Common App To-Do List: What You Need to Know

Applying to college can be a time-consuming process and requires attention to detail to ensure you do not miss any deadlines or fail to upload any required documents. This guide is here to provide you with a detailed to-do list of everything you should keep in mind when submitting college applications through the Common App. Read this post to ensure you are fully prepared before you submit your application!

Common App To-Do List: What You Need to Know

Before You Begin

• Finalize your college list: Be ready with a list of all the colleges you intend to apply to. This should ideally be a mix of reach, match, and safety schools. 

   

• Know the deadlines: Review the deadlines for each college/university you are applying to. Deadlines may differ depending on whether you are applying as Early Action, Early Decision or Regular Decision. For a detailed guide on deadlines, see this post here.

   

• Gather your application materials: Ensure you have all documents ready before you begin your applications. Documents can include a copy of your high school transcript, a list of your family/work responsibilities, extracurricular activities, standardized test scores, parent/legal guardian information, and academic honors and achievements. 

   

• Set up an account: To submit an application through the Common App, you will first need to create an account. For a detailed account setup guide, see this post here. 

Completing the Application

• Start adding colleges: Once your account is up and running, it is time for you to start adding colleges. You can do so through the "College Search" tab using filters such as state, country, distance from a zip code, enrollment term, application deadline, application fee, writing requirement, standardized testing policy, and recommendation requirement. You can add colleges by clicking the "Add College" button from the search results or you could also select a college and then click on the "Add to My Colleges" button on the info screen of that college. You may only add up to 20 colleges/universities to your application.

   

• Fill in your information: Complete the relevant sections that ask for your personal details, family details, transcripts, GPA, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities. Check that you have spelled your personal and family details correctly, and check that your test scores and grades are reported to their accurate number.

   

• Add recommenders: Many colleges will require you to submit letters of recommendation. To do so, you will need to add recommenders in the "Recommenders and FERPA" section. Click on "Complete Release Authorization" and read the information that pops up. Scroll down and click "I have read and understood the FERPA release authorization above", then click on "Continue". Another popup titled "FERPA form" will show up. From there you will have the option to either waive or not waive your FERPA rights. This step is completely up to you, although it is recommended to waive your rights as colleges may see it as more professional to keep recommendation letters confidential. Sign your name, add the date, and then click "Save and close". Once you complete the FERPA form, you will be able to add Counselors, Parents, Teachers, etc. Click on "Invite Counselor" and fill in their first name, last name, and email address so that they can submit a recommendation for you.

   

• Write the Common App essay: This component of the Common App is often the one that students spend the most time on as it requires significant brainstorming, writing, and editing. The Clastify blog has a wide variety of posts to support you through your Common App essay writing journey. Simply click this link here and type "Common App" into the search bar. From there you can read posts regarding all stages of the Common App essay writing process, right from brainstorming ideas to editing and submitting the essay. 

   

• Stay organized: It is important to stay organized to avoid missing any deadlines or making mistakes on your application. You should aim to start brainstorming and writing the Common App essay as soon as the prompts are available. Ask your teachers and counsellors for recommendation letters well in advance. This is because they may have to write letters for multiple students, so you want to ensure they have enough time to craft a strong letter to support your application.