The Common Application

PrintEmail

The Common Application membership association was established in 1975 by 15 private colleges that sought to provide a common, standardized first-year application form for use by any member institution. The Common Application is a not-for-profit membership organization that has committed itself to providing “reliable services that promote equity, access, and integrity in the college application process.” The organization states its overall mission is “To serve students, member institutions, and secondary schools by providing applications—online and in print—that students and school officials may submit to any of our nearly 350 members. [The Common Application] promotes access by evaluating students using a holistic selection process.”

The Common Application is now a standard entry application used by colleges (both public and private) across the U.S. The number of colleges and universities using the Common Application now numbers over 300, and that number represents the full range of higher educational institutions. You can find the Common Application at the following web address: https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/default.aspx

Common Application Member Institutions

The 414 Common Application members are located in 44 states as well as the District of Columbia.  A complete alphabetical listing of colleges and universities that have chosen to use the Common Application as a means of promoting holistic entrance applications:

Benefits of the Common Application

One application, many universities: The most obvious benefit to the Common Application is that you only have to fill in the pages of basic information (such as name, birth date, high school information, address, etc.) once, rather than multiple times for different colleges.

Standardized format and readability: The Common Application is filled out online and is submitted online. It is pre-formatted so that all of your text lines up properly and prints out in an aesthetically pleasing manner. This helps with the overall presentation of your application.

Help desk: If you encounter a difficulty in filling out in the Common Application or in understanding any of its component parts, you can contact the Common Application office and get your queries answered in a timely and direct manner.

Disadvantages of the Common Application

Not universal: Many universities still do not accept the Common Application. Depending on the colleges you choose to apply to, you might end up filling in multiple applications anyhow.

Going the extra mile: Among those colleges that do accept the Common Application, there is usually also the option of completing the college’s individual application. Often, admissions staff looks favourably upon students who go the extra mile and fill in the college’s own application, thereby showing specific interest in that particular college.

Extra materials: Many colleges—including all of the Ivy Leagues schools and many liberal arts colleges—require additional (i.e. supplemental) application materials to be submitted along with the Common Application. If you fail to complete this supplemental application material, your application will be deemed invalid.

Read more about the Common Application and many other topics in our PREPSKILLS^® U.S. Admissions Guide.