Ultimate Guide To The Common App - New 2019 Edition - Section by section tips, how to's, and FAQs

Aug 25, 2026

Uploaded by Levi

A practical, section-by-section guide to the Common Application (Common App) for US and international college applicants, explaining how to complete objective fields and craft compelling subjective materials. It covers key parts such as profile, family, education, testing, activities, writing (including the personal essay), disciplinary history, additional information, and selecting colleges. Includes preparation advice, suggested timelines, and answers to frequently asked questions to help students organize and present a strong personal narrative.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction to the Common Application

What the Common App includes

Telling your unique story

Preparing for Your College Applications

Start early

Teacher recommendations

Comprehensive Guide to the Common App

Profile

Family

Education

Testing

Activities

Writing

Personal Essay

Disciplinary History

Additional Information

My Colleges

Additional Tips and Recommendations

The Application and the Essay

Essay: Next Steps

Additional Resources

Ultimate Guide To The Common App Section by section tips, how to's, and FAQs New 2019 Edition Get started on StoryBuilder today--your first story is always free! CONTENTS CONTENTS 2 INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMON APPLICATION 3 PREPARING FORYOUR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS 4 Get started early. 4 Request teacher recommendations. 4 Request counselor's recommendation and school transcript(s) early. 6 Setting up your Common App account. 6 COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE COMMON APP 9 Profile 9 Family 12 Education 13 Testing 16 Activities 18 Writing 20 The Personal Essay 21 Disciplinary History 27 Additional Information 28 My Colleges 29 ADDITIONAL TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 31 The Application and the Essay 31 Essay: Next Steps 32 Additional Resources 32 © 2019 Story2 . All rights reserved. 2 Get started on StoryBuilder today--your first story is always free! INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMON APPLICATION The Common Application (“Common App”) is a free, online college application that is used by 800 colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. For many colleges you apply to, the Common App is the only application you have to submit. The Common App asks you questions on many topics. In addition to objective data, students also submit essays, activity lists, and other pieces of information that reveal their personal background, academic interests, character, and personality. Even though it’s a standardized form, students can still use the Common App to present a powerful and unique story about themselves. We created this Guide to teach you how to tell your unique story through the Common App! You’ll find a breakdown of the information you need to complete each section, tips for filling out both objective and subjective questions, suggested timelines, and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) . This Guide also gives you insight into the most time-intensive—but exciting—element of the Common Application: the personal essay. The Guide walks you through the Common App and teaches you how to conquer it. Step by step, section by section, you’ll learn the secrets and strategies to creating a strong, successful application using your stories, activities, and accomplishments. If you’reapplying to a college or university that doesn’t use the Common App, the lessons in this Guide will help you organize other applications. As you work on your applications, be sure to check out [www.story2.com](www.story2.com) for more tips and advice on how to tell your strongest story through your essays and applications. Story2 has helped more than 150,000 students complete selective college admission essays. Many of these students also won scholarships to help them attend college. The Story2 team is here to support you through every step of your college application process. If you have questions, call us at (800) 206-5530 or email us [at](at getstarted@story2.com)[ ](at getstarted@story2.com)[getstarted@story2.com](at getstarted@story2.com). © 2019 Story2 . All rights reserved. 3 Get started on StoryBuilder today--your first story is always free! PREPARING FORYOUR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS Get started early. The best piece of advice we can give for the Common App is to start early! This will save you so much time and stress during the school year. While some of the info the Common App asks for you should know off the top of your head (like your birthday), other information may require some investigating (such as your mom’s graduate school or your counselor’s email address) . A good tip is to go through the Common App once and fill out the information that you can. When you come across something you aren’t sure of, make a note of it on a piece of paper or your phone, so you can follow up with the appropriate person (your parent/guardian, counselor, teacher, etc.) . Request teacher recommendations. Depending on which colleges you’re applying to, you may need one or t

FAQs

What is the Common App and who uses it?

The Common App is a free online college application used by many colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. For many schools, it is the only application submission needed.

How should students prepare for the Common App before filling it out?

Start early to reduce time and stress during the school year. Go through the application once, fill in what you can, and note items you need to follow up on with parents, counselors, or teachers.

What advice is given for requesting teacher recommendations?

Request recommendations early and choose teachers who taught you in eleventh grade when possible. Prioritize core-subject teachers and, if applying to multiple colleges, consider having recommendations from different academic disciplines as requested.

Aug 25, 2026

Uploaded by Levi