The 2020-2021 Common App went live on August 1st! There are 897 institution members including 40 new schools joining for this application cycle. Over one million students use the free online tool to apply to college. In keeping with its mission to provide “access, equity and integrity in the college admissions process”, the Common App has made several changes which improves the student experience.
On the Explore Colleges page there are additional filters to help students searching for colleges:
● First-year/transfer
● Public/private institution
● Enrollment size
● Campus setting
● Merit awards /need based aid
● Test-optional
● Specialized mission
Students can now view maps of schools and prepare and create a PDF of their college list. The College Detail section has been expanded to include information provided by the schools themselves:
● Application requirements
● Virtual tours and photo galleries
● Specialized programs
Additionally, several areas within the application itself have been improved including:
● Students can identify proficiency in more than one “Other” language
● The Honors section now allows for “Add Another”
● The Activities section now has two separate questions; one for “Organization name” and one for “Position or Leadership description”
● Students can update their FERPA waiver prior to a recommendation submission
● Students can now search FAQs
The 7 first-year essay prompts remain the same, however, an optional COVID-19 question, with a 250 word limit, is available in the Additional Information section. Students may want to share a personal issue resulting from the pandemic but be aware that high schools will have an opportunity to explain any impact COVID-19 had on its ability to deliver an education to its students.
The Common App opens August 1st every year for the upcoming admissions cycle, but students should not wait until senior year to create an account and start using the tool. These sections of the application roll over from year to year:
● Profile
● Family
● Education
● Testing
● Activities
● Writing
● Courses & grades
The information on the My Colleges tab does not rollover. This includes FERPA release authorization, recommender invitations, or answers to college-specific questions.
Starting the Common App early gives students time to explore all of the resources offered before the pressures and demands of senior year begin. Students who create an account in 9th grade can input their activities and descriptions and add information throughout their high school years. This saves time and can reduce stress during senior year!