Tips and Tricks for Completing the Common App

Pumpkin spice, cider donuts and cooler temperatures signal that fall is upon us and so does the annual rite of passage of high school seniors applying to college. The essay is the most daunting task and we have you covered with advice including 10 College Topics to Avoid and Writing a College Essay That Tells Your Story and Gets You Accepted. However, there is more to the Common App than the essay. There are many sections to complete and the whole process can take quite a bit of time. Here are some tips and tricks for completing the rest of your Common App profile and getting those applications submitted on time. 

Before you start, make sure you have all information on hand, such as scores, transcripts and parent information. You also should have a list of schools you want to apply to and have researched potential major(s) you are most interested in (don’t worry about committing to a major at this time. Most schools wait until Sophomore year before you have to declare a major). Be accurate and honest and make sure to proofread anything you write. It’s always a good idea to ask a parent or friend to be an extra set of eyes to check for any typos.

Activities list

The activities list is a great way to show what you’ve spent your time doing in high school besides academics. This could include clubs, sports, jobs, leadership, or volunteering. 

• List your most important and impactful activities first.
• Note that the role title is limited to 50 characters and the description is 150 characters for each activity. Put these in a separate document, so you can edit and check character counts.
• Use action verbs like organized, managed, led, developed, created to explain your role in each activity.
• Communicate what you learned or values gained.
• Vary your descriptions and words, so it doesn’t sound redundant across activities.
• Don’t repeat the organization and title in the description. Use that space to describe what you did and any impact you made.
• You don’t need to write full sentences here. Keep descriptions succinct.
• You can include up to 10 activities. If you don’t have enough, that’s ok. It’s not necessary to fill it all up. If you have more than 10 activities, choose the ones that have the highest impact and you’ve done throughout high school and omit ones you may have only participated in one or two years.

SAT/ACT/AP scores

For this section, you should self-report all scores if you are submitting them. You don’t need to pay the College Board to send your scores to all the schools you apply to. You should only need to send official scores to the school you choose to commit to and enroll in. This will save money, but check with each school on their requirements.

Supplemental essays

Some schools may say these are supplemental essays optional, but treat all extra essays as required. Admissions counselors want to know if you’re going to put in the extra effort and are motivated. Many of these essays are the “why us” essay, as colleges want to know why you are applying to their institution. For thi,s you need to research and pull out something unique or specific to what they offer or what you want to study. Don’t write anything generic like I want to go to xyz school because it’s in the city, or by the beach, or it has a great football team. Go deeper. Mention a professor, a specific class, or even a club that you can’t wait to join and why it interests you. Especially for colleges that value demonstrated interest, this is the space to make it personal and specific to show why this school is on your list. 

Don’t underestimate how long it will take to complete the Common App. Essays take time to brainstorm, write, revise, and edit. Research the majors you are interested in. Some schools ask you to choose a second choice as well. Also, be mindful of deadlines. If a college’s early action deadline is Nov. 1st, don’t wait until Oct. 31 to submit. With so many students using the Common App platform, a last-minute rush has been known to cause delays on the site.  

Need help filling out the Common App or completing essays? Contact us today.