Common App
The Common Application (more commonly known as the Common App) is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to over 1,000 member colleges and universities in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, China, Japan, and many other European, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries. Member colleges and universities that accept the Common App are made up of over 250 public universities, 12 historically black colleges and universities, and over 400 institutions that do not require an application fee. It is managed by the staff of a not-for-profit membership association (The Common Application, Inc.) and governed by a 18-member volunteer Board of Directors drawn from the ranks of college admission deans and secondary school college counselors.
 | This article contains promotional content. (February 2026) |
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| Formation | 1975 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit NGO |
| Legal status | Public charity |
| Purpose | Higher-education application processing |
| Headquarters | Arlington, Virginia, United States |
President & CEO | Jenny Rickard |
| Website | www.commonapp.org  |
The Common Application (more commonly known as the Common App) is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to over 1,000 member colleges and universities in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, China, Japan, and many other European, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries.[1][2]
Member colleges and universities that accept the Common App are made up of over 250 public universities, 12 historically black colleges and universities, and over 400 institutions that do not require an application fee. It is managed by the staff of a not-for-profit membership association (The Common Application, Inc.) and governed by a 18-member volunteer Board of Directors drawn from the ranks of college admission deans and secondary school college counselors.[3]
Digital application system
[edit]There are different Common Applications for first-year admission and transfer admission.[4] The application is filled out once online and can be submitted to all schools of the applicant's choosing, with the same information going to different schools. Some schools require supplemental materials, such as essays, that are specific to that school.[5]
Competition
[edit]The Coalition Application was created by a consortium of 80 colleges and universities known as the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success, in September 2015.[6][7] By 2019, the organization was renamed the Coalition for College;[8] that year around 150 universities participated.[9] The Coalition application was created in an attempt to facilitate a holistic process of application, and includes "lockers" where students can create a portfolio starting in 9th grade.[7][10]
The Common Black College Application (CBCA) was started in 1998 to facilitate the process of applying to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).[11]
See also
[edit]- Coalition for College
- College admissions in the United States
- Transfer admissions in the United States
- Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), UK
References
[edit]- ^ "Explore colleges using Common App | Common App". www.commonapp.org.
- ^ "Common App launches 2022-2023 application with more than 1,000 colleges and universities". www.commonapp.org. Retrieved 2022-09-03.
- ^ "First Year Deadlines, Fees and Requirements" (PDF). Common Application.
- ^ "First-year vs. transfer Common Applications". Common Application member support. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
- ^ Zipkin, Amy (2010-11-05). "There's More Than One Way to Apply to College". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
- ^ Jaschik, Scott (September 28, 2015). "Admissions Revolution". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
- ^ a b Jaschik, Scott (November 24, 2019). "Waiting for the Coalition Application to Improve". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
- ^ Jaschik, Scott (May 5, 2019). "Leaving the Coalition". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
- ^ "Application meant to simplify college admissions actually makes schools more selective, study shows, including some in Washington". The Seattle Times. 2019-11-27. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
- ^ Hoover, Eric (1 August 2016). "The 'Coalition' Application Has Arrived". Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ Johns, Greta Anderson (2022-12-01). "D11 students can apply to HBCUs for free". Colorado Springs Business Journal. Retrieved 2023-12-11.