As senior year rolls around, the college search becomes much more prevalent and the sooner you can apply the better off you’ll be. Many schools open their applications in March for students the following year. For example, this year, March 1, marked the application opening for students looking to attend said school in the fall of 2025. What if you don’t know how to apply? Don’t fret. I’ll help you.
Step One: Common Application
The common app makes your application the easiest way to apply for not only one but a multitude of colleges in a faster manner. With the common application, you input all of your information, which applies to all of the colleges you’re interested in applying to. There are different sections to this part of the application.
– Profile
This section asks for basic information about yourself such as your name, parents, contact information and where you’re from.
– Family
Along with that, there’s a family section where you’ll input information about your family. Pretty self-explanatory.
– Education
Next, you’ll be telling schools about your high school career. What school you go to and if you’ve been to a previous school before this one. Also in this section, your GPA and class rank will go into this part where you can submit your weighted or unweighted GPA. Your courses for the year will be inputted, a bit of a tedious process, however, this section is required. Lastly, it will ask about your future plans, specifically the highest degree you intend to pursue and your future profession plan.
– Testing
Just submitting test scores unless you wish to be test-optional where you can wish not to submit your scores.
– Activities
This section asks about your extracurricular activities or you’re involvement within school. Whatever you have helps.
– Writing
The last section, a writing section, however, some schools don’t require any writing, but some require an essay. This essay caps at anywhere from 650-1500 words so plan accordingly. Even if not required, I would encourage you to write one.
Step Two: Select Schools
In the common app, under the “My Colleges” tab you will add schools to your list to apply to. Add your dream school or any schools you are moderately interested in. It couldn’t hurt to fill out an application for those schools. Even if you’re dead-set on a certain college, having a backup that you wouldn’t mind going to, and keeping a safety valve in the back pocket can’t hurt. Just in case you don’t get in you’ll have somewhere else you can get in to.
Step Three: Questions
After you’ve filled out the meaty section and searched the schools you want to apply to, it’s time to go through the questions for each school. Schools will have different questions and recommendation options, but first, you will go through the questions and fill them out. These questions can range from interests, potential scholarship considerations and writing. Then you can get into letters of recommendation. Depending on the school you may need letters of recommendation, so I would ask your favorite teachers to do one and if they agree you can send them an invitation through the common app. This will be in the Recommenders and FERPA tab under the college you’re applying to.
Step Four: Submission
Now it’ll be time to submit. For each application, there will be a fee of anywhere from $40-75 unless you have a fee waiver. After you’ve paid or applied your fee waiver you will submit. Congratulations you’ve applied to college. I hope you’re accepted.
