1. CRUSHING the Common App
Common App and Naviance

2. What you will learn: How to register on Common App
Adding a College on Common App
Filling out the Education Section
Assigning Recommenders & Waiving Rights (FERPA)
Linking Common App & Naviance
Adding Colleges on Naviance
Requesting Teacher Recommendations

3. What you will need: Copy of your high school transcript
School Counselor Name and Contact Information
List of activities/work/family obligations
Standardized Test Scores and dates
Parent/Guardian Education History and Occupation Information
Sibling education information
List of colleges you are applying to

4. Registering

5. © 2016 The Common Application
There are two ways you can create an account.
Click the “Create Account” button.
Click the “Apply Now” button and then when prompted to sign in click the “Create an Account” link.
Then, follow a few quick steps and begin your application right away
© 2016 The Common Application

6. Your account will become active!
Registering
Use the same address you used for Naviance
This keeps the address consistent for linking Common App and Naviance together
Be sure that the address is APPROPRIATE
Check your regularly
Enter your demographic information for registration as it appears on formal documents!
Phone number – cell vs. home phone
Your account will become active!

7. The Dashboard Read the welcome message
The purpose of the Dashboard is to provide one screen that shows the status of your applications
By clicking on any of the schools, you can see what sections are left to work on.

8. Adding a College

9. 3. Check off your school and click "Add”

10. Things to Keep in Mind
If a school does not show up in the search box, they might not use Common App, or check your spelling
You can add and drop schools from your “My Colleges” list at any time!

11. Common App Section
Personal Info – Name as it appears on formal documents like your Social Security Card, Birth Certificate and Transcript
Preferred Names - If your name is Patrick, but your teachers refer to you as Pat in your recommendations
Contact info – = appropriate and checked often
Phone – home number
Demographics/Religious Preference/Ethnicity – optional

12. The Common App tab is where you will complete the main sections of your application.
The Common App tab is organized into 6 different sections, each with their own specific set of questions. Those main sections are: Profile, Family, Education, Testing, Activities, and Writing.
© 2016 The Common Application

13. There are nine sections within the Profile section to complete.
Some of the information in the Profile section will be carried over from details you provided when you created your account. It’s always a good idea to review the information here and update any new or changed details.
© 2016 The Common Application

14. Use your legal name so that colleges can match your application with standardized test scores and other documents.
You will have the opportunity to share more about your gender identity.
Make sure the address you enter is one you check regularly.
TIPS & BEST PRACTICES
© 2016 The Common Application

15. Common App continued…
Geography – Language, Citizenship, etc. Fill all in as accurately as possible – SSN is used to link FAFSA and score reports
Common App Fee Waiver – if you have free or reduced lunch, and have received an SAT fee waiver, you qualify for this. Counselor will have to verify this.
Family Information – Ask your parents for this information, and never inflate/deflate your parent’s accomplishments.

16. THE COMMON APP FEE WAIVER
Indicate whether you feel you qualify for an application waiver
Select the indicator(s) that best apply to you
Provide your signature
Another important section in the Profile section is the ”Common App Fee Waiver”. If you feel your financial circumstances might qualify you for an application fee waiver you can select the appropriate indicator(s) and provide your signature. Doing so will then waive your application fee for all the schools to which you apply through the Common App.
After applying for a Common App Fee Waiver, your counselor will be able to review and affirm the information within the recommender system.
Additionally, students who apply for a fee waiver are also invited to connect with a Strive for College mentor. Strive for College connects students with free virtual mentoring to provide additional support in the admission and financial aid process.
STRIVE FOR COLLEGE
Students who qualify for a fee waiver are invited to connect with a Strive for College mentor.
© 2016 The Common Application

17. SCHOLAR SNAPP
Scholar Snapp connects you with scholarships to help pay for college.
If you are interested in learning more about Scholar Snapp, select “Yes”.
One important section to take note of in the Profile section is ”Scholarship Information”. Here you can indicated your interest in learning more about Scholar Snapp. Scholar Snapp is a technology developed by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation to connect students with scholarships to help pay for college.
© 2016 The Common Application

18. Education Section
1. Click  on  “Education”  and  fill   out    “School  Lookup”

19. Select “Sort By”, Near my Permanent Address
Select “Sort By”, Near my Permanent Address. This is the easiest way to find FHS.

20. There are nine sections to complete within the Education section.
© 2016 The Common Application

21. Ask your counselor for an unofficial copy of your transcript to help with filling out the Education section.
Selecting the correct high school ensures that the correct path is followed for your recommendation letter submissions.
It’s okay to select “Other” or “Undecided” for your Future Plans and Career Interests.
TIPS & BEST PRACTICES
© 2016 The Common Application

22. Once FHS is loaded as your school, your education section will appear in this format.

23. Education Section
MUST fill in High School information in Education Section in order to complete FERPA
Find FHS, enter date of entry (if you started as a freshman here, that would be 09/2015)
Graduation Date = 06/28/2019
Counselor information
529 seniors
Other schools, if you transferred here
Interruptions in education?
College courses?

24. More Education info…
Grades/GPA/Current year courses – fill out with a copy of your transcript!
Class Rank Reporting – we do not give out class ranks, only Decile Rankings – ask your counselor for this information
Scale – out of 100
Honors – Start with most impressive honor first, explain what the award is.
Career interest – if you are applying to a pre-professional program, this should not be “undecided.”
Highest degree – be honest about what you think about this
Test scores – enter your best scores here – be accurate – if you do not think your scores represent you, don’t enter them. Test score optional score? You can enter them and then check “no” later. If you still plan to take another SAT – put that in here!
You still have to OFFICIALLY send your scores from your testing site.

25. Activities Section
No specific way to list activities. Read the directions on the right.
Family responsibilities and jobs can be listed here.
Resume? Only if asked.
List activities in order of importance to you (i.e. first would be the one that you could not live without)
Abbreviations
You don’t have to fill up all 10 lines
Position/Leadership – only 50 characters here – list activities you couldn’t list in the drop-down menu. Enter roles, titles, recognitions are that short like Varsity, Eagle Scout, Founder, etc.
Time Spent – be accurate
Hobbies – list if it’s important to you and it can help distinguish you from the crowd

26. Essay
What do you want the readers of your application to know aside from your grades, courses and test scores.
650 words is your limit, not your goal. Applications will not accept responses shorter than 250 words.
Have someone review your essay
Don’t repeat information that is in your application.

27. Discipline History and Additional Information
Discipline actions at FHS? – Talk with your counselor if you are concerned
Conviction on your record? You must report this.
If you answer yes for either one, you must upload information about the incident – be honest and take responsibility. Explained what you learned from the experience.
Additional information – do not use unless you have to (i.e. if you ran out of room to include all AP test scores, significant health issues that caused you to miss school – include dates) and make it clear and concise.
Do not cut and paste a resume

28. My Colleges Section This section varies depending on the school
Preferred start term –Fall 2018
Preferred admission plan – Early Action, Early Decision or Regular Decision
Pursue financial aid – only put “no” if you are certain you will not – ask your parent/guardian
Merit-Based scholarships – if you plan to research and apply for individual college scholarships – select yes
Full time student? Plan to graduate in 4 years – yes
Degree Program – usually yes
Housing
Academic Interests – not your major – not undecided
Future Plans – Customize to different schools

29. Recommenders/FERPA
Click on Dashboard Tab
Click  on  “Drew  University”

30. 3.  Click  “incomplete”  to  continue

31. FERPA – Waive or Not Waive?
What if I choose not to waive?
Sends message to letter writer that you don’t trust them
Less likely to be honest – more likely to make generic comments
College will wonder why you didn’t feel comfortable waiving your right
The teacher you choose should be someone who would say nice things about you!

32. Recommenders Do Not Invite Recommenders from FHS on Common App
We use Naviance – if you invite the recommenders (teachers) via Common App, we will not be able to send your documents
You CAN invite people outside of FHS via Common App.

33. What next?
You may NOT undo waiving your rights once it has been completed.
Now that you have completed the Common App FERPA, you may link the account with Naviance.

34. Supplements?
Some will ask you for additional biographical info or select your major
Read (and follow) the directions
Do not treat them as afterthoughts – the more selective the schools are the heavier the importance of the supplemental pieces
Make them personal to each college
Optional Questions like is there anything else you would like to share – only if you really have something to say
Optional Essay – answer it.

35. Naviance Linking
After completing the necessary Common App steps we will now focus on:
Linking Common App & Naviance
Adding Colleges on Naviance

36. Naviance Linking

37. Type in the SAME e-mail address you used to register for the Common App and click MATCH

38. Click the Plus Sign to Add Schools

39. Look up
College
Check off
“Type”
Hit  “Add   Colleges”  at   bottom of
Screen

40. College List

41. Submitting Take advantage of the Final PDF Preview
Go through it line by line Spell-check
Fee Payment – follow directions for each school
Signature Page – last step before you submit! Type in your full name
Hit SUBMIT