Common Application
The Common Application (informally known as the Common App) is a college admission application that students may use to apply to any of 315 member colleges and universities in the United States. Its goal is to reduce the workload of students who would otherwise have to complete separate applications to several colleges.
The questions on the Common App include factors such as the home life of the student, academic achievements, standardized test scores and other information that colleges use to evaluate students for admission.
Supplements
While the Common Application itself is an extensive look into a student's academic life, it is often hard for a school to get a full picture of the student's character exclusively from the application itself. Often colleges will have supplements that an applicant must fill out along with the Common App in order to be considered for admission. This can range from a few yes or no questions about alumni relations or minority status to full essays pertaining to certain aspects of the school. The Common App online application often states whether a school needs a supplement and will automatically fill in the fields that the student has already filled in on previous uses of the Common Application.
Online Application
The application consists of both a print and an online version.[1]
The online version allows the application to be filled out once online and submitted to all schools with the same information going to each. Once the application is submitted to a school, it cannot be edited electronically; the school must be contacted directly if a student wishes to make changes to a submitted application. Applicants can organize payment and supplements online as well. Students must sign up for the Common Application online if they wish to take advantage of online features of the application. They can only register once, but can apply to as many schools as they want through the website.
Some schools including Allegheny College, American University, Colgate University, Lewis & Clark College, Stevens Institute of Technology, University of La Verne and Wellesley College do not charge an application fee if their application or the Common Application is submitted online.
Membership
As of July 2007, the Common Application website lists 315 colleges and universities as members (see list here). Of these, approximately one-third are "exclusive users" that use the Common Application as their only printed application (listed here).
Universities that accept the Common Application do so by choice. If they have a separate proprietary application, they are required to give equal consideration to applicants using either form. The Common Application is not offered to universities who do not agree to treat it in this way. Additionally, the Common Application requires schools that use it to embrace a holistic approach to admission.[2]