Common App completion

The Common Application (Common App) is the most widely used college application platform, accepted by over 1,000 colleges and universities in the US and abroad. It allows students to fill out one core application and submit it to multiple schools, with each school potentially requiring additional supplements.

23 steps across 3 sections

1. Strategy for the Activity List

  • Order by importance, not chronology. Put your most meaningful and impressive activities first. Admissions officers may not read all 10 carefully.
  • Lead with leadership. Activities where you held a leadership role or founded something should rank higher.
  • Show depth over breadth. Multi-year commitment to a few activities is more impressive than dabbling in many.
  • Use action verbs in descriptions: "Founded," "Led," "Organized," "Raised," "Managed," "Designed"
  • Quantify results wherever possible: "Raised $5,000 for local food bank" is stronger than "Organized fundraisers"
  • Include paid work. Jobs count as activities and show maturity, time management, and responsibility.
  • Family responsibilities matter. Caring for siblings, translating for parents, or managing a household are valid and important activities.
  • Fill all 10 slots if you can, but do not pad with trivial activities. Quality matters more than quantity.
  • Align with your narrative. Your activities should support the story you are telling in your essay and overall application.
  • Use the Additional Information section if an activity needs more explanation than 150 characters allows.

2. The 7 Prompts (2025-2026, unchanged from prior years)

  • Background/Identity/Interest/Talent: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this soun...
  • Lessons from Obstacles: The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, a...
  • Questioning a Belief: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
  • Gratitude: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
  • Personal Growth: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
  • Intellectual Curiosity: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to lear...
  • Free Choice: Share an essay on any topic of your choice.

3. Essay Tips

  • Start with your story, not the prompt. Identify what you want to convey, then find the prompt that fits.
  • Show, do not tell. Use specific scenes and details rather than abstract statements.
  • Write in your authentic voice. Do not try to sound overly formal or academic.
  • The essay should reveal something your transcript and activities list cannot.
  • Complete 3-4 drafts minimum. Have 1-2 trusted readers review it (not more, as conflicting feedback dilutes your voice).
  • The "Challenges & Circumstances" section (formerly "Additional Information") is now separate, with a 300-word limit, for explaining hardships or context.

Common Mistakes

  • Typos and grammatical errors
  • Wrong school name in supplements
  • Waiting until the last minute
  • Not filling the activity descriptions fully
  • Inconsistent information

Pro Tips

  • Start in the summer
  • Save your work frequently
  • Write essays in a separate document
  • Use the Common App mobile app
  • Track everything in a spreadsheet:

Sources

Related Checklists