College applications have become a very rigorous process. Choosing which schools to apply to is already a difficult decision, let alone filling out the same generalized application more than once. 

All schools need to accept the Common Application for the sake of students and their time.

The Common Application is an advanced college application that allows students seeking undergraduate admission to apply to more than one institution. All students that use the Common Application have the ability to send it to more than one school they wish to apply to. However, many schools don’t accept the Common Application.

The Common Application saves time. On average, students apply from seven to ten colleges. If a student applied individually to seven institutions from the time the early action window opened to the day it’s due, there would be no time left for schoolwork.

College admission experts from College Raptor said, “with high school, work, community service, sports, and, of course, applying to colleges, you can always benefit from something that makes your hectic life just a bit easier.” As deadlines come to a close and students are rushing to send in applications, it is impossible to balance out submitting applications and school work.

Eric Furda, the Dean of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania, supports the Common Application, saying to U.S. News that it’s the, “standard vehicle or instrument,” for students to apply to more than 400 colleges/universities. 

Furda was just elected to serve on the Common Application’s board of directors, and says that the Common App benefits students by allowing them to fill out responses to questions that all colleges have in common but used to ask independently. 

“Obviously, this is more efficient,” Furda said.

Despite all of the benefits to the Common Application, Furda said that students typically apply to schools that may not be the best match for their interests, simply because it is easy to add more schools to their list in The Common Application. 

The Princeton Review says that the Common App reduces senior year stress. Not only does it accomplish that, but it also allows students to keep their work more organized. “Through the Common App dashboard you can track what documents and letters of recommendation you have submitted and what is still outstanding for each school,” says the Princeton Review. 

The process of applying to colleges can include sending test scores, writing an unreasonable amount of essays, and often self-reporting your schedule or grades. As stress and anxiety are lessened by sending only one application to more than one college, the Princeton Review describes this is a top benefit of the Common App. 

Senior year holds many exciting yet frightening challenges. Applying to college is both of those things. If you’re a senior and would like to apply to colleges through the Common App, visit The Common Application to start your application.