August 1st marks the kickoff of college application season as that is the date that the Common Application rolls over for the class of 2025 and college applications officially open. As we approach the big date, let’s take a look at the Common App updates for the 2024-2025 application cycle and identify which application tasks you can start now vs. which have to wait until August 1st.
Common App Updates 2024
Let’s start with the new features on the Common Application this year. These Common App updates will hit with the rollover on August 1st.
- More useful Financial Aid tab. In the past, the financial aid tab has been “meh.” The was good intention behind it, but didn’t really provide much value in supporting financial aid and scholarship applications. It’s been redesigned to be more user-friendly, provide clearer action steps, and highlight scholarships opportunities for students.
- Updated Fraud Policy. With increased usage of artificial intelligence (AI) in college applications over the past couple of years, the Common App is updating its fraud policy. It will specifically define what is considered fraud and the consequences of providing false information or responses written by AI. Additionally, students will have to affirm that their writing is their own prior to submitting.
- City Year added as an application option. For students considering a gap year before college, the Common App has added City Year, a national service organization, to the application options. City Year is an educational non-profit in which recent graduates spend a year doing service while they figure out their next steps and gain valuable skills. This addition to the Common App allows students to apply to this program in addition to colleges.
- Self-Reporting of Cambridge English results. For students who require the Cambridge English exam to show proficiency in the English language on college applications, the process has gotten easier. You can now self-report your scores instead of colleges having to wait for your exam results to process your application.
- Redesign of the College Info pages. Every college on the Common App has an information page to help you learn more about them and the specifics of their application processes. In the past, the information was listed in a random order, making it difficult to navigate. With the new, more intuitive design, information is grouped by category and application requirements and deadlines are more organized and clear.
- Updated Transfer Application. If you’re currently enrolled in college, but are looking to change schools, this update is for you. This year, you’ll be able to provide more information to impress colleges than in the past. The academic history section now has an option for “GED or equivalent attainment” in addition to traditional high school diplomas. There are also more personal information questions and updated achievement types so that colleges can get to know you better and make more informed admissions decisions.
Common App Account Rollover
As previously mentioned, the Common App rolls over to the 2024-2025 application season on August 1, 2024. Along with implementing the updates described above, the applications switch over from class of 2024 to class of 2025. As of July 1st, students in the class of 2024 can start on certain parts of the Common App, but it is important to know what parts will rollover on August 1st and which ones won’t so as to not lose any progress you’ve made.
- What Rolls Over: College list, answers to questions on the “Common App” tab (profile, family, education, testing, activities, writing, courses & grades) and advisor invitations.
- What Doesn’t Roll Over: “My Colleges” tab content, college-specific questions, FERPA release authorization, and recommender invitations.
So what does this mean for you? What can you safely work on right now without wasting your time? There are two main tabs you will use on the Common App: “Common App” and “My Colleges.”
The “Common App” tab includes all the information that gets copied on every application and sent to every school, like your demographic information, activities, and essay. The “My Colleges” tab includes questions and additional information required by each individual college on your list. As a rule of thumb, until August 1st, only work on the “Common App” tab as almost everything on the “My Colleges” tab will reset in the rollover.
So between now and August 1st, you can add colleges to your list through the “College Search” tab (but don’t fill out any of their questions) and knock out the following application tasks before applications officially open:
- Demographic and family information
- Educational background and test scores (if done testing)
- Activities section
- AND THE BIG ONE…your college essay!
Common App essay prompts 2024-25
That’s right, one of the most important and time-consuming parts of your application can be completed now as the Common App personal statement prompts have already been confirmed. The Common App essay prompts for 2024-25 are:
- Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
- The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
- Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
- Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
- Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
- Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
- Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a large portion of the Common App that you can complete even before applications officially open. Being aware of these updates and getting a head start on applications now while you have more free time in the summer will alleviate stress during your senior year.
If you need more guidance on completing your Common App HelloCollege is here to help. Connect with an expert today for guidance through the entire application process.
