Click here to explore thousands of successful college essay exemplars!
Submitting the Common App is a major milestone, but the process doesn’t just end there! After you hit submit, several important steps occur before you officially begin college. If you are wondering what these steps are, this guide is here to give you an overview of what to expect after submitting your application and help you navigate the journey with confidence.
What Happens After Submitting The Common App?
Application Review Process
Each institute that you have applied to should send you a confirmation email acknowledging they have received your application.
Some schools may also have their own applicant portals where you can track the status of your application. Look for any emails that give you login credentials or prompt you to set up an account on school-specific portals.
After you've applied, the admissions committee at each school with review your complete application file. This could include transcripts, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, recommendation letters, etc.
If any additional information needs to be submitted, the admissions team will contact you asking for the required information, so be sure to check your email regularly so you don't miss out on sending any additional documents required by the school.
Most colleges use a well-rounded review process, which means they look at your character, goals, interests, and fit for the school along with checking academic requirements.
Your Common App essay will be evaluated by the admissions committee as it helps give an idea about you as a person outside of academics.
Supplemental Requirements
You may be asked to submit supplemental essays in addition to the Common App essay depending on your choice of program. If this is the case, make sure you have enough time to plan and write supplemental essays by the school-specific deadline.
Some institutes may ask you to have an interview with an admissions officer. Interviews are a great way for admissions officers to see how you conduct yourself and are often a requirement for more competitive programs in which the admissions committee needs more information than what is provided on your online application.
If you have applied early, some schools may defer making a decision until later on. If this is the case, they might request additional documents such as mid-year reports or additional recommendation letters. Make sure you check your email to see if any additional documents are required.
Decision Notification
The timeline of when you will receive a decision depends on whether you have applied as Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision.
Early Decision results usually come out by mid-December and are binding. This means that if you accept your Early Decision offer, you MUST attend that institution.
Early Action results usually come out by mid-December as well, but they are NOT binding.
Regular Decision results come out somewhere in March or April.
Although general timelines are provided above, schools often post specific results release dates on their websites or in applicant portals so make sure you check those for more specific dates.
There are several types of admissions decisions - Acceptance, Deferral, Waitlist, Rejection.
Acceptance: The hard work has paid off and you are in! You should receive an offer of admission or a letter outlining your next steps.
Deferral: For Early Decision and Early Action applicants, a deferral means your application has been moved to the regular decision pool. You should wait until then to receive a final decision on your application.
Waitlist: You are still in consideration for admission to the institute, but the admissions committee will wait to see how many other students accept offers before offering you a spot. Being offered a spot is conditional based on whether other accepted students reject their offers.
Rejection: Your application has been reviewed but you have not been selected to attend the particular institute. Rejections are part of the process and it's important to keep your spirits high even after receiving rejections.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Fill out the FAFSA and CSS profile applications to see if you qualify for financial aid. Many colleges have deadlines shortly after the Common App submission deadline.
If you are eligible based on merit or financial need, institutes may send you a financial aid email outlining the awards or monetary amount you are eligible for.
Compare financial aid offers from different schools carefully, taking into account the cost of attendance, the amount your family can contribute, and the amount of student loans you would need to take.
Some schools automatically consider you for merit-based scholarships with your Common App, while others may have additional scholarship applications. If your college has an institute-specific scholarship application, make sure you apply before the deadline.
Scholarship decisions may come with or after your admissions decision.
Post-Acceptance Tips
Ensure you keep your grades up in the last few months of high school. Although schools may have given you an offer of admission, many offers are conditional upon meeting a minimum grade requirement at the end of the school year.
Pay the enrollment deposit to confirm your spot. The deposit is usually non-refundable and the amount can vary by institution.
If you are moving away from home, you may want to apply for on-campus residence. Make sure you fill this application out as soon as possible as housing is often given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Attend campus tours and orientation events in the summer before you start classes. This will help you familiarize yourself with the campus and make friends before the academic year begins.
We hope that this guide has helped you understand what happens after you submit the Common App. Good luck with your college applications!
The Fast Track To Your
Best IB Coursework & College Essays
All content on this website has been developed independently from and is not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate Organization. International Baccalaureate and IB are registered trademarks owned by the International Baccalaureate Organization.