Completing the Common Application 1. Read Tips for Completing the Common App : http://paly.net/sites/default/files/tips%20for%20co mpleting%20the%20common%20app%2017 18v3.pdf 2. The following screenshots show you how to navigate the Common Application. 3. Use the tips above and the follow the screenshots to get started filling out the Common Application 4. More information is available via Common App Tutorials here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/uc1kh8bz7z0tq wzk0a3avfiw
Register and Create your account 1. Go to www.commonapp.org and create an account by clicking on the Apply Now button 2. In the future, you ll logon by clicking this button, entering the info, and click Sign in 1 2
If you created an account prior to August 1, you will need to answer these affirmations before enabling the Common App to roll over to the 2017-18 application cycle.
This is the page you see when you login for the first time. I suggest you get started by first completing the first three sections of the Common App. Click on the Common Application tab to begin.
Common Application tab Use the navigation on the left to complete each section Information entered on the Common App tab is given to every college you apply to using the Common App. When each section is complete, a green check mark will appear and move to the screen to the next section to be completed. The subsequent screenshots show examples of how to complete the Profile section of the Common App
If applying for financial aid, you will need to include a Social Security or DACA number on the FAFSA, but you don t have to do so in the Common App; it s an optional question.
Your Teacher Advisor will verify your fee waiver eligibility with your College Advisor, to approve your Common App fee waiver request.
When each section is complete, a green check mark will appear and move to the screen to the next section to be completed.
The class size for 2018 seniors is 485. Paly does not rank students. 485 If you choose to answer this optional question, copy this from your transcript. Both your Unweighted and Weighted GPA is cumulative. Your T.A. will upload an official transcript that lists both unweighted and weighted GPAs.
In the Activities section, there is a section for "details, honors won, and accomplishments that are NOT academic. The character limit isn't much so applicants can use the Additional Information section (after the essay section) to elaborate.
Only once you complete the Education section and see the green checkmark, you can invite and assign recommenders. -- I suggest you stop working on the Common App tab at this point and instead use the College Search tab to add colleges to your Dashboard. Please refer to this url for how to do search for colleges and add them to your Dashboard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w05pz_ VBGj8 For each added college, select the Preferred Admission Plan in the Questions section. Doing so will show your teachers and TA the deadlines for each of your colleges listed in their Dashboard.
Please refer to this url for how to do search for colleges and add them to your Dashboard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w05pz_ VBGj8 Your Dashboard is a table summary of the colleges you ll apply to with deadlines and indicators to track when you submit each application and supplement. Expand the triangle to see a detailed view of application requirements. Click on the Writing Requirements tab to learn (1) if the Common App essay is required for this college and (2) if this college requires you to answer some Member Questions and (3) if this college requires their own writing supplement
The My Colleges tab lists each college from your Dashboard. Click on the college + sign to expand and find details about which additional questions you must answer for each college, preview how many letters of recommendation are required and allowed then invite and assign your recommenders for each.
This is where you can find the Member Questions and Writing Supplement, if required by this college.
If you indicated in the College s Questions that you intend to submit a Portfolio (formerly known as an Art Supplement), you will find more information about how to upload your portfolio/recordings online with Slideroom. Some colleges accept Portfolio/Arts Supplements via other means than the Common App and Slideroom; check their websites.
If you try to Invite and Assign Recommenders before completing the Education section on the Common App tab, you will see this error screen!
Before you can Invite and Assign Recommenders, you must complete the Federal Education Rights Privacy Act (FERPA) questions.
We recommend you authorize your schools and colleges to release and share records. We highly recommend you waive your right to access your recommendations and other documents being sent from Paly. Doing so gives the colleges confidence that you trust your recommenders to write honest assessments. Teachers and colleges pay close attention to how you respond to this question. IMPORTANT WARNING!
This does *not* refer to your Teacher Advisor or College Advisor but an outside mentor or agency advisor Click on the Invite Counselor link to proceed to invite your Teacher Advisor to write and submit the School Report and upload his/her letter as well as your transcript to the Common App. Remember there is no fee for Common App transcripts and nothing more you need to do to ensure they will be sent to your college(s).
Click on the Invite Teacher link to proceed to invite a teacher to complete the Teacher Evaluation form and upload his/her recommendation letter to the Common App.
After Inviting your teacher as a Recommender, you must now Assign him/her to each college you want his/her Teacher Evaluation form and recommendation letter sent to.
If your teacher prefers to mail in his/her Teacher Evaluation form and letter to each college, rather than uploading them to the Common App, you must print the PDF form (you can only access the PDF form after assigning the teacher) Click the PDF Form link to print the Teacher Evaluation form. David Rapaport History Print this form. Complete the Contact section (top portion) of the form. Address a businesssized envelope to the college and add a stamp. Give the form and addressed, stamped envelope to your Teacher for mailing. Do so for each of your colleges.
If you want to invite other recommenders, later, you can do so by click on the Manage Recommenders link.
Click on each college to assign recommenders to each and every one of your colleges. You must invite and assign recommenders for your colleges by the Paly deadline! For more information, see the College Application Summary: http://paly.net/sites/default/files/ Collegeappprocesssumm16.pdf
Only when you answer these questions will your recommenders be able to upload recommendations!! Be sure to do so by the Paly deadline to ensure your recommenders can submit on time! For more information, see the College Application Summary: http://paly.net/sites/default/files/ Collegeappprocesssumm16.pdf
Essay You can find the Common App writing prompts here: http://www.paly.net/sites/default/files/commonapplicatione ssayprompts%202017 18.pdf Write your essay in a Word processing program and cut and paste it into the Common App Note that some colleges require campus specific questions that require writing or a writing supplement
Preview Your Application The only way to preview is through the submission menu. If you are not satisfied with your PDF preview, click the "X" at the top right corner to close the preview and abandon the submission. The application will not be submitted until you sign, date, and click submit in step 3.
Submitting Your Common App to Each College and Paying You have two ways to submit your application: 1. From the dashboard, click on the name of the school and click submit. The first step is a print preview. If you are satisfied with the preview, please click continue on the bottom and you will be routed to the school's payment page. Once the payment is complete, you need to sign, date, and submit. 2. The second way to submit is from the My Colleges tab. Click the school's name and select "Submission Common App." The first step is a print preview. If you are satisfied with the preview, please click continue on the bottom and you will be routed to the school's payment page. Once the payment has been completed you need to sign, date, and submit. For more info, see: https://www.youtube.com/user/commonappmedia
Don t Forget to Submit the Writing Supplement!! Once the Common Application has been submitted for a college, you will be able to submit its writing supplement, if required. If a writing supplement is required, you must submit it by the college s deadline in order for your Common Application to be considered complete and submitted on time.
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