On August 1st, the Common Application opened to all those applying for Fall 2024 admission to colleges and universities across the United States. Now, students and parents are able to see the exact questions asked by each university to which they will apply.

The Common App allows a student to add a maximum of 20 schools to their dashboard. Not every school accepts the Common App, however. The University of California system (UCLA, UC Berkeley, etc.) has its own application, as do MIT and Georgetown. Some state schools use the Coalition Application.

Best practices for managing your time during the application season is to solidify your list, select which school or schools you will apply to early, and prioritize those. Be sure you leave enough time to finish the supplemental essays for the rest of the schools on your list. It is easy to get tunnel vision and spend a month or more perfecting the application to your ED school, but that will leave you with less time for all of your Regular Decision schools. Balance, planning, and time management are key.

We recommend getting the bulk of your writing done before school starts. Applicants can expect to write between 10 and 50 supplemental essays, depending on how many schools are on their list. This way, you won’t be spread too thin across your studies, extracurriculars, and applications. Remember, keeping your grades up throughout senior year is paramount to the application process.

If you feel overwhelmed by the number of essays, the technical questions, strategizing, or navigating the applications themselves, Aristotle Circle is here to help. Our admissions experts are here to guide first-timers and veterans alike through the process. Call us at 212-360-2301 or email at info@aristotlecircle.com to inquire today.