Common App Support from Enhanced Prep

When it’s time to apply for colleges, many students may feel overwhelmed with all the requirements. From choosing schools to knowing which parts of their academic career are worth showcasing, it can be a stressful process for parents and students alike. Luckily, students can receive the best help available to them with Enhanced Prep. Enhanced Prep is an elite, world-class tutoring service that uses a proven methodology and holistic approach to tutoring in order to help students get the grades, get the scores, and get into their dream school.

When you work with Enhanced Prep, you’ll receive expert guidance from experienced professionals who know what it takes to submit a stellar college application. Each Enhanced Prep tutor works with students individually to offer personalized support that is tailored to the student’s needs. Enhanced Prep has a successful track record of helping students gain admission to top colleges and universities, with 95% of our students getting admitted into their dream school.

How Enhanced Prep Can Help with the Common App

Even when using a college application system like Common App, knowing what information to give about yourself (grades, extracurriculars, essays, etc.) and how to present it in the best way possible can be challenging. Enhanced Prep’s tutors have served tens of thousands of students, and each of our tutors has a minimum of 5 years of experience, making them the perfect extra set of eyes you want on your application.

Our tutors will give you a comprehensive review of each application, so you know exactly what to expect. They’ll help you with each step of the application process, from brainstorming, drafting, and editing essays to choosing the best extracurricular activities to showcase your skills and interests. Since testing is also a big part of the application process, our tutors will create a unique game plan to develop a testing strategy and schedule, that way you’ll have enough time to take important tests and report your scores. Of course, it’s not all about grades, activities, and test scores––a lot of information goes into college applications, and it can be hard to keep track of it all, which is why our professional tutors will guide you in submitting any additional materials you may need.

What Is the Common App?

The Common App is an online college application platform. The platform partners with over 1,000 colleges and universities across the world to streamline the college application process and make it easier for students to keep track of information. The Common App is essential to the college application process because it helps students stay organized, especially when applying for multiple colleges at once. Using Common App allows you to fill out a single application and send it to up to 20 member colleges of your choice.

Founded in 1975, Common App started with only 15 member colleges and has steadily grown since then. From the 2014-15 academic year to the 2020-21 academic year, Common App experienced its fastest growth yet, with 367 colleges becoming members; that’s a 67% increase compared to previous years.

There are different sections of the Common App to organize information and make the process as smooth and simple as possible. First, you’ll fill out general information such as your name and contact information (as well as your parent or legal guardian’s), high school transcripts, work and activities, test scores and dates, and any academic achievements. Next, after creating an account, you can start adding colleges. After you choose your colleges, you’ll fill out the section that asks for letters of recommendation. Lastly, right before you submit, you’ll fill out the essays section. You may need more than one depending on each college’s specific requirements. Anything extra, such as portfolios, will be here as well. Expert tutors at Enhanced Prep will go over each section with you to ensure you have the right information.

Tips for Making the Most of the Common App

While the Common App is designed to make college applications accessible for all, there is still some responsibility on you to make the process as easy as possible. The first step is to start early. That doesn’t mean you have to apply for early decision, rather, you should be preparing everything well in advance of any deadlines. To help keep yourself on track, create a realistic timeline for accomplishing tasks, such as asking for letters of recommendation one week and finishing essays the next.

Additionally, the Common App may allow you to submit one application to multiple colleges, but each college will still have its own requirements. If you templatize your essays or answers to questions, admissions boards will be able to tell. Tailor your responses to each college in order to maximize your chances of getting in. It can help to research each school you’re applying to to see what their mission and values are, and how you can fit into that and align your application to it. Enhanced Prep’s tutors can help you stay organized and cater your application to each college.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start working on the Common App?

You should ideally start working on the Common App as soon as possible. If you’re a high school student applying to college for the first time, gathering materials as soon as you begin your senior year is ideal. If you’re an adult applicant, aim for at least a few months before the deadline––and keep in mind that colleges may have different application deadlines. Enhanced Prep tutors can help you get started and stay on track every step of the way.

What info does the Common App require?

The Common App requires general information like your name and contact info, as well as your parent or legal guardian’s contact info. You’ll also need high school transcripts, test scores, any academic honors and achievements, extracurriculars, work history (if applicable), letters of recommendation, and essays or writing supplements. Common App tutors at Enhanced Prep have been through this process many times, so they're well-equipped to help applicants keep all of their documentation straight.

How much is the Common App fee?

Some colleges have application fees and others don’t, so you may or may not pay one or more fees depending on the colleges you choose. You can request a fee waiver through the Common App or individually to each college. Tutors from Enhanced Prep are happy to help applicants apply for waivers and try to save as much money as they can.

Can I make changes to my Common App after submitting it to a college?

Once you submit your Common App, you cannot make any changes. However, right before you submit, you are able to review your application, make sure everything is correct, and go back to make changes if need be. That's another advantage of using an Enhanced Prep tutor — they will be there every step of the way to make sure everything is correct before submitting.