What Students Need to Know
August 1 marks the official launch of the Common App for the 2026–2027 college application season. If you’re applying to college this year, now is the time to get organized.
The Common App allows students to apply to multiple colleges and universities through one online application. While each college may have additional requirements, having your basic information ready will make the process much easier.
What should you have ready?
Before you get started, prepare the following information:
- Personal information: Address, contact information, citizenship, and family details.
- Academic information: Your high school name, dates attended, GPA, coursework, and academic history.
- Activities: A list of your extracurricular activities, including clubs, sports, volunteering, jobs, internships, and leadership experiences.
- Honors & awards: Academic or extracurricular recognition you’ve received.
- Testing: SAT, ACT, AP, IB, or other test information, if applicable.
- College list: Start thinking about which schools you plan to apply to and check their individual requirements.
- Recommendation letters: Know which teachers or counselors you would like to ask and give them plenty of time.
- Essay: Begin brainstorming your personal statement. Your story, experiences, and perspective matter!
Don’t wait for the deadline
One of the biggest advantages of starting early is having time to review, revise, and improve your application. Some colleges have Early Action or Early Decision deadlines as early as November 1, while Regular Decision deadlines are generally in January.
Remember: The Common App is only the beginning. Each college can have its own supplemental essays, testing policies, deadlines, and requirements.
How to start
Take some time now to create your college list, organize your information, and build an application timeline. Starting early gives you something every college applicant needs: time to put your best application forward.
Need help navigating the Common App? Make an appointment and let’s get started!