Common App is an online platform that allows students to apply for admission to a variety of colleges and universities through their website. It includes sections for personal information, academic history, extracurriculars, essays and letters of recommendation.
Senior Simeon Brown found applying to multiple colleges incredibly easy thanks to the well-organized application process.
“My experience with the Common App was that it was extremely easy to use,” Brown said. “Everything was laid out for me and the entire process of applying to all of the colleges I wanted to attend was compressed into a few steps for me to complete.”
With its straightforward structure, this platform simplifies what is often considered a daunting process for many high school seniors.
“I found the feature that compresses all of the college essays into one concise essay very helpful because it reduces the amount of stress that comes from applying to different colleges and having to write multiple essays,” Brown said.
This app doesn’t make users complete the application process alone. Senior Kaitlyn Fenske enjoys the guidance Common App provides for new or struggling students.
“My experience with Common App was good because it gives you step-by-step instructions and explains to you what to do,” Fenske said.
While the app eases the stress of applying for college, students will face difficulties in the process. Brown struggled with an explanation issue that the app was able to find a solution for.
“The main challenge I found was that there was only simple information on the colleges to be found in the app, but it does provide website links for more details,” Brown said.
Statistics show that 76% of students feel high stress about the college application process. Senior Alexa Corona offers friendly advice to her classmates about time management.
“Advice I would give other students when starting and completing the process is to take your time filling out the application and don’t rush,” Corona said.
Every answer doesn’t have to be an award-winning response. Fenske isn’t afraid to ask for help and neither should you be.
“My advice would be to answer every question to the best of your ability, don’t stress on it, and if you need help, ask a teacher,” Fenske said.
The process isn’t as scary as it seems, Brown advises to go with the flow and let Common App guide you.
“The advice I would give is just to follow the process and let the app help you with what you don’t understand,” Brown said. “The process is made very easy so there is no need to stress about it.”
