The 2023-2024 Common App is Live!

Happy August from Top Tier Admissions! It’s a big day for rising seniors: the 2023-2024 Common App is now LIVE! Like the Coalition App, UC app, or UCAS, this online application platform streamlines the application process for prospective students and is used by over 1,000 colleges and universities around the world. Although Common App essay prompts will remain the same as 2022-2023, you will notice a few changes to the site this admissions cycle.

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COMMON APP’S RESPONSE TO THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION RULING

Common App published a strong statement after the Supreme Court ruling to emphasize their mission to increase access and equity in the college admissions process.

As per their website, here’s what you can expect, beginning on August 1:

The optional questions asking for race and ethnicity will stay on the first-year and transfer applications.
Member colleges are able to hide (that is, “suppress”) the self-disclosed race and ethnicity information from application PDF files for both first-year and transfer applications. That means when they receive an application PDF from Common App, the race and ethnicity data will not be visible. Colleges also are able to suppress the following data from the application PDF: any or all test information, social security number, date of birth, and gender.
Member colleges also are able to configure the data imports from Common App to recognize or exclude race and ethnicity. Colleges use this information for state and federal reporting, institutional metrics, and other business purposes.
Common App will continue to use student race and ethnicity responses for statistical and research purposes and to provide insights into the national conversation on equity in college admissions.

MORE SCHOOLS ON THE 2023-2024 COMMON APP

This year, Common App welcomed almost 30 new colleges and universities to the platform, including Rutgers University (NJ), Virginia Military Institute (VA), and Dublin City University (Ireland). While Common App is the most popular application form, some schools like Georgetown, MIT, and the University of California system continue to use their own application management tools.

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A MORE INCLUSIVE, USER-FRIENDLY EXPERIENCE

Some fun, aesthetic changes you might notice? College logos will now appear in the application and students can personalize their Common App experience with avatars. You can also search for colleges with expanded filter options, engage with virtual tours and image galleries, and explore colleges using map views. As part of their push to make the platform more inclusive, Common App is adding a third option to the “Sex” choice group: “X or another legal sex” versus just “Male” and “Female.” Finally, Common App has published a wide range of video tutorials to make the experience more user-friendly.

FIND SCHOOL-SPECIFIC SUPPLEMENTS

Now that Common App is live, individual schools are updating their supplemental essay questions within the website. If you haven’t already, NOW is the time to create your account, select your schools of interest, and organize your list of supplements (we are keeping track of these extra essays as they’re released in real time)!

Not sure where to begin? Want to avoid the ubiquitous pitfalls of Common App? We can help!

Consider our Personal Boot Camp and work one-on-one with a Top Tier Admissions counselor over a three-day period to perfect your essays, identify your academic niche, finalize your application strategy, and ensure your application rises above the rest!

If you don’t need a comprehensive program like our Personal Boot Camp, consider our Essay Guidance Program and Common App 911 bundle!

Either way, we will walk you through the Common App step-by-step to ensure your application is as strong as possible before you press submit.

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Dr. Elizabeth Doe Stone

CEO at Top Tier Admissions

Liz is CEO of Top Tier Admissions. A graduate of Dartmouth College and a Fulbright Research Grant recipient, she earned her PhD in Art History from the University of Virginia, where she received the university’s highest teaching award. With decades of experience in education, Liz brings deep insight into the evolving college admissions landscape and the pressures facing students today. She is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes, where she covers admissions trends and the shifting world of higher education, helping families approach the process with clarity, calm, and intention.

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