This informal CPD article ‘Navigating the Common Application’ was provided by UES Education, specialists in international university and school admissions, working with top schools across the UK and Europe to provide a bespoke service for those who want the best possible application support in the UK.
Although there is no centralised system for US university applications—like UCAS for UK applications—many US universities use the Common Application online portal (1). Understanding how the Common App works is crucial for schools and careers offices supporting students applying to US universities.
How does the Common Application work?
There are two major components of the Common App portal: the schools side and the student side. At the schools side, the careers department or US universities counsellor will upload important documents for each applicant, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, as well as a school report that describes the school itself. Even if students are working with external counsellors on their applications, the school will have to put through documents via the Common App in order for the students to apply. Having a clear process in place and an awareness of all important deadlines well in advance of application season is crucial: this will help things run smoothly for staff, make sure applications are put through correctly, and avoid last-minute stress for staff and students.
The student side of the Common Application requires applicants to select the colleges to which they are applying, input personal information, and upload essays. Students will also manage their teacher recommendations via the Common App. Generally, two recommendations from subject teachers will be required. Students will need to ‘nominate’ the teachers in the Common App by inputting their name and email addresses, and the teachers will then receive an email inviting them to provide their reference through the portal. (It’s very important for students to understand that they must do this step in the Common App to receive their reference, even if they ask a teacher in person to do the reference!) The system is generally straightforward for teachers, but it could be good practice for careers offices to let teachers know how the process works so they will be aware as well.
What information do students need to provide?
The student side of the Common App requires some personal information to be input. One way to make this process easier is for students to gather this information and add it to the portal during the summer before year 13. Students will need to list courses they are taking (A-Levels or IBs), extracurricular activities/work, information about parents/guardians, and academic honours and achievements. If a college requires standardised test scores, these can also be added to the Common App.
The Common Application also requires a 650-word personal essay. This is very different from the UCAS personal statement: it is much less focused on academics, and more focused on the student’s identity, experiences, and values. Students may choose from seven different prompts, but all the essays will require students to write in an open, honest, creative way. Since the writing style is so different from what most UK students will have encountered, it is a good idea for them to read some example essays before getting started.
Further useful advice
One helpful feature of the Common Application that many people don’t know about is the facility to view application deadlines for each college. Students can do this by going to the ‘My Colleges’ area and clicking on an individual college; that institution’s deadlines will come up on screen alongside the other college info. Students can also verify if the college is test-optional and which application programmes they offer (early decision, early action, etc.). Since deadlines can vary university to university, it’s a smart idea for students to double-check deadlines several months in advance, so they can be sure their applications are completed in time and avoid last-minute stress.
Doing as much work with the Common App ahead of time is another great way to minimise unnecessary stress. One helpful thing students can do is speak to the teachers they would like to write their recommendations before the end of the academic year in year 12. (They should wait until after 1 August, when the Common App is refreshed for the application cycle, to add them as recommenders in the portal, however.) In addition to filling in personal information to the portal during the summer before year 13, students can also write their application essays to get ahead.
Most US applicants will need to use the Common Application portal to put through their applications. By gaining familiarity with the counsellor side of the portal, and having clear processes and deadlines, careers offices can have a smooth experience of putting through US applications. By doing a few key Common App tasks well in advance of deadlines, students can also set themselves up for a straightforward application process and successful applications.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from UES Education, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
REFERENCES
(1) https://www.commonapp.org/
