Definition: The Common Application is used for undergraduate admissions by roughly 350 colleges and universities. Only schools that evaluate applications holistically are allowed to use the common application; that is, the admissions staff must take into consideration things like letters of recommendation and the application essay. If a college bases admission solely on GPA and test scores, they can not be members of the Common Application. Nearly all top colleges and top universities use the Common Application.
The Common Application covers several areas: personal data, educational data, standardized test information, family information, academic honors, extracurricular activities, work experience, a short answer essay, a personal essay, and criminal history. Financial aid information needs to be handled on the FAFSA.
In most cases, the Common Application is submitted electronically, and the Common Application website does a great job organizing your documents and keeping track of the different application components.
Many schools will ask for a supplemental essay to complement the personal essay options provided on the Common Application. These supplements are often submitted through the Common Application website.
