Update: Read the latest tips for the 2017-18 Common App.

While colleges pay very careful attention to the names, facts, and details contained within the six main pages of the Common Application, they are perhaps even more meticulous when reviewing students’ responses to their own school-specific supplements. And, unfortunately for applicants themselves, completing these supplements isn’t always as straightforward as it may seem. Looking for (potentially) concealed essay questions or curious about whether you should attach a résumé to your application? Review our tips below to uncover five important facts about Common App supplements.

Update: Read the latest tips for the 2017-18 Common App.

Welcome back to the second part of our series about tackling some of the Common Application’s trickiest questions. Last week we reviewed the Profile and Activities pages, where we provided must-know tips for making your activities list shine. If you have questions about whether or not you should self-report your SAT/ACT scores, or what you should include on the Additional Information section of the application, read on! Here are our top six suggestions for completing the Education, Testing, and Writing components of the Common App.

Update: Read the latest tips for the 2017-18 Common App.

It’s that time of the year again! High school seniors are trading sun tan lotion for history books; summer jobs for sports practice; and extra-long hours of sleeping in for extra early homerooms. But there’s one other major transition on the horizon for many high school seniors: college—and the college applications that go with it. Over the next three weeks, we will be taking an in-depth look at the Common Application in order to bring you our best suggestions for creating standout applications. This week, we invite you to discover our top tips for filling out the Profile and Activities page of the Common App. Ready to get started?

Everyone’s favorite all-in-one college application, a.k.a. the Common App, created a free app last fall to help students manage and keep track of their college applications. I had a chance to test run “onTrack” on my iPhone last week…and the results? Two solid thumbs up (or 4 out of 5 stars, if we’re using the App Store’s rating system)! Should you download the app? Take a look at the top features below to decide for yourself.

In last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Beth Heaton spent the whole hour celebrating open “office hours,” focusing on listener questions and the next School’s Out! segment.

In last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Sally Ganga and her guests addressed a wide variety of topics: economical travel timing and destinations for college students, a check-in on the activities section of the college application during our Application Workshop series, and scholarship and loan scams.

Update: Read the latest tips for the 2017-18 Common App.

The Common Application has been around for a long time. Since 1975 to be exact. And in the past several years, not only has the number of member institutions grown by leaps and bounds (today nearly 700 colleges in 48 states and 14 foreign countries accept the Common App), the application platform itself has become easier and more intuitive to use.

On the last episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Ian Fisher and his guests explored a non-profit program providing free educational and career advice, strategies for presenting your extracurricular activities, and the role of personal debt in the financial aid process.

The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success will be releasing its application platform any day now, so it’s more essential than ever for applicants to understand this new submission option. If you want a more basic introduction, including what the Coalition is and why it exists, begin by reading the first two posts in this series:

• What Is the Coalition Application?
• The Coalition Application: What’s the Latest News?

High school juniors are juggling a lot right now. Between wrapping up the academic year, cramming for finals, and prepping desperately for the SAT or ACT, it seems a bit unfair to expect juniors to tackle any additional responsibilities at the moment. So if you find yourself with limited free time on your hands, file it away for later this month. But if you’re lucky enough to have already completed your end-of-year assignments and you (or your parents) are just itching to get a head start on your college applications, read on. This is the blog for you: your one-stop shop to everything you need to know about how to register your Common App account.