How to Fill Out the Common App: Step-by-Step Guide (2025-2026)
Table of Contents
What is the Common App and Who Uses It?
The Common Application (Common App) is a centralized college application platform used by over 1,000 colleges and universities—including Harvard, Stanford, NYU, UCLA, and more.
It allows students to apply to multiple schools using one unified application. While much of the application is shared across colleges, each school may also require its own supplemental materials (like additional essays).
The Common App is most commonly used by:
U.S. high school seniors
International students applying to U.S. colleges
Transfer students (with a separate track)
How to Create a Common App Account
Follow these detailed steps to successfully register your Common App account:
1. Visit the Official Website
Go to commonapp.org on your browser.
2. Click “Create an Account”
On the homepage, click the white “Create an account” button at the top right corner.
3. Choose your status
A pop-up form will appear, prompting you to select one of the following options:
- First-Year Student
- Select “First-Year Student” if you are a high school senior applying to college for the first time.
- Transfer Student
- Select “Transfer Student” if you are transferring from one college to another.
- Education Professional
- Select this option if you are a teacher, counselor, or other education professional.
- Parent or Other Adult
- Choose this option if you are a parent, guardian, or another adult assisting a student.
4. Creating your account
A pop-up form will appear, prompting you to enter the following information:
Your email address
Use a personal email address that you check regularly.
📌 IvyMax Tip: Use a Gmail or Yahoo address (not your school email) to avoid future login or access issues. Make sure to save your password securely—you will need this login throughout the application season.
Create and confirm a password
Keep your login credentials secure.
“Which best describes you? I am”
If you are currently a high school senior, select “Planning to start college in 2026.”
- Legal First Name and Legal Last Name
- Please use your legal name exactly as it appears on official documents.
- If you would like to share a different first name that people usually call you, select “Yes”—additional questions will appear.
- Date of Birth
- Make sure it is accurate so it matches future documentation.
- Phone Number
- Enter the phone number where you can best be reached.
- Address
- Click the “Add Address” button. A pop-up window titled “Address Lookup” will appear.
- Select your Country/Region/Territory.
- Type your address into the blank field.
- Choose your correct permanent home address from the list and click on it.
- If your address doesn’t appear in the list, select “I don’t see my address in this list”. A new window will pop up for you to manually enter your address.
- Select Your Preferred Communication Preferences
5. Agree to Terms and Create Account
Check the box to agree to the Common App Terms of Use, then click the “Create Account” button at the bottom.
6. Your Dashboard
After creating your account, the system will automatically redirect you to your Common App Dashboard. Seeing this page means your account has been successfully created.
In the top-right corner, you will find your Common App ID, displayed as: “CAID xxxxxx”
7. Welcome Email Notification
Check your email inbox for a welcome message from Common App. It includes your Common App ID and username.
Create College List on Common App
1. Making your college list
After logging into your Common App Dashboard, you will need to add colleges to your list before moving on to the next steps.
Click on the “College Search” tab. Type in the college name or city name—matching schools will appear in the search results.
If you’re interested in applying to a school, click the “Add” button next to the school name.
📌 When the button changes to “Remove” and a green notification appears at the bottom of the page, it means the college has been successfully added to your list.
If you are interested in applying to multiple schools, you can continue searching and adding more colleges to your list.
2. Confirm your college list
After selecting all your schools, click on the “My Colleges” tab. You will see a list of all the colleges you have added. Double-check to make sure no schools are missing or have been left out.
Fill out Common App - Profile
1. Personal Information
Click on the “Common App” tab to begin filling out your Common App profile. You will be asked to provide the following:
- Legal First/Given Name
- Middle Name
- Legal Last/Family/Surname
- If you entered your legal name correctly when creating your account, it will automatically populate in these fields.
- Double-check for any mistakes.
- Suffix (if applicable)
- Former Legal Name
- If you have a former legal name, an additional question will appear. You will need to enter your former name manually.
- Date of Birth
- If you entered your legal name and birthdate correctly during account creation, this field will auto-fill.
After answering and reviewing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
2. Confirm your address
In the Address section, your permanent home address will automatically appear.
- Double-check that your home address is correct.
- If you attend a boarding school or use a different mailing address, select “Send mail to a temporary or alternate address.”
- If your mailing address is the same as your permanent home address, select “No alternate address.”
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
3. Contact Details
In the Address section, your phone number will automatically appear.
- Select your preferred phone number.
- Double-check that the number is entered correctly.
- If you do not have an alternate phone number, select “No other telephone.”
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
4. Demographics
Select your gender
Select your legal sex
Select your pronouns
Select your U.S. Armed Forces status
Select the identity that best describes you
After answering these questions, click the “Continue” button.
5. Language
Indicate how many languages you are proficient in. Additional questions will appear based on your response.
- Select your language
- If your language includes Chinese, enter “Mandarin”.
- Select your proficiency level for this language
- You can choose multiple proficiency levels for each language.
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
6. Geography and Nationality
In this section of the Common App, you may be asked to upload additional legal documents based on your responses.
Select your birth country/region/territory
Select your city of birth
Indicate how many years you have lived in the United States
Select your citizenship status
If you select U.S. permanent resident, you will need to upload your green card.
If you plan to apply for financial aid through FAFSA, you will need to enter your Social Security Number in the Common App.
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
7. Common App Fee Waiver
If you meet the eligibility requirements for a fee waiver, select “Yes” in this section. Otherwise, choose “No.”
After completing this question, click the “Continue” button.
Fill out Common App - Family
1. Household
Select your parents’ marital status
Select who you live with
If you don’t have children, select “No”
After answering these questions, click the “Continue” button.
2. Parent 1
In this section, you will need to enter information for one parent. You can fill out either your mother’s or father’s details. The other parent will be filled out in the next section (Parent 2).
Select mother or father
If you don’t have enough information about this parent, select “I have limited information about this parent”
If the parent you entered is living, choose “Yes” for the second question
Enter the legal first and last name
Enter the occupation
Enter the highest level of education
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
3. Parent 2
This section is for entering information about the second parent.
Select the type of relationship for Parent 2
If you don’t have another parent to list, select “I do not have another parent to list”
If this parent is living, select “Yes”
Enter the legal first and last name
Enter the occupation
Enter the highest level of education
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
4. Siblings
If you have siblings, you’ll need to provide their information in this section.
Select the number of siblings you have
If you don’t have siblings, select “0”
If you have siblings, enter the exact number
Enter each sibling’s information:
Legal first name, last name, and age
If you don’t have siblings, this section will not appear
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
Fill out Common App - Education
1. Current or Most recent Secondary/High School
Click “Find School”
○ A pop-up window will appear where you can search for your school.Select the date you entered this school.
Indicate whether your school is a boarding school:
○ Select “Yes” if your school is a boarding school.
○ Select “No” if it is not.
Type your school name:
○ After typing, your school should appear in the list.
○ If your school does not appear, select “My school is not in this list.” A pop-up will allow you to manually enter your school information.
Indicate whether you will graduate from this school:
○ Select “Yes” if you plan to graduate from this school.
○ Select “No” if not.Graduation progression:
○ If you are graduating on time, choose “No change in progression.”
○ If your graduation plan is different, choose the appropriate option.
After completing all required fields, click the “Continue” button to proceed with your application.
2. Other Secondary/High Schools
If you have attended other schools or taken classes from different schools, you must complete this section.
Select the number of other secondary/high schools you have attended
○ You will be required to fill out each school’s information
Click “Find School”
Type the school name
○ After typing, your school should appear in the list
○ If your school does not appear, select “My school is not in this list.” A pop-up window will appear for manual entrySelect the entry date for the school
Select the end date for the school
Provide a reason for leaving this school
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
3. Colleges & Universities
In this section, if you have ever taken coursework at a college or university, you must complete it.
Select how many colleges or universities you have attended
○ If you have not taken any college-level coursework, choose “0”
Click “Find School”
○ Enter the required school informationSelect Course Details
○ If this was a dual enrollment program, choose “Dual Enrollment”
○ If it was a summer program, choose “Summer Program”
○ If the credit was awarded directly by the college, choose “Credit awarded directly by college”Select the entry date for this college or university
Select the end date
Select the degree earned, if applicable
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
4. Grades
Select your gender
Select your legal sex
Select your pronouns
Select your U.S. Armed Forces status
Choose the identity that best describes you
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
💡 IvyMax Tip:
Ensure the GPA and class rank information exactly match your official transcript. If your school does not provide a rank, select “Class rank not reported.” For weighted GPAs, make sure the GPA scale aligns with the weight status to avoid misinterpretation by admissions officers.
5. Current or Most Recent Year Courses
Fill out the list of courses you are taking this year. If you are currently a senior in high school, report how many courses you plan to take during your senior year.
Choose how many courses you would like to report
○ You will need to enter the details for each courseSelect the course scheduling system used by your school
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
💡 IvyMax Tip:
Use course names that match your transcript and clearly indicate the course level (e.g., Honors, AP, IB) to reflect academic rigor. If your course load in senior year increases in difficulty, this can subtly highlight your growth and ambition.
Choose the subject of your course
Enter your course name
Select your course level
Choose your course duration
○ Options include: first semester, second semester, or full year
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
6. Honors
If you have received academic honors starting from the 9th grade or from international competitions, you will need to complete this section.
If you have honors to report, select “Yes”
You may list up to 5 honors.
If you don’t have any honors to report, select “No”
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
💡 IvyMax Tip:
Prioritize academic awards that are nationally or regionally recognized, such as AMC/F=ma/USABO qualifiers, Presidential Volunteer Service Award, or state-level competitions. If you have more than five, choose a diverse mix that showcases academic excellence, leadership, and service.
Enter the name of your honor
Select the grade level in which you received the honor
Choose the level of recognition (e.g., school, regional, national, or international)
If you want to add more honors, click “Add another honor”
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
7. Community-Based Organizations
If a community program or organization has provided you with free assistance during the college application process, you’ll need to enter their information here.
Indicate how many community programs or organizations have helped you.
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
Select the organization that assisted you.
Enter the legal name, email address, and phone number of your counselor, advisor, or mentor.
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
7. Future Plans
Best Describe You
○ The response you selected when creating your account will automatically appear.
○ If needed, you can update your response here.Select the Highest Degree You Intend to Earn
Select Your Career Interest
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
💡 IvyMax Tip:
Choose a career interest that aligns with your academic and extracurricular profile. For example, if you’ve conducted biology research or participated in STEM competitions, selecting a healthcare or science-related field will reinforce your narrative consistency.
Fill out Common App - Testing
1. Tests Taken
In this section, you may choose to report your standardized test scores and related information.
If your school requires test scores, select “Yes” for the first question.
○ After selecting “Yes”, a pop-up will appear where you can choose which tests to report.
○ For each test you select, you must fill in its corresponding details.For the second question, if you are not an international student, select “No”.
After completing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
2. SAT Tests
Choose how many past SAT scores you want to report
Select “Yes” if you want to report your SAT Essay score
Choose how many additional SAT tests you plan to take in the future
After filling out all information, click the “Continue” button. This will lead you to the next step of your application.
Choose your highest Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score
Select the date you received this score
Choose your highest Math score
Select the date you received this score
After filling out all information, click the “Continue” button.
3. AP Subject Tests
If you have taken AP Exams and would like to report your scores, you will need to complete this section. Each AP subject requires individual input.
Indicate how many AP subjects you wish to report
Enter the date you took the AP Exam, or the date you plan to take it
Select the subject
Enter your score for the subject
After completing these entries, click the “Continue” button.
Fill out Common App - Activities
If you have any interests or extracurricular activities you would like to report, choose “Yes”. You will need to fill out the information for each activity individually.
Select the type of activity
Describe your position or leadership role (limit: 50 words)
Describe your accomplishments and any recognition received in this activity
Limit: 150 words
Choose the grade levels in which you participated
Choose the timing of participation
Options: “During School Year”, “During School Break”, or “All Year”
Enter how many hours per week you participated
Enter how many weeks per year you participated
Indicate whether you plan to continue this activity in college
If yes, select “Yes”
To add more activities, click “Add Another Activity”
You may report up to 10 activities
After finishing these questions, click the “Continue” button.
Fill out Common App - Writing
1. Personal Essay
Check the box that says “I understand.”
You will see two lists:
Schools that require a personal essay.
Schools that do not require a personal essay.
💡 If you want to improve your essay-writing skills for the Common App Personal Statement / Common Application Essay, click here to explore IvyMax’s writing strategies and top essay examples.
💡 IvyMax Tip:
This section is your best opportunity to reveal your values, transformation, and individuality. IvyMax suggests choosing Common App prompts like #2, #3, or #5 for the strongest storytelling potential. Avoid generic experiences—focus on a meaningful moment, reflective insight, and personal growth.
2. Choose your personal statement’s prompt
There are a total of seven prompts to choose from for your Common App personal statement.
💡 Want to better understand each prompt and how to respond effectively? Click here to read our detailed analysis and guidance on personal statement prompts.
Type or paste your essay into the text box.
You may enter up to 650 words.
After completing this section, click the “Continue” button to proceed.
3. Additional information
If you would like to share thoughts on the topics listed in this section, select “Yes” to provide your input.
If you do not wish to provide any additional information, select “No.”
💡 IvyMax Tip:
Use this space strategically to explain academic disruptions, personal challenges, or unusual school policies. Keep the tone factual and concise—avoid repeating content from your main essay or activities list.
If you would like to provide more context about circumstances not covered elsewhere in your application (such as disruptions caused by COVID-19 or natural disasters), choose “Yes”.
A pop-up text box will appear for you to enter your explanation.
You may write up to 250 words.
If you do not wish to provide any additional information, choose “No”.
After completing this section, click the “Continue” button.
Fill out Common App - Courses & Grades
1. Courses & Grades
In this section, you will be asked to upload your high school transcripts. You can check which colleges require a transcript and which do not.
Choose “Yes” if you are able to upload your transcripts.
Choose “No” if you are not planning to submit transcripts.
After answering this question, click “Continue” to proceed.
2. Submit each Grade’s transcript
You will need to upload a transcript for each individual grade (e.g., 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grade).
Once the transcript for a specific grade is uploaded successfully, a green checkmark will appear next to that grade, indicating completion.
For example, the screenshot shows a green checkmark next to 12th Grade, meaning the transcript for that grade has been uploaded correctly.
3. Upload Transcript
Click on “Add 9th Grade”
○ A pop-up window will appear for you to input each course you took in 9th grade.After you have entered all course details, check the box next to:
“I have reported all of my courses for this grade”Finally, click on “Continue” to complete this section.
This process must be repeated for each grade level (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th) where transcripts are required.
For each transcript you upload, enter the following details:
Type the school name
Select the school year
Select the grading scale
Choose the schedule
Enter the subject, course name, and course level
○ If you have additional courses, click “Add another course”.
If you have a transcript from another school, or any courses that follow a different grading scale or schedule, select “Add courses from another transcript” to create a new transcript entry.
Once you’ve entered all courses for this grade, click “Continue” to save.
Repeat the same process for every grade level until all required transcripts are uploaded.
If your transcript includes any additional courses with grades—such as middle school courses, post-12th grade courses, or summer programs—please indicate accordingly.
Choose “Yes” if your transcript includes such courses
Choose “No” if it does not
Once you’ve made your selection, click “Go to My Colleges” to proceed to the next section of the Common App.
After you’ve successfully completed all the required sections, you will see green checkmarks (✓) on the left sidebar under the “Common App” tab. This indicates that each part of the application has been completed.
To preview your entire application before submission:
Click the “Preview” button at the top right of the screen.
A PDF will be generated showing all the information you’ve entered.
Make sure to carefully review this document to confirm accuracy before submission.
Once the Common App general sections are completed, you must fill out the college-specific supplements. Each school may ask different questions or require different materials.
Take Stanford University as an example. Under the “My Colleges” tab, you’ll see sub-sections such as:
Questions
Recommenders and FERPA
Review and Submit – Common App
Instructions:
Go through the Questions section to answer all required prompts specific to the school (e.g., entry term, citizenship, fee waiver eligibility).
In Recommenders and FERPA, manage your teacher or counselor recommendations and complete the FERPA release authorization.
After everything is complete, navigate to Review and Submit, where you’ll:
Review your full application
Upload required documents
Pay the application fee
Submit your application
Once submitted, you’ll receive a confirmation email from the school.
How IvyMax Can Help You with the Common App
While the Common App may seem straightforward, effectively presenting your achievements, activities, and personality requires strategy.
In the 2025 college application season, IvyMax students received admission offers from 6 Harvard, 8 Stanford, 10 Cornell, and many other prestigious universities.
IvyMax provides:
Strategic review and alignment of activity list and personal essay
Expert editing for Common App essays and school-specific supplements
Live bilingual support for families with limited English proficiency
Final application review before submission
📝 IvyMax Expert Insight:
The Common App may look like a form, but it’s really your personal story in disguise. Every section—from grades to activities to essays—plays a strategic role. IvyMax’s team guides students in aligning all parts of the application with their core identity and admissions goals, helping them craft a compelling, consistent, and competitive profile.
📩 Want expert guidance? Fill out the form below to schedule a consultation with an IvyMax counselor.
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