1. commonapp.org
#commonappready
© 2015 The Common Application

2. THE EDUCATION SECTION commonapp.org #commonappready
© 2015 The Common Application

3. Presenter notes 3
© 2015 The Common Application

4. What is Common App Ready?
A comprehensive training resource
Ready-to-present slide decks
Introduction to The Common Application
Getting Started
Searching and Adding Colleges
Explanations of the following sections: Profile, Family, Education, Testing, Activities, Writing
Payment and Submission 4
© 2015 The Common Application

5. How to use Common App Ready
Schedule a workshop for your students, parents, colleagues, or anyone else who would benefit from learning about the Common Application
Organize your workshop(s) around your needs by presenting the slides all at once or in multiple sessions
Use the accompanying guide (also recorded in the footer notes of each slide) as your script
Direct participants to our training videos for more information: appsupport.commonapp.org 5
© 2015 The Common Application

6. Please begin your presentation with the next slide.
Now YOU are Common App Ready
Please begin your presentation with the next slide. 6
© 2015 The Common Application

7. THE EDUCATION SECTION commonapp.org #commonappready
© 2015 The Common Application

8. Sign in to your account Pro-tip: Bookmark apply.commonapp.org
Welcome to Common App Ready.
Students should navigate to commonapp.org, click on Apply Now to create a new account or to Sign In to an existing account.
Pro-tip: Bookmark
apply.commonapp.org
© 2015 The Common Application

9. Navigate to the Common App tab
Applicants can navigate to the Common App tab to begin working on the Common Application.
© 2015 The Common Application

10. Education Section overview
The Education section includes:
Current School
Past Schools (if applicable)
Work with Community Based Organizations
Education Progress
Courses taken at Colleges & Universities
Grades & Grading Scale
Current Year Courses
Honors Received
Plans for the Future
The Education section is where you share information about your current school and coursework along with any Honors you’ve achieved and your future education plan.
You’ll start with your current or most recent school.
© 2015 The Common Application

11. Current or Most Recent School
Pro-tip: This is the school that you currently or most recently attended.
Applicants should enter information about the school that they are currently attending or most recently attended.
© 2015 The Common Application

12. Adding your school
Pro-tip: If you can’t find your school by name, try searching on your CEEB Code before selecting “School not found.”
Applicants should enter information about the school that they are currently attending or most recently attended.
Students can search for their high school by CEEB code, School name, Country or City.
It is very important that students correctly locate their high school. The CEEB code determines the path for recommendations and school document submission. Unless a school is located abroad or was created within the last 6 months, they will be listed in this system.
For homeschool students, applicants can manually enter the name of their homeschool program or association.
Selecting the correct high school is key to ensuring that the correct path is followed for recommendation submissions. Schools that are using Naviance eDcos need to have the correct CEEB code linked with their application account.
© 2015 The Common Application

13. Adding other schools attended
Where do you want to receive your college mail?
Save and move between sections by clicking CONTINUE
Some students have attended multiple high schools during their academic career. Applicants can add up to 3 additional high schools that they have attended during high school. If a students needs to add more than three high schools, the information can be added to the “Additional Information” screen.
© 2015 The Common Application

14. Email address defaults to the one you provided at registration.
Community-Based Organizations
Pro-tip: Community-Based Organizations are non-profit counseling groups that offer students free assistance with the admission and financial aid application processes.
address defaults to the one you provided at registration.
Community Based Organizations are those organizations that assist students in the college admissions and application process at no cost to the student. Examples of a community based organization are: College Horizons, Boys & Girls Club, Gear Up, Prep for Prep.
Students can add the name and counselor for up to three such organizations. If a student’s organization is not listed, it can be added manually.
Colleges want to know about the organizations around the country that are assisting students – organizations that are helping students access opportunities for post secondary education.
© 2015 The Common Application

15. Education Interruption
Text box appears when you select an option
Educational Interruption Section
What does that even mean? Colleges are asking if you have an educational path that is delayed, interrupted or different from the traditional grades 9 – 12 in four years. Some students might finish early, while other students might need an additional year to complete high school. Some students decide to take a year off after high school but before beginning college to travel, work, volunteer or just rest. Some students have moved from one high school to another during the four years of high school. These things are not negative or positive but they need to be shared with the college admissions office.
The explanation does not need to be extensive, although the following points should be covered:
What caused the interruption(s)?
How has the interruption affected you and your academic progression?
Is there anything else you would like to note about the interruption(s)?
“Yes, even if you’ve moved – and your explanation can be as simple as ‘My family moved.”
Pro-tip: This is where you should report school changes or gap years.
© 2015 The Common Application

16. Colleges & Universities
If you have colleges to report, you’ll be prompted for more information
Colleges & Universities Section
This is the space that allows applicants to add if they have taken college courses while in high school. They are not looking for AP or IB courses as those are included in a different section.
Courses might be online, on a college campus or on the high school campus.
Students can add up to three colleges where they took classes. Any additional colleges can be added to the “Additional Information” section of the Common Application.
Many colleges want the official transcript sent before credit can be granted to the student.
Similar to your high school lookup, you will be able to search and find your college. List the course details, the time that you attended this course or courses, and any degrees you earned.
Most students will select “0” for this question, and that’s okay.
© 2015 The Common Application

17. Grades
Self-reported grades can help colleges get a head start on reviewing an application
Pro-tip: Ask your counselor for an unofficial copy of your transcript for this part of the application.
Grades
You might be wondering, why do I need to provide information about my grades when I know that my counselor is going to send a transcript?
While reviewing an application, an admissions counselor is going to see your application before the transcript. It helps to provide the counselor with some additional information and helps to serve as double-check regarding the correctness of the supplemental documents. For example, if an applicant writes that they are number 1 in the class with a 4.0 GPA, but the transcript has something very different, there could have been a data error at the high school. This allows for follow-up to ensure that a student has the correct information reviewed.
Note that there is just a single required question on this tab… “graduating class size”. Your College counselor can assist with specifics. You should report your current Class Rank and GPA, even if they might change later in the school year. If your school does not rank, select "None" from the drop down menu. If your school calculates both weighted and unweighted Class Rank/GPA, report the weighted value. If your school does not calculate a cumulative numerical GPA, or if it uses a GPA scale that is different than the options available in the drop down menu, leave the Cumulative GPA field blank.  This field is not required for submission of your application. 
© 2015 The Common Application

18. Select Semester or Trimester
Current/Most Recent Courses
Report up to 7 courses
Select Semester or Trimester
Pro-tip: Make your course title clear for someone who does not attend your high school.
Current or Most Recent year Courses
Students can add up to 7 courses in this section. If an applicant has more than 7 courses to list, they can be added to the “Additional Information” section.
Current year courses
If a course has a level designation that is not included in the choice list, please include the level as part of the Course title (e.g. College Prep)
© 2015 The Common Application

19. Honors
Pro-tip: This section is asking for academic distinctions, not honors level courses.
Add up to 5 honors
Honors Section
Applicants and Recommenders are often confused by this section. Are colleges looking for courses designated with an Honors code? No. Colleges and Universities are looking for academic distinctions – awards that are given to students based on their academic achievement.
Applicants are limited to 5 – so list the ones that are the most meaningful to you.
© 2015 The Common Application

20. Your options include “Other” & “Undecided”
Future Plans
Your options include “Other” & “Undecided”
Future Plans Section
While we don’t expect you to know exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life, colleges would like to know what you are considering for your future.
Applicants can select from a long list of possible careers and seven (7) different degrees plus Other is an option.
Other and Undecided are options for the Career Interest question.
Highest degree: Enter the highest degree you intend to earn in your lifetime.
© 2015 The Common Application

21. Help when you need it, where you need it
Applicant Solutions Center
Help when you need it, where you need it
24/7
Every day of the year
FAQs
Videos
Chat
Information about the Applicant Solutions Center
You now have the information you need in order to work on your Education section. Remember, we’re always ready to help you. If you experience a problem or have a question, let us know by going to the Applicant Help Center and searching the FAQs or
clicking the Ask a Question tab. It’s probably a good idea to add to your address book or contact list. We know you’ll have questions, and we are here to answer them. Help us make sure our responses don’t end up in your Spam or Junk folder by adding our support address to your contact list.
appsupport.commonapp.org
© 2015 The Common Application

22. commonapp.org
#commonappready
© 2015 The Common Application