Tips for Using the Common Application

Tips for Using the Common Application Create an Account as a Junior While the Common App for the next application season does not open until August 1, you can actually create an account early for a sneak peak. To create an account, go the create an account page and choose 'student.' From there, the system will prompt you for an email and password - and that's it. If you're a junior, you can start filling out information now, and it will roll over to your actual application next year. While those niggly details like your name, address and gender are not necessarily taxing on the brain, it does take time to fill out. Start early for a less stressful senior year. Related Articles College Application Cover Letter Examples College Application Cover Letter Examples How to Create a YouTube Account How to Create a YouTube Account College Application Due Dates College Application Due Dates Accounts for Parents Common App online dashboard While it really is the student who should be filling out the applications and working through the process, the reality is that applying to colleges can be long and tedious. With that in mind, parents can also sign up for an account. Go to the 'create an account' page and select that you are a parent. While your parent account will not let you see your student's account, it will let you see upcoming national deadlines, give you access to the help resources on the site, and other useful information as you support your child through the college application process. Gather Information Before You Start One nice thing about the Common App is that you can save your progress and return. Everything is editable until you submit, so even if you make a mistake, you can always go back and fix it. However, knowing what you need to have before you start can be helpful so you can get the easiest part done in as little time as possible. The following list of information is not comprehensive; the Common App asks more questions regarding your profile, your education and extracurricular activities. However, the following include things you may not know without asking someone. Basic Family Information Sample family information Under the family section (which you access by clicking on 'family' on the left), you'll need to know the following: Mother's maiden name Where your parents work Your parents' job titles The highest degree that each parent has earned, the name of the institution where they earned their degree(s), and the year in which they earned them Information about your siblings such as ages and highest education level