The Common App has transformed college applications since its inception in 1975, when it was introduced by 15 private colleges. Its evolution has focused on simplifying the process for students, leading to a digital format in 1998 and a complete redesign in 2013, resulting in the streamlined CA4. While the Common App has undoubtedly made applying to colleges more accessible, I believe that this ease of “throwing another application in” may also be a contributing factor to the overwhelming number of applications received by colleges each year—including those from students who may not be genuinely interested in or qualified to attend.
Currently accepted by approximately 1,000 colleges spanning private, public, and specialized institutions, the Common App continues to play a significant role in higher education today.
Parental Guidance: Balancing Financial Realities And Student Aspirations
While the application process should primarily be driven by the student, parents can play a crucial role in guiding their child’s choices.
The first step is to have a frank discussion with your student at the end of sophomore year or early in junior year about your ability or willingness to pay for the educational path that is being considered. Without a financial reality check, your student may be shooting for colleges that are beyond the family’s ability to pay. By exploring financial aid options and utilizing tools such as Net Price Calculators, families can estimate the costs associated with various colleges and make informed decisions. It’s also important to keep in mind that a student’s academic profile and achievements could potentially lead to scholarships or other forms of financial assistance.
This collaborative approach ensures that the student remains invested in their educational journey while incorporating parental support and guidance in the decision-making process.
Understanding The Common App’s 10 Sections
- Profile: This includes demographic information for the student.
- Family: This section is for information about your household, parents, siblings, legal guardians, and step parents. I suggest that parents complete the Parent information themselves as they will know the dates pertinent to your family.
- Education: This section is related to your high school, counselors, academic performance, courses, etc.
- Testing: You can self-report your SAT, ACT, AP, IB scores here, if you wish.
- Activities: This section is more important than you may think. It tells the colleges how you have chosen to spend your time during your high school years.
- Writing: This is where you put your personal essay, disciplinary history and additional information that you want to highlight.
- Courses and Grades: Some colleges require you to self-report your courses and grades from your transcript.
- College-Specific Questions and Supplements: Each college has its own questions some of which refer to when you wish to start or what you plan to study. There are also some colleges that require specific supplemental essays to be written.
- Recommendations and FERPA: FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. You should waive your FERPA rights to see your letters of recommendation if you want anyone to read or write them. In this section you also list your recommenders for that specific college.
- Review and Submit: When you review the application, I suggest that you download a hard copy so that you have it in case anything goes wrong. After reviewing, submit the application. The submission is not complete until you have paid the fee and been returned to the submission page. You must click the submit button after payment or the process is not complete.
Deadlines: Each college will have a series of submission deadlines. Choose the one that is right for you and gives you enough time to complete a professional and well-thought-out application. Don’t rush it.
AXS Companion: There is a free tool called AXS Companion that was designed to make the Common app more accessible to students with disabilities because it offers screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and color contrast options. It is helpful to all students trying to navigate the process.
Common App Tips for Parents: Supporting Your Child In Taking The First Steps
When encouraging students to get started, recognize that this is a scary time for them. Think about the first time you needed to file your income taxes on your own. Offer to help manage the process by breaking it into smaller chunks. For example, start with creating the Common App account, then:
Break the Common App process into chunks:
- Set a deadline for having the sections completed. Check in with your student to ensure they are making progress.
- Talk about the developing college list. When a college is decided on, make sure to enter it into the Common App so that your student is aware of the application requirements for that college.
- Without being intrusive, ask how the common app essay is coming along. Keep your hands off the essay. This is one of the sections that your student MUST write themselves. It is different from anything written for a school assignment. It should not reiterate anything that can be seen in any other section of the application. It must be personal, introspective, and show a clear picture of who the applicant is.
Establish a dedicated workspace for completing the Common App
- Find a space for the materials that are gathered to be kept.
- Dedicate space for the student to think about the essay and organize themselves.
- Purchase a file box in which to hang a separate file for each college under consideration. When that college is no longer in the mix, toss the file.
Offering Support as a Sounding Board for Common App Questions
Consider setting aside a specific time each week for college-related discussions. This structured approach ensures that your student’s concerns are addressed without overwhelming them. During these weekly conversations, offer guidance on the Common App’s technical aspects and provide a supportive space for discussing any challenges or questions that may arise.
By establishing a dedicated time for these important topics, you can foster an open dialogue while preventing the college application process from dominating everyday conversations.
Addressing Common App Challenges
- Dealing with procrastination: It is normal for kids to put off things that are not fun. Without nagging, make sure that the process is not extending beyond the time required to get it done well. Remember the deadlines we set above, stick to them and make sure that your student knows that this is the plan. Ask to see the progress that is being made.
- Managing anxiety and stress: Your stress level will be high. Can you imagine how your 17-year-old feels? This process often feels like the sword of Damocles is hanging over the student’s head. If they don’t get the process done, then they can blame their lack of acceptance on a lack of time. On the other hand, if they do everything right and are rejected, they will feel like a failure. As adults, we know that this is untrue, but we’re dealing with a very emotional time in a student’s life.
Ensure that your students know that they are loved no matter what college accepts or rejects them. Emphasize that your only agenda is to have them in a place where they can be happy, productive, and learn. This is about Fit and Match, not trophy hunting. Never make your student feel like a show pony. Never yell. If the process doesn’t get done, maybe the student is not ready for college this year.
- Balancing application work with schoolwork: While a senior’s schedule must not have reduced rigor, we must recognize that the student needs to manage time to get all this done. Ideally, the Common App, Personal Statement, Activities List, and a final list are all done over the summer between junior and senior year. You can help that to happen. Follow the suggestions made above and gently nudge your student to get things done early.
Specific Areas Where Parents Can Help With the Common App
Brainstorming for the personal essay: Help your student brainstorm topics for the personal essay without insisting on the topic. Remember that this is a different kind of writing and may be scary to your student.
The student has to write from the heart, not the head. The complete focus is on the student. If the topic is ongoing, that experience is two or three sentences; the rest of the essay is about how the student dealt with and changed from the experience.
Remind your students that they should speak in plain language and not like a thesaurus. This is the same reason parents who edit the essay do their students a disservice. No matter how bright the student is, there are distinct differences in word usage between a 17-year-old and a 45-year-old.
Gathering information for the activities section: Help your student reconstruct what they participated in throughout their high school years. Anything that the student did after 8th grade counts, whether a school club, religious group, or community endeavor. Have your student write a description of the activity that goes beyond the mundane.
First, ignore the 150 characters allowed in the description. The student should offer two or three sentences about why this activity was important, what they gained, what they learned, and how they felt about it. Then, edit it to the required character count. You can help with this part, ensuring that you’re editing and not rewriting to maintain the student’s voice and perspective.
Reviewing the Common app for completeness: Before you submit the application, read it over very carefully to ensure that there are no typos or misinformation.
In my practice, I review all applications before submission, but I ask the parents and students to do the same. The more eyes that are on the Common app the better. This review should not be done on the night before the deadline.
Applications should be submitted at least a week prior to the deadline.
Maintaining A Supportive Environment While Completing The Common App
Respecting your child’s autonomy: This is your child’s time to shine and take responsibility for the work they did over the last three years. You can’t change it, and neither can the student.
Where the student goes to college is a lot less important than the growth and development they will experience when they get there. What matters most is that your child has made the first step into adulthood and the decisions accompanying that step are theirs to make.
Trust in their ability to make the right choices. Applaud from the background.
Celebrating small victories: Each acceptance is a win. Celebrate it with your child. Tell them that you are proud of them and that you know how hard they have worked for this.
Providing emotional support: They need to know you are on their side and encourage them to fly. Be supportive in all things and mask your disappointments and disagreements. It is not your life.
Remember whose life we are talking about. Completing the Common App and applying for college is your child’s experience. Be encouraging and set your ego aside. I know that you want your child to be happy. Now is the time to turn over control of their lives to them.
Encourage them to set deadlines, monitor their progress, and not take over the process if it is not going well. Remember that there is always next year. Your child may not be ready to leave home yet. Talk to them as adults and encourage them to trust you.
The best way to help your student through this process is to maintain a positive and supportive demeanor. Don’t make every conversation about college. Set aside time each week, no more than an hour, in which you get a summary of the process and offer encouragement and assistance if asked.
Most of all, show your children how proud you are of the young adults they have become.
