The Common Application Rollover is complete and ready for you! If you follow Williams Educational Consultants advice below, you will be ahead of the game.
The first thing you need to do is log in to CommonApp.org and complete the rollover questions. If you haven't created your common application account, then log in and make it!
You will see five new questions under the Common App Tab:
1. Would you like to share a different first name that you go by? :Yes :No
2. Pronouns :He/Him :She/Her :They/Them :Add another pronoun set
3. Gender :Female :Male :Nonbinary :Add another gender
4. Legal sex* :Male :Female
5. Are you Hispanic or Latino/a/x?
As you will notice, the * is required for the Legal Sex question. Therefore, you do not have to complete any of the questions that do not have the asterisk. As you go through the common application platform, the questions without an asterisk are optional. It is up to you, the applicant, to complete the questions without the asterisk.
Another section from last year that continues this year is the section underneath the writing portion of the common application, Additional Information. It allows an applicant to share anything regarding Community Disruption in 250 words and space to provide insight into anything Additional in 650 words.
Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces.
The second item you should complete is add your colleges of interest to your common application by going to the tab - COLLEGE SEARCH - and typing in the colleges. Once that is completed, you will find the colleges under the MY COLLEGE tab.
The third item is to verify the deadline(S) you plan to apply and select your option.
Please read the different options carefully below:
EARLY ACTION (EA)
This is a non-binding agreement. Early Action Deadlines for most colleges are typically October 15th or November 1st. Applying Early Action will eliminate the college from looking at the student's senior year first semester grades.
EARLY ACTION SINGLE CHOICE or RESTRICTIVE (EA-Single Choice)
This is a non-binding agreement and should only be used if the student is confident about the college which offers this plan. Early Action Deadlines for most colleges are typically November 1st. This is when a student applies before the regular decision deadline and applies only Early Action to ONE college. There are exceptions to this rule. Students may apply to another college with early deadlines for scholarships or special academic programs as long as it is non-binding. Also, students may apply to public universities with a non-binding early application or rolling option. Applicants may apply to other colleges and universities under their Regular Decision Option as well. Applying Early Action will eliminate the college from looking at the student's senior year first semester grades.
EARLY DECISION (ED)
This is a binding admission plan that requires an early application (typically October or November) and promises a reply by December or January. There are two types of ED plans: (1) Single Choice, in which the student is allowed to apply to only one college and (2) First Choice, in which the student may apply elsewhere but agrees to withdraw other applications if accepted by the ED school. This plan is recommended only if the applicant is sure of his or her college choice. If accepted, the student is ethically obligated to attend if sufficient financial aid is offered. Some schools like Emory and Vanderbilt have two rounds of Early Decision (ED1 and ED2), allowing students to have flexibility.
ROLLING or EARLY NOTIFICATION
This admission plan does not have an actual hard deadline. Therefore, it is crucial to apply as early as possible. Kennesaw State University, University of Alabama, and Georgia Southern are examples of schools with rolling deadlines. Rolling or early notification is an admission plan that promises an early notification to the applicant. The student is not obligated to attend if accepted.
REGULAR DECISION
Regular Decision is the usual process by which students apply by published deadlines, like January 1st, with a promise of receiving an admissions offer by April 1st.
Please be aware that it is your student's responsibility to decide when to apply to their college choices. If your student decides an ED or EA SINGLE CHOICE plan, then he or she will need to have your signature and their Counselor's signature stating they understand the ED or EA Single Choice Agreement. This is a form that will be part of the college's application.
The final item that will help you prepare for your application season is VERY IMPORTANT! After you add your colleges to the My College Tab, consider reviewing their supplemental prompts and writing the questions in a separate Google Doc.
These four items will be worth your time and help you prepare as you begin your applications!