What is the purpose of CommonApp?

The Common App, otherwise known as the Common Application, is literally what most students use to apply to several colleges and universities with a single application. This is to make applying to colleges easier for students.

By using the Common App, this enables students to log on once to an application and submit it to many different colleges and universities that accept the Common App. This certainly saves the students time and effort in filling out various applications for a number of schools. Furthermore, the Common App includes standardized elements such as personal information, educational background, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation; usually, these are the things that colleges generally require from applicants. While the core application is standardized, students may customize applications with school-specific supplemental essays or additional information required by a particular college. Last, but not least, it helps students keep track of their submission status and college updates regarding the applications to which they have applied.

By comparison, CollegeVine is not an application platform, but rather a college counseling and advisory firm to help students through each step of the process, from research to essay writing to strategy.

The Common App is an extremely useful tool to a student. It simplifies the application process not only to colleges but allows a student to apply to numerous institutions on a single standardized application!!

The Common App is short for Common Application. Many colleges are now using this resource as their college application instead of paper or online application forms. This application is called "Common" because you end up filling out one application for many colleges. More efficient! No, it's not like Collegevine, it's a real college application. You make an account, put in what colleges you want to apply to, and then you can fill out the application once. If some colleges require more information (like more essays) than others, it will tell you so and give you the prompts.

Some colleges still don't use it, but most do by now. Also, some colleges only use the CommonApp though others still have an application form on their websites. Depends on the college.

I highly recommend making an account with CommonApp even if you choose not to use it, just to help you understand the application and decide if you'll use it or not.

Hope this clears things up a little. Lmk if you have any more questions!