Anonymous
Post 04/22/2026 12:48     Subject: Re:Can my junior start working on the common app in June?
OP here. Thanks. The reason I want my kid to be ready to submit in August is because he is applying to several rolling admissions schools, including one that is rolling ED, so it's important it be submitted as soon as possible so we can get an answer and perhaps apply ED to a different school if he doesn't get in.

Appreciate all the technical advice - very helpful!
Anonymous
Post 04/21/2026 12:20     Subject: Re:Can my junior start working on the common app in June?

Thank you so much.. very helpful.

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is my first time with the app. Are you guys saying the supplemental essays are done in the common app too? I thought we have to do that separately for every college. Thank you.


Yes - the college will have college-specific components within the Common App. Some have the supplemental essays within the body of the main application, and some will have them as a "writing supplement" submitted separately (but still within the Common App platform).

The idea of a "common app" is a bit of a crock IMO, because only a percentage is used by every school. The more selective schools have a lot of variation, from different demographic questions to supplemental essays to optional additional recommendations to having to re-type and enter your entire transcript (thanks, Amherst). The Common App is really more of a single platform used to submit many applications than a single application used to apply to many schools.

Just an added note that most schools don't release the supplemental essay questions for the year till August though there are often variations on similar themes (ie, how you will be part of the community, a time you disagreed with someone).
Anonymous
Post 04/21/2026 12:18     Subject: Re:Can my junior start working on the common app in June?
Anonymous wrote:Not necessary. Spend the summer thinking about activities to really hone in on, and get the general essay theme/drafts done. Their teacher should be giving them time these last few weeks to focus on the essays especially, that’s how it was done at my top public back in the day.

Then work on the Common App once school starts.


this happens in a lot of privates, not common in publics
Anonymous
Post 04/21/2026 12:07     Subject: Re:Can my junior start working on the common app in June?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Their teacher should be giving them time these last few weeks to focus on the essays especially, that’s how it was done at my top public back in the day.


I wouldn't make this assumption. Some schools do this (or have essay boot camps), but many, many do not.


Same. Word to the wise: not much resembles how things were done in our top publics back in the day, or how college applications or admissions worked back in the day.
Anonymous
Post 04/21/2026 11:36     Subject: Re:Can my junior start working on the common app in June?
Anonymous wrote:This is my first time with the app. Are you guys saying the supplemental essays are done in the common app too? I thought we have to do that separately for every college. Thank you.


Yes - the college will have college-specific components within the Common App. Some have the supplemental essays within the body of the main application, and some will have them as a "writing supplement" submitted separately (but still within the Common App platform).

The idea of a "common app" is a bit of a crock IMO, because only a percentage is used by every school. The more selective schools have a lot of variation, from different demographic questions to supplemental essays to optional additional recommendations to having to re-type and enter your entire transcript (thanks, Amherst). The Common App is really more of a single platform used to submit many applications than a single application used to apply to many schools.

Just an added note that most schools don't release the supplemental essay questions for the year till August though there are often variations on similar themes (ie, how you will be part of the community, a time you disagreed with someone).
Anonymous
Post 04/21/2026 11:14     Subject: Re:Can my junior start working on the common app in June?
This is my first time with the app. Are you guys saying the supplemental essays are done in the common app too? I thought we have to do that separately for every college. Thank you.
Anonymous
Post 04/20/2026 21:49     Subject: Re:Can my junior start working on the common app in June?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Their teacher should be giving them time these last few weeks to focus on the essays especially, that’s how it was done at my top public back in the day.


I wouldn't make this assumption. Some schools do this (or have essay boot camps), but many, many do not.


Agree - our kid's public spent not one lick of time on this.
Anonymous
Post 04/20/2026 21:19     Subject: Re:Can my junior start working on the common app in June?
Anonymous wrote:Their teacher should be giving them time these last few weeks to focus on the essays especially, that’s how it was done at my top public back in the day.


I wouldn't make this assumption. Some schools do this (or have essay boot camps), but many, many do not.
Anonymous
Post 04/20/2026 21:06     Subject: Can my junior start working on the common app in June?
Anonymous wrote:The big thing to focus on is the essays.


Best advice. Filling Common App takes some time but not more than few days. The essays instead are time consuming.
Start with the general essay that needs to be perfect (seriously speaking).
Anonymous
Post 04/20/2026 20:19     Subject: Can my junior start working on the common app in June?
Funny to hear the strong opinions about starting the common app in early summer or waiting until August or later . . . this seems like a decision that should be made based on your kid and what summer looks like. My kid had a lot of open time in June and July last summer, but her August was packed with several weeks of full-time work and a trip, and her September and October turned out to be even busier than she expected because senior year leaderships positions + course load were time-intensive. She was swamped from August on, and planning ahead and getting a lot of app work done in advance saved her sanity. But other kids might have a wide-open August and fewer fall commitments, in which case waiting makes sense.