Do you have a staff member you feel deserves to be featured in our online school newspaper?

The Porter Press is taking monthly nominations for our feature: Staff Spotlight!

Send an email with 50 words or less explaining why that member deserves to be in the Staff Spotlight section of our newspaper.

Send submissions to [email protected]

CommonApp isn’t Common Knowledge: What It Is and How to Use It

Written by Julianne Carway, Editorial Editor

October 1, 2024

For those of us upperclassmen planning to go to college, the admissions process weighs heavily on our minds. It is only made ever more daunting by the sheer confusion of the process. The CommonApp is the first step for many on their college application journey. Even if you don’t know where to apply yet, this is a first step that you can take at any time, taking a weight off your shoulders and helping you be more prepared for college. Once you’ve filled out the universal application for CommonApp, it’ll be ready to go as soon as you need it, regardless of whether that’s months or years away.

If you know nothing else, the most important thing you will need to know for your college applications is the CommonApp. “CommonApp” is a popular abbreviation for the “Common Application” tool that allows students to apply through CommonApp. The advantage to this is that students will not have to repeat parts of the application that are the same for every school. It acts as a single college application form, so students don’t have to fill out their basic information repeatedly, instead reusing their CommonApp and focusing on the specific requirements, such as the essay portions, such as the frequent Why Us? essay, will have to be different between applications.

Creating a CommonApp account, you fill out your information for the application, and when you apply to schools anything you already have filled out will transfer over. The more places you apply to, the more useful this is– but using the CommonApp is a lifesaver even if only for two applications.

But do schools prefer direct application? The short answer is no. If a college accepts CommonApp, they sign a waiver guaranteeing no discrimination against it over college specific direct application. CommonApp beats direct as the most widely used form of application, and I would highly recommend it. Just keep in mind you can not edit your application for a college if you have already submitted to that college.

Stay tuned for upcoming in-depth articles in my new College Collection articles!

About the Contributor

Julianne Carway, Editorial Editor

Julianne Carway, LTHS junior, is enjoying her second year at Porter Press in the current role of Copy Editor. She is also proud to be involved in Model UN, Math Team, Orchesis, and AP Advocates at school. In her free time, Julianne is fond of reading novels and nonfiction works alike, and spends as much time as she can curled up with a good book and a cup of tea.