The Common Application, or Common App, is a centralized application platform used by over 1,000 colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. It allows students to apply to multiple schools using a single application, simplifying the college application process. The Common App typically opens for the upcoming academic year in early August and closes in late January. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the Common App opened on August 1, 2023, and the final deadline for most schools is January 1, 2024.
Applying to college can be a complex and stressful process, but the Common App can help make it easier. By using the Common App, students can save time and effort, and they can increase their chances of getting into their top choice schools. In addition, the Common App offers a number of resources to help students with the application process, including essay prompts, financial aid information, and college search tools.