After students painstakingly create their college list, they should complete thorough research on how each college prefers to have students apply. Many colleges utilize the Common Application as an application option and some colleges exclusively use the Common Application. There's so much to know about the Common App but maybe the most important piece of info is that the Common App is complex and for many students and families, the Common App can be incredibly overwhelming. Here at Riley College Advising, we have a love-hate relationship with the Common App. We hate how complicated it is but we love the amount of information that it collects. When colleges use a lot of information about students to make admissions decisions, we know that they are really taking their time to consider the whole student and not just test scores and a GPA.
The Common App is designed to be completed and submitted to a multitude of colleges which supposedly saves time for students! Despite this great intention, it is rare that a student can complete the Common App and submit it to multiple colleges without any additional materials (or supplements as they are called on the Common App). So it is often the case that students complete the "main" portion of the Common App and then have to complete many more supplements which can be additional essays, statements, biographical data, or teacher/counselor recommendations. This is an incredible amount of information to collect for a student and then add on the many deadlines colleges require students to meet on top of a rigorous senior year course-load, it is easy to see why students can get stressed out.
With all of that being said, it is definitely helpful for students to have a seasoned professional guide them through the application. Riley College Advising is here to help! Just contact us and set up a time!
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