.

Other International Curriculums

• If you have completed any leaving exams, upload scanned copies of your exam certificates.

Add Project Key Words

A Step-by-Step Guide to the Common Application

Padya Paramita

March 21, 2022

You’re an excited high school senior ready to embark on the scary but thrilling journey of college applications, and then you encounter something known as the Common Application . As daunting as all of the sections of the Common App might seem, if done right, it can help ease the process. The Common Application is divided into different sections:

• Additional Information

In this blog, we will take a closer look at the sections and provide tips for filling out each one. A very important factor to remember is that these upcoming sections apply for all of the schools on the Common Application ! All of the colleges you apply to within this platform will see the same information that you’ve filled out in the Family section or Activities section of the Common App. Therefore, do not write anything that’s specific to any one of the schools. You can tailor your responses in the college-specific sections that come up once you have chosen a school, but the following will be sent to all of the schools on your list.

Your entire college application process rides on how you fill the Common App out! To help guide you through them, here is a step-by-step look at each of the sections and the best ways to tackle them.

Preparing To Fill Out  The Common Application

To fill out the Common Application , make sure you have all of the information with you. You will need:

• Your high school transcripts
• A list of your extracurricular activities
• Your parents’ or legal guardians’ employment information, education, etc.
• Your test scores
• Contact information for your recommenders and guidance counselor
• Your school’s College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) code

Start collecting the documents and asking for recommendations ahead of time. Your teacher or counselor cannot write a stellar recommendation on the spot if you only give them a days’ notice. You should ask them as early as the end of your junior year, or at the beginning of your senior year. 

Remember, each section is very important, not only individually, but how they work together to paint a more holistic picture of you as an applicant. Do not rush through these details. Think about all of these logistics carefully, and you will set yourself up for success as you fill out the Common Application .

The first piece that you have to fill out on the Common Application is the Profile section. The Profile section helps the admission officers get an overview of your background. While this portion might seem very straight-forward, these fundamentals matter. As an applicant, there are some important choices you have to make here. Through the following questions, admissions officers get a substantial idea of who you are and where you are from. The Profile section asks for: 

• Personal information - Make sure to fill out this section very carefully, as it’s easy to mix up information such as your first name and last name. This section allows you to put in a nickname if applicable, your name in another language if you have one, and if you’ve used any other names previously. It also lets you elaborate more on your gender identity if you don’t identify as male or female.
• Address - The Common Application has options for your permanent home address, as well as an alternate address if you have multiple addresses. For example, if you go to boarding school, you can check the “send mail to temporary or alternate address” box. This section matters because admissions officers at most colleges read applications geographically. Each admissions officer is assigned a particular geographical region, either according to each US state, or according to country. If you’re from Minnesota for example, your application is going to be read with the rest of the applicants from Minnesota. You could be going up against people from your school and from your area.

• Contact details -  The contact details section lets you add your preferred phone number, as well as any alternate numbers where you can be reached.
• Demographics - Filling out the Demographics section is optional. However, if you choose to do so, it helps colleges get a better idea of the race distribution in a class year, what ethnic or religious group might be underrepresented, and can be used for affirmative action purposes. You might not have been expecting to talk about your religious preferences or feel comfortable doing so. The religious preferences drop-down menu includes many different practices along with “none.” Listing your religion will not hurt your chances of getting into college.  The US Armed forces status allows you to list whether you are currently in the armed forces, have been previously enrolled, or are the dependent of someone serving in the armed forces.
• Geography - This section asks for your country of birth, city of birth, and how many years you’ve lived in and outside the United States. As you can tell, it is pretty straightforward and gives you a bigger picture of where you’re from and where you grew up.
• Language - You do not have to be fluent in a language to add it to your Common Application . The application asks for your proficiency so you can denote whether you can only read and write or speak the language. This is a simple opportunity to show more about your interests and/or cultural background.

• Citizenship - You have to select your citizenship status from a drop-down menu—whether you are a US Citizen, a US Dual Citizen, a US Permanent Resident, a US Refugee, or non-US Citizen. If you hold a dual or non-US citizenship, you are asked to list your citizenships. Some colleges, including MIT for example, sort and read applications by citizenship. The question thus sets a context for your entire application process.
• Common App fee waiver - You can receive a Common Application fee waiver if one of the following applies to you:

If you qualify for the fee waiver, don’t hesitate to check the box. Talk to your guidance counselor if you have any questions about whether or not you qualify.

The family section is divided into:

For filling out information about your parents, you need to know your parents’ marital status, their profession, their educational background information (including their school and graduation year), and their employment status (whether they are employed, retired, homemaker, or deceased). If relevant, your parents’ alma mater counts when colleges consider legacy students if you are applying to the same school. Legacy does not guarantee admission to a college, but it can give students an extra edge. 

Your family background is a big part of providing admissions officers a greater context of who you are and where you come from. They want to know if you were raised by a single parent, whether you grew up in a divorced home, whether one of your parents has passed away. This information helps provide admissions counselors with context regarding your familial circumstances. There is no specific answer that colleges are looking for—it will just help them understand your background better.

This section is also for admissions officers to find out if your parents went to college, what your parents do, and their current position. Many colleges value the perspective of first-generation students and look to see if you are coming from that background. They also want to know whether you have a sibling and whether you’re the oldest or the youngest sibling. Your siblings attending the same college also counts as legacy.

The Education section asks for the following information:

• Current or most recent secondary school - For your current school, you have to indicate whether your school is a boarding school, when you started the school, and whether you plan to graduate from your current school. This section also asks for your counselor’s information. Don’t forget that your counselor writes a letter of recommendation alongside your teachers.  They can also act as a crucial liaison between you and colleges throughout the college application process. They make sure schools have received your application and can advocate on your behalf to schools you have applied to. Make sure you’ve put in the correct contact information!
• Other secondary schools - If you’ve transferred schools, there is a section that allows you to discuss this transition. Make sure to be clear in writing why you left your previous school in the 250-word limit given. Explain what the circumstance was so that admissions officers know whether it was for preference for something different than your previous school lacked, such as in the example below, or if it was something you had no control over, such as family obligations. If you had to relocate, admissions officers want to know this to see how the move might have affected your performance.

• Colleges and universities - In the Colleges and Universities section of the Common Application , admissions officers want to know whether you have taken classes at any college. One reason could be that you wanted to take advanced courses not offered at your high school. These courses are also a good way to balance out your grades if you are not happy with them. You could also be really interested in a subject and use the opportunity to learn more about the subject. All of these efforts show admissions officers that you took an extra step to explore a topic of your interest further than obligated at your school.
• Grades - The Grades section asks for your class size and class rank (if you have one) for more context on your student body. Colleges use class size and class rank to compare your academic standing with your peers. Your rank helps the admissions officers understand the value of your GPA, and how you would fare in the academic climate of their institution. This section also asks for your GPA Scale and whether it is weighted, along with your cumulative GPA so that admissions officers can truly understand how to read your transcript. A weighted GPA is one where the highest GPA varies depending on the course or the program. Your GPA could be on a scale of 0 to 4 for regular classes, but 0 to 5 for AP courses, and 0 to 7 for IB courses. But this will all change from school to school. Some schools only use letter grades, some use a 100 point scale, you get the idea. Understanding these systems helps admissions officers compare you with other students’ grades because not every school has the same grading system.

• Current or most recent courses - This Common Application section is straight-forward. Colleges want to know what courses you’ve selected and how they might have affected your grades as well. The drop-down menu under schedule allows you to select the system your school uses—between “semester,” “quarterly,” and “trimester.” Be careful of any spelling errors or any courses you might have missed.

• Honors - The Honors section is for you to put in any academic awards or achievements that you have earned starting from the ninth grade. This could include anything from a science award to an article in an economic journal. Since there are exactly five slots, if you have more than five awards, prioritize your achievements, and list the most unique and impressive ones. If you have less than 5 awards you can stretch the definition of “academic” to include more honors, for example, if you’ve won first prize in a regional or national art competition. If you have more than 5 awards, try to think of ways to combine them. Make sure these do not overlap with the answers in your Activities section! Keep your description short and to the point, as you can only use 100 characters per award for this section. Always put the achievement with the biggest impact on top. Make sure you do your best to take full advantage of this section. 

A list of honors that could be included are 

• National Merit Scholar
• Member of an Honor Society
• Award winner for writing, art, photography, music, etc.
• Publication in research papers, journals, newspapers
• Athletic character recognition awards
• Any state, national or international award that you have won in high school

A good example of listing an honor within the given space is: “1st Place, Intel ISEF, for inventing “Robocop”, robotic biomechanical law enforcement wearable unit”

Within just 99 characters, the student highlighted not only what the prize was but what the prize was for. Abbreviating “first” and the title of the Engineering Fair helped reduce characters. The purpose of the robot reflects the applicant’s Application Persona as a student who is interested in engineering and passionate about social justice.

• Community-based organizations - This is the place to indicate whether any community-based organizations such as Questbridge or Upward Bound have helped you with your application. Community-based organizations do not include guidance counselors or private counselors (such as InGenius Prep) who might have helped look over your materials.
• Future plans - The Future Plans section of the Common App can be daunting. Don’t worry about committing to your future life path in this section. Many high school students don’t know exactly what they want to do. Plans made in high school often change, and that is okay. The important step is to make sure you do not select “Undecided.” Think about what you are passionate about, what courses you are excited to study, what activities you enjoy. Leaving the answer as “Undecided” will show admissions officers that you have not put much thought into your interests or future career choices.  Your choice of major and your intended career should have a connection. Make sure your answers in the Future Plans section support the bigger picture of your Application Persona—the theme of your application. For example, you could be an aspiring photographer interested in capturing dance performances. Or, you might be a budding marine biologist who is passionate about climate change activism. If all of these things do not support each other, admissions officers might think that your plans are haphazard and disorganized. Individuals whose passions, interests, and career goals are more specific are more likely to be accepted, so think about how you can be focused in this section. For example, if you want to be a lawyer, specify a type of law. Just saying “lawyer” can sound very generic and common. For example, a student who is interested in Art and Engineering can combine both interests and choose Architecture as a career interest in the Future Plans section.

A student who is interested in business and starting her own company one day can select “Business owner” as part of the Future Plans section.

The Testing section asks you to self-report any tests you have taken, whether standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT ( choose the one that is best for you), or tests based on what you’ve studied in high school, such as the AP or IB, or tests which show your English language proficiency, such as IELTS or TOEFL. 

Make sure to look at each of your colleges’ test requirement policies. When self-reporting your test scores, you must be honest. You also have to order your scores to be sent from the Collegeboard or the ACT websites to each individual school. 

Note that the Common Application asks you how many times you took the standardized test of your choice. Thus, taking the SAT 5 times and getting a strong score does not help your application stand out!

Different Score Options

Many schools allow score choice - where you are able to choose which SAT and ACT scores to report. This enables you to have a certain degree of agency as to which scores colleges see. A lot of schools that accept score choice recommend that you send all scores.  Some colleges have a superscore policy , which allows you to pick each of your top sub scores and combine into one superscore if you have taken a standardized test multiple times. Instead of superscoring across test dates, some schools will just look at your highest score from a single sitting. Then, there are colleges that do not require standardized test scores. Currently, due to COVID-19, standardized tests have become optional in many schools. You can find out more about them here .

The Activities section allows you to write about up to ten activities that you’ve participated in throughout high school. You only get 150 characters to sum up each activity, so make sure you are optimizing the space by summarizing your role and impact in each activity. The section asks for the following information:

• Activity type
• Position/leadership description + name of organization
• Activity description
• Participation grade levels: 9, 10, 11, 12
• Timing of participation: all year, summer, school break, etc.
• Hours spent per week
• Weeks spent per year
• Intent to continue in college: yes, no

For Activity type, the Common App provides you with a list to choose from. The options available are:

• Athletics: Club
• Athletics: JV/Varsity
• Career Oriented
• Community Service (Volunteer)
• Computer/Technology
• Debate/Speech
• Environmental
• Family Responsibilities
• Foreign Exchange
• Journalism/Publication
• Junior R.O.T.C.
• Music: Instrumental
• Music: Vocal
• School Spirit
• Science/Math
• Student Government/Politics
• Theater/Drama
• Work (Paid)
• Other Club/Activity

The activities list gives admissions officers a concrete idea of how you spend your time. With the hours, make sure you are being reasonable, even if it might be difficult to put down the exact hours if there is not a consistent number. Admissions officers can count and will notice if your participation hours exceed the number of hours in a week!

In the description itself, use strong verbs and be as specific as possible. Your achievements should be tangible or quantifiable. 

The writing section requires the following:

• Personal essay
• Disciplinary information: disciplinary violation at any educational institution, misdemeanor, felony

Additional information 

The personal essay plays a crucial part in showing colleges who you are, and it has a strict word limit of 650 words. Within a little over a page you have to show admissions officers what makes you a unique applicant, a good fit for their school, and tie it all to your Application Persona while displaying strong writing skills. This is not easy! Having a well-written personal statement can be tough, especially when you are a high school student used to writing five-paragraph-essays.

The prompts for the personal statement are as follows:

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Brainstorming Your Essay

When brainstorming your Common Application personal statement, remember your Application Persona. How does your personality tie into your Application Persona. Ask yourself questions . How can you take advantage of the prompt to provide your reader with a sense of your personal growth? When choosing your topic, it is very important to remember that the admissions officer will be reading thousands of applications. Think about topics to avoid . Do not write about middle school achievements, about others’ achievements, or try to accomplish too much.

You want to stand out, you want to tell your story, and share some of your biggest passions and important parts of your life. If you talk about a debate competition that you almost didn’t win, admissions officers might not be very engaged or impressed. Lots of applicants win debate competitions. Think strategically about how you can differentiate yourself.

Narrative Structure

As for the actual writing, pay attention to your narrative structure. Narrate your story by showing the reader your personality and emotions instead of telling. Provide the reader with a theme or a takeaway message. Show them how you’ve grown stronger or how your topic has changed your perspective. Don’t forget to edit and proofread.

The additional information of the Common Application section asks the question:

Do you wish to provide details of circumstances or qualifications not reflected in the application? You may use the space below to provide any additional information you wish to share.

You should always be very careful when filling out this section. Admissions officers go through a lot of applications. You do not want to waste their time with something that could have been mentioned elsewhere in the Common App. It could be used to provide context on whether there is a particular trend in your GPA, or whether any unforeseen circumstances, such as illness or a death in the family, impacted your school performance. You could use it to build upon any research abstract or include your art or writing portfolio. You could also use it to address any disciplinary action that might exist on your record. 

This section is not a place to extend your personal essay or add to your activities list. Those word limits and guidelines exist for a reason. You absolutely do not have to fill out this section if you don’t have anything else to add. It will not make or break your application. 

COVID-19 Question

In 2020, the Common Application introduced a question for students to outline any changes in circumstances due to COVID-19. The prompt states:

Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces.

• Do you wish to share anything on this topic? Y/N
• Please use this space to describe how these events have impacted you.

(250 word maximum)

The Common App COVID-19 question speaks for itself. Within 250 words, you have the opportunity to inform colleges whether the Coronavirus outbreak and social distancing protocols affected your health, family life, and learning abilities. Many students will have experienced disrupted testing dates and summer programs or other plans—and that’s okay to unpack those obstacles here if they were significant and unique issues. Keep in mind that this was a global crisis. Testing cancellations occurred for everyone, students across the world coped with online learning, and more. However, If you experienced bigger problems as a result of the pandemic, provide context for your circumstances, whether it’s unemployment or lack of learning resources at home. You might have fallen ill yourself—or had to take on added responsibilities in your family because your parents were sick. Colleges want to know this kind of information so that they can understand the factors affecting your performance and opportunities this past semester.

You may not be sure about exactly how candid you should be in your response. Remember that first and foremost, the prompt has been introduced for your benefit — to provide colleges with a better understanding of how your life was influenced by the crisis. You won’t be harshly judged if you had significant changes to your life and academics. In fact, it’s meant to serve the opposite. If you’re usually a straight-A student whose grades slipped because they had difficulty keeping up with Zoom classes, let colleges know. Or, if your parents might have faced difficulties with their jobs, use this section to expand on that. 

As you think about your response, remember that it is valuable to talk about how you’ve moved forward. If you’re a candidate who has done well even through setbacks — and taken advantage of this time — that can show how you’ve persevered during tough circumstances and made the most out of the hand you’ve been dealt. Be honest in your answer, and if you’ve done well despite the circumstances, admissions officers will certainly make note of it. 

Final Components of the Common App

Courses & Grades  - This section is self-explanatory. Admission officers want to see your academic track record, and what classes you have taken at different levels. Not all of the members of the Common App require your courses and grades . As a result, this section only becomes available if you select one of the schools on the list. Note that even if a school does not require Courses & Grades on the Common App, all of your high school transcripts go to each school. As usual, be careful when transcribing information onto the Common App. You do not want to list a C instead of an A!

Letters of Recommendation - Your teachers, guidance counselors, and other recommenders can submit their letters of recommendation directly on the Common App—you will invite them to contribute through the application platform. Build these relationships as early as possible. Pick people who know you best, understand your background and interests, and can provide perspective on you as a student and a person. 

Besides knowing you as a student and person, your recommender should also be familiar with the components of your application and your Application Persona. They should be aware not only of the theme you hope to achieve, but how they can help elevate it in their letter. Talk to them openly about your interests in the major of your choice, about the activities you want to pursue in college, and the extracurriculars from high school that you have tried to highlight in your application. The better your recommender understands what you are aiming for in your application, the stronger their letter will be.

Moreover, make sure your recommender is someone who takes the time to sit down with you, has time to dedicate to a careful letter, and is enthusiastic and excited about your application. 

School Specific Essays - A lot of schools have specific questions that they want to ask about your interest in their campus and course offerings specifically. They want to know that you have researched the school and that you are genuinely interested. These questions can include what major you want from their list of majors, and what activities you would partake in at the college. They can also include supplemental essays, usually asking why you want to attend their school. Always be as specific as possible in these essays.

There are countless ways in which you can answer how and why a college appeals to you. For example, if the school you’re applying to is a liberal arts college, you can highlight how the community or small faculty to student ratio appeals to you. If you’re applying to an engineering school, talk about the equipment and facilities available. Mention specific faculty members you might want to do research with. If you’re an athlete, talk about the importance of the team’s spirit if it appeals to you. Talk about alums who have inspired you, about extracurricular opportunities that resonate with you, and how the location might be of importance. If you visited campus, write about what you enjoyed.

Now that you have an idea of what each Common Application section is like, you are all set to begin your application process. To start, you have to go to the Common Application website, and first create an account . You can then start adding your school list and going through the sections to understand the requirements for each . You can always come back to this guide for tips and tricks, as well as visit any of the blogs linked on this blog to get more detailed information on how to approach each section.

Time to start tackling your college applications. Good luck!

Tags : common application , Personal Statement , common app guide , how to fill the common app , applying to college

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How to Master the ‘Honors’ Section of the Common App

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What’s Covered:

What to include in the honors section, examples of honors, how to organize and describe honors.

The “Honors” section of the Common Application is every ambitious student’s dream: a space made specifically for you to list the fruits of your hard work and effort in high school. The awards and honors you select to populate the five spaces need to demonstrate your talents and accomplishments, all while fitting into a brief 100 characters. Choosing which honors to include — and how to describe them — can be tricky business. Thankfully, we’re here to help. Read on for tips on how to best utilize the Honors section of your Common Application.

Looking for more advice on how to master the Common App? Check out our blog post How to Write the Common Application Essays 2021-2022 .

The Honors section asks for the name of the honor, the type of honor, and the grade(s) in which you received this honor.

It can be difficult to think of things you’ve done that are worth mentioning in the Honors section. However, just because you haven’t won any national cello performance competitions or been named a National Merit Scholar doesn’t mean you don’t have activities that belong in this section. 

There’s a common misconception that only the most prestigious or impressive awards should be listed on your application. In reality, any recognition of academic accomplishment can and should be included in this section. In fact, the Common App even breaks down the various honors into three sections: school-wide/local, state, and national awards. 

While the Honors section is intended for “academic” honors, you can include extracurricular honors such as an art award or debate team ranking. Just save your athletic awards for the Activities Section , unless the award is related to your academics or character (i.e. “Scholar Athlete” or “Integrity Award”). 

School-Wide/Local Awards 

These include being a member of your school’s chapter of the National Honor Society, honor roll or principal’s list, or a “Biology Student of the Year” award. In addition, extracurricular awards from competitions held at a local level, such as Mock Trial county champion or 1st place in your area’s Academic Decathlon, can all be listed on your application.

State Awards

These include awards for best oboe performance in the state of California or top Science Olympiad score in Massachusetts. State awards are usually considered more prestigious than local awards, since they are selected from a larger group.

National Awards 

These are considered more prestigious than the previous two. Titles like National Hispanic Scholar, AP Scholar (and AP Scholar with Honors, AP Scholar with Distinction, etc.) are all national honors. 

International Awards

These are the most prestigious awards because the scope of competition is so much broader than the other three. Awards in this category include any competition in which you’re up against international competitors, such as any of the International Academic Competitions.

• National Honor Society; 11, 12
• Honor Roll; 10, 11, 12

State/Regional:

• Debate team state champions; 10, 11
• Siemens Competition, 2nd Place

International: 

• Finalist in CFGL International Essay Contest; 11

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Many of the strategies for describing activities on the Common Application also apply to the honors section. Just as activities should be ranked according to their prestige and your degree of involvement, honors should be listed with the most competitive and well-recognized awards first. Generally, national awards should be listed first, followed by state awards, followed by local awards.

Using Numbers

The 100 character limit can make describing awards difficult. In order for these brief descriptions to be as impactful as possible, we recommend quantifying the value of the award to the greatest degree possible. Include the technical qualifications for the honor or award (if any), the numbers of students in the group from which the honorees were selected, and the number of honorees. This is especially helpful for local awards with which admissions committees will be less familiar, but can also emphasize the competitiveness of certain large-scale awards.

Thoughts on Acronyms?

Though acronyms seem like a perfect solution to constricting character limits, their use should be avoided if possible: No admissions committee knows that MHSBPACA is the Montgomery High School Band Parents Association Community Award. Your job is to balance the need for a brief character count with clear, effective descriptions of each award.

To Be (Picky) or Not to Be (Picky)

Finally, don’t be picky about what you choose to include. There are 5 slots available, and you should try and fill all of them if possible, even if you may initially think you have nothing to include. Honor roll, membership in an honors society, AP Scholar — such awards are fairly common and can all serve to add another dimension to your application.

If you have the opposite problem and feel as though you don’t have enough space to list all your honors and awards, begin by listing those which are most selective or competitive, and then those most relevant to your potential major or desired career path. Leftover awards can be strategically placed in the descriptions of the Extracurricular Activities section or in the Additional Info section .

Each section of the Common App, big or small, presents a valuable opportunity to demonstrate your accomplishments, personality, and passion to admissions committees. The Honors section is no different — though you only have space for five 100-character descriptions, you can seize the opportunity to show admissions committees that you are not only talented and accomplished in your academic and extracurricular pursuits, but you also have the evidence to back it up.

Follow our tips for making the most of your Honors section, and you’ll be one step closer to making your Common App the best it can be!

If you’re wondering how your application stacks up, use our free chancing engine to see your chances of getting into your dream schools. This will help you build a balanced school list and increase your odds of being accepted to at least one of your choices.

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