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The Common App is a very convenient platform to use when applying to college as it can be used to apply to up to 20 institutes and is accepted by over 900 schools in the US (as well as some international ones)! Do you need to get started on your Common App essay but don't know how to create an account to do so? If this is the case, look no further as this guide is here to provide you with step-by-step tips on how to set up an account in the Common App portal!
Common App Account Setup Guide
Choose An Account Type
On your browser, type in "Common App create account". Alternatively, you can click the link here.
You should see four options - First year student, Transfer student, Educational professional, and Parent or other adult. If you are confused about which option to pick, you can click the question mark icon to the right of each option for more information.
Click on the option that best suits you. Most students will need to choose the "First year student" option, while some may need to choose the "Transfer student" option.
If you choose the "Educational professional" and "Parent or other adult" options, you will only be able to create a practice account but will not be able to submit an application. Ensure you choose either "First year student" or "Transfer student" if you want to submit an application.
Filling Out Basic Information
The next page of the application is broken into subsections that will ask you about account information, personal information, contact details, and a section about the privacy policy. All the information you fill in here will autofill in other parts of your application where applicable, so ensure that you fill out all fields without errors.
Account information: This section will ask you to input the main email address and password you want to use for your account. It is recommended to add a personal email rather than a school email. You will also need to identify the year in which you are planning to apply to college (2024, 2025, 2026, etc.). This is important as the Common App has a rollover feature where your details can be saved from one year to the next. This means you can start an application even in the years before you are planning to apply to college.
Personal information: This section will ask you to fill in your legal first name, last name and date of birth. There is also an option to add a preferred first name if you go by a name other than your legal first name.
Contact details: This section will ask you to fill in your phone number and permanent home address.
Privacy policy and preferences: This section will ask you if you are based in any European country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or the UK, and will also ask if you would like to receive emails from Common App about opportunities and resources. Finally, you will need to tick a box agreeing to the terms of use of the Common App platform.
Select the blue "Create account" icon at the bottom of the page and you're done with the account setup!
We hope that this guide has been useful in providing some tips on how to set up a Common App account. Good luck with your college applications!
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