Applying to college is a tedious and often stressful process for students and their parents. In addition to finishing their last year of high  school, teens may also be juggling the SAT or ACT, college tours if available and applications for numerous schools.

The Common Application, which is accepted by more than 900 schools, including some colleges located outside the U.S., helps streamline one essential part of the admissions process for students.

Through the platform, first-time and transfer applicants alike can apply to multiple colleges at once. So students only have to fill out details that most schools require, including name, address, parental employment and education and extracurricular activities, one time.

"The idea behind the Common App is to try and reduce the barriers that students face when applying to college," says Jenny Rickard, president and CEO of The Common Application.

Despite its popularity, the Common App may be confusing for some families who are new to the college application process. The guide below can help ease students and parents through the application.

When Can I Start Working on My College Application Through the Common App?

The new edition of the Common App opens Aug. 1 every year. Updates for this year include the addition of at least 40 new schools, expanded search and filter options, a guided tutorial for users after an account is created, more robust details on colleges including highlighted academic programs, and an optional question for students to explain how the coronavirus has affected their lives as high schools largely went remote in the spring. The optional coronavirus question has a 250-word limit.

Students don't have to wait until Aug. 1 to get started on the Common App. They can create an account at any time and transfer their information into the new app when it opens.

To start, applicants can go to commonapp.org and click on the "Apply now" button to get details about how to create an account and log in to work on an application through the platform. Students can download the Common App's mobile app to keep track of deadlines, invite recommenders and set reminders.

The summer before senior year of high school is a great time for students to start on their applications, experts say. "If you aren't going to be out of town or out of the country with no access to the internet, please start your application Aug. 1," says Marissa Warren, a school counselor at Yorktown High School in New York.
Students don't have to submit their applications during the summer. But starting in August gives them the opportunity to review the requirements for schools they're considering, draft essays and get some of the tedious background information completed before they get bogged down with homework and activities, Warren says. Starting early also allows students to get the help they need at the beginning of the school year, she adds.

How Long Does It Take to Fill Out an Application?

The time it takes to fill out an application varies based on a school's requirements, experts say. However, students need to give themselves at least six weeks to get everything they need for college applications, says Christine Chu, a premier college admissions counselor with IvyWise, an education consulting company based in New York. That's two weeks to fill out any background information and at least a month for other required documents.

In addition to any parental information needed – such as employer details and educational background – many schools require first-year applicants to submit recommendation letters and transcripts. Students need to give teachers and counselors enough time to submit those materials to the Common App before deadlines.
High school counselors encourage students to ask their teachers for recommendation letters before the end of their junior year so that educators can work on them during the summer. Seniors who need recommendation letters should ask for them early in the school year, experts say.

What Are the Common App Essay Prompts, and Where Can I Find Them?

The Common App first-year essay prompts for the 2020-2021 school year will be the same as the seven prompts used for 2019-2020. "The current prompts do their job well," the Common App website reads.
Applicants have a 650-word limit for essays.

The topics vary. A few require students to reflect on their experiences and share examples of learning or personal growth. Students also have the option to share an essay on any topic of their choice or simply describe a topic that captivates them.

Applicants can see the essay prompts on the Common App's website. The organization reviews the prompts every other year.

With seven options, it doesn't matter which prompt is chosen as long as it's one that allows an applicant to provide insight into his or her identity in ways that aren't reflected in other parts of the application, experts say.

"You never want to echo what's in any of those other pieces," says Bonnie Casson-Deweese, director of college match for KIPP Houston Public Schools. She encourages students to look beyond academics to think about what makes them special. For example, being a high school valedictorian when applying to Harvard University isn't notable because just about everybody who applies is at the top of their class, she says.
Not all schools require students to submit an essay. Some institutions may require students to submit a supplemental essay or additional information. Applicants can see the requirements for all schools on the Common App when they log in to their student accounts or download a PDF from the Common App's website.
​
Applicants can also preview supplemental questions for schools before they start their applications through the platform's Student Solutions Center.

Messages from CollegeBoard:

​March and May SAT Administrations

In response to the rapidly evolving situation around the coronavirus (COVID-19), College Board canceled the May 2, 2020, SAT and SAT Subject Test administration. Makeup exams for the March 14 administration (scheduled for March 28) were also canceled.

Students who already registered for May, whose March test centers were closed, or who do not receive March scores because of any irregularities will receive refunds.

Future Testing Opportunities

​We know students are anxious about how the coronavirus crisis will affect their college application process, including taking the SAT. We’re committed to being flexible and innovative to give all students opportunities to test as soon as the situation allows. We’ll share more details as soon as possible, but right now we can tell you the following:

• Currently, the next SAT is scheduled for the first weekend of June. We’re working with test centers and we’ll decide whether we can safely hold that administration as soon as it’s feasible, given the evolving public health situation.

• We’ll add U.S. and international test administrations in response to canceled administrations. We’ll be flexible in making the SAT available in school and out of school as soon as the public health situation allows. We’re looking at a range of creative solutions to address increased demand and are in direct conversations with states and districts about School Day administrations. Throughout, we’ll continue to place a special focus on students with fee waivers and those with accommodations.

If, unfortunately, schools cannot reopen this fall, we’re pursuing innovative ways to ensure all students can still take the SAT this fall. We’ll provide updates about those plans if they become necessary.

Resources and Support

To help students keep their college readiness skills sharp when many schools are closed, College Board and Khan Academy® will continue to provide free resources online, including full-length practice tests and personalized learning tools.

Together with our member schools and colleges, we will be flexible, thoughtful, and collaborative in exploring ways to continue to support student learning and provide opportunities to test during this challenging time.

Our focus will remain on student safety and ensuring students have the tools they need and opportunities to succeed on their path to college.

Please check this page regularly for updates.

If you have questions or concerns about your scheduled testing with College Board programs, please contact us as soon as possible. Given the high volume of inquiries, wait times may be longer than normal.

Educators
Email: sateducator@collegeboard.org
Phone: +1-212-520-8600

Students
Email: sat@info.collegeboard.org
Phone (domestic): 866-756-7346
Phone (international): +1-212-713-7789

Updated Customer Service Hours

To better support you throughout this crisis, and in compliance with local, state, and federal safety regulations, College Board's phone support hours are now 9 a.m.—6 p.m. ET, Monday—Friday.

For the new 2016 SAT, the College Board calculated SAT score percentiles for two groups: all 11th and 12th grade students (Nationally Representative Sample Percentiles) and college-bound students who typically take the SAT for the last time as 11th- or 12th-graders (SAT User Percentiles).

For the Nationally Representative Sample, the national average SAT score was:

• Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 510
• Math: 510
• Total: 1020

For college-bound SAT users, the SAT national average score was:

• Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 543
• Math: 541
• Total: 1083

Therefore, if you score above a 1020 on the new SAT, you’re above the national average score on the SAT for all seniors. If you score above a 1080, you’re above the national average for college-bound seniors. Keep in mind that when applying to college, you'll be compared to other students who are also applying, meaning that second average (1083) is the more relevant one.

A Bachelor of Arts degree offers students a broader education in their major. Students are required to take a variety of liberal art subjects such as humanities, literature, history, social sciences, communications, and a foreign language. Students can select from a diverse list of courses that fulfill each liberal arts requirement. This allows students to actively mold their education to their interests. A BA degree provides a more diverse education in a particular major, therefore, a BA degree generally requires less credits than a BS degree. 

College Board released a giant 211-page specification for the redesigned SAT, first coming out in Spring of 2016. ​

The College Board has promised that the new SAT test will test skills that are more predictive of success in college and beyond. We find generally that the SAT changes in 2016 accomplish this goal.

Greater Emphasis on Reasoning Skills and Context, Not Skills in Isolation
Historically the SAT has tested skills in isolation. Vocabulary-based questions would basically evaluate whether the student knew the common definition of that word (like "expropriate"). Writing questions would often test a single grammatical rule in a single sentence. Math questions would test a single math concept for a question of limited scope.
Instead, the new SAT emphasizes higher-level logical and reasoning skills. The Reading and Writing questions are now entirely passage-based, giving more opportunities to test a deeper understanding of how the passage is logically constructed and to draw connections between different parts of the passage. The Math section emphasizes more practical, realistic scenarios and introduces multi-step problems.

Fewer Learnable "Tricks"
The SAT has often been criticized for asking deceptive questions and for using tricks to complicate questions. This meant that students who performed well in school may do poorly on the SAT simply because they were unaccustomed to the presentation of questions.
As a result of emphasizing higher-level reasoning, the new SAT features fewer tricks, particularly in the Math and Writing sections. The skills tested are more difficult, but the presentation is more straightforward.

Format Changes

• The SAT is now scored out of 1600.
• The Reading and Writing sections on the current SAT have been combined into a single section in the new SAT, with a maximum score of 800. Writing is now known as "Writing and Language."
• The Math section is still scored out of 800.
• The Essay is optional and has changed dramatically.
• Instead of 5 answer choices for each question, there will be only 4. This doesn't necessarily make the test easier since the SAT will just remove the most unlikely answer.

Overall Gist of Changes to the Reading Section 

• All questions are now based on passages.
• The subject matter of passages are pre-determined. There's 1 passage concerning US and World Literature, 2 for History/Social Studies, and 2 for Science.
• Some passages will now contain data and require interpretation of data.

Greater emphasis on: 
vocabulary in context; command of evidence; constructing logical arguments; scientific reasoning.
Lesser emphasis on:
difficult vocabulary and vocabulary in isolation.

Reading Questions You'll Never See Again
Sentence Completions: 
These questions often tested more difficult vocabulary, and it was difficult to answer correctly without knowing the definition of the word. 

New Reading Question Types
Evidence Support Questions: 
For the first time, the SAT Reading section will have questions that build on each other. The student will be prompted to answer a question about the passage - for example, the author's tone or stance on a topic - and in the next question be asked to cite evidence for the answer in the previous question. Here's an example:

​The actual passage can be found on page 88 of the SAT specifications. This type of question builds on the SAT's desire to move toward higher-level reasoning skills. The student will need to support his or her answer with evidence from the passage.

Data Reasoning Questions: 
For the first time, the SAT Reading section will include figures that show data. The student will need to interpret the data in the figure and place it in the context of the overall passage - for example, how does this figure support the author's argument?

This type of data analysis and graph reading has never before been tested on the Reading section of the SAT. Especially tricky questions will likely be inference questions - for example, "the author is least likely to support which interpretation of the data in this figure?"
​
Student Study Tips for the New Reading Section:

• Because the passages now test higher-level reasoning and ask you to analyze arguments, reading real-world examples will be helpful like never before. Understanding and deconstructing pieces from well-written publications like the New York Times will help your understanding of how effective arguments are made.
• The new science passages will not be heavily focused on science. You won't need to know any formulas. You will have to know how to read graphs and understand their relevance.
• Evidence Support questions are double-edged swords. Because they’re intertwined, they can be an opportunity to check your thinking - if you can't find evidence that supports your answer to the first question, you can catch your mistake. However you can bet that the SAT will also try to lead you astray - if you pick a wrong answer to the first question, they'll give you a corresponding wrong answer on the second question.
• Personal biases have always been a common cause of mistakes on the SAT. Your job isn't to interpret the passages, it's to find the answer within the passage. But because the passages are now more relevant to real life and will draw from recent examples, you now need to be in greater control of your personal biases. The SAT will always try not to be controversial but you'll be more at risk for personal bias. 

A change in majors, a financial setback or other unplanned circumstances can cause students to delay graduation by months or years. Most undergrads aren't graduating in four years anymore, data show. Only 59 percent of students who started at four-year schools in the fall of 2006 graduated by 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Education. 

Undergrads at a few schools, however, are more likely to stick to the traditional four-year timeline. At Carleton College and Georgetown University, the average four-year graduation rate for full-time, first-time bachelor's degree-seeking students who started in fall 2008 is 91 percent. These schools had the highest four-year graduation rate among 1,235 colleges and universities that submitted data to U.S. News in an annual survey. Pomona College, which topped this list in the past with a 92.8 percent four-year graduation rate, barely made the top 10 with a now 90.1 percent rate. Among the 10 schools with the highest four-year graduation rate, an average rate of 90.4 percent of students finished on time. This rate is almost 50 percentage points higher than the average rate for all schools that submitted data. 

The schools with highest graduation rates are also highly ranked. Princeton University, for example, has a 90.2 percent four-year graduation rate and is ranked No. 1 among National Universities. National Universities are committed to ground-breaking research and offer a range of degree options for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.
​
Below are the 10 colleges and universities with the highest four-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time bachelor's degree seeking students who started school in fall of 2008. Unranked schools, which did not meet certain criteria required by U.S. News to be numerically ranked, were not considered for this report.

Like a few other US-based university ranking publications, Forbes Magazine has recently released its 2015 selections for best U.S. colleges and universities. Schools were ranked in categories such as Public, Liberal Arts, Best Value, and Return on Investment. They were also ranked by major U.S. region: Southern, Midwest, Northeast and Western.

Forbes' Best Northeast U.S. Colleges and Universities include:

Yale University

University of Pennsylvania

Columbia University

Georgetown University

Tufts University

Forbes' Best Southern U.S. Colleges and Universities include:

University of Florida

University of Texas at Austin

Rice University

Emory University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Virginia Tech

University of Miami

Forbes' Best Midwest U.S. Colleges and Universities include:

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Indiana University

University of Minnesota

Forbes' Best Western U.S. Colleges and Universities include:

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Southern California

University of Washington

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, San Diego

Photo: University of California - San Diego

 
On Forbes.com:

America's Top Colleges

Top 25 Southern Colleges

Top 25 Midwest Colleges

Top 25 Northeast Colleges

Top 25 Western Colleges

The ACT doesn't penalize guessing, so you should never leave any answer blank even if you have to take a completely blind guess.  Even with this information, students still make one huge mistake.  Here we expose the biggest ACT guessing strategy mistake students make, and suggest a much better approach.  We've seen students improve 1-2 points immediately after applying this 5-minute strategy. In addition, you may visit ACT Question Of The Day for more practice.

The Biggest ACT Strategy Mistake
ACT takers already know not to leave any questions blank – after all, the ACT doesn't penalize guessing.   But many students take this to mean that they should spend substantial time on each question.  These mistaken students think, "if I have to answer all questions, doesn't it make sense to spend at least 20-30 seconds looking at each?"  The answer is a big, fat NO.

Let me be clear: you have to give an answer for each question, but you DO NOT need to spend 20-30 seconds looking at each question.  I am a strong advocate of blind guessing for many students on many types of questions.

How and Why to Use Blind Guessing 
In particular, you should always blind guess when you encounter a problem way beyond your difficulty threshold.  For example if you usually score a 15 on the math section, then most of the problems in the "hard" towards the end of the section will be way above your skill level.  You get .20 points (in expectancy) just for blind guessing, which means you have a 1-in-5 chance of getting it right. And it takes 1 second! 

Now, since these are hard questions, and you usually score a 15, it may take you 2 minutes just to understand each question, and another 2 minutes to eliminate a couple of answer choices.  This is a really bad use of four minutes to just get .4 extra points (in expectancy).  Besides, you may not even eliminate correctly.  

Who Should Not Blind Guess: High Scorers
High scorers, those with above a 20 on all sections, should not be using Blind Guessing.  That's because, to maximize their points, they need to be spending time trying all of the questions.  In such a case, since you're reading and understanding all questions anyway, you might as well make a more educated guess by eliminating some answers.

When Everyone Should Not Blind Guess: Easy Questions
For easy questions (those toward the beginning of the section), everyone should be trying them -- even if you're a low scorer, these are the questions that will give you your baseline points.  On these questions, blind guessing is a big no-no.

What is Blind Guessing?
Blind guessing is exactly what it sounds like -- guessing on a question without even reading it.  Just filling in "C" or "F" at random.  This might sound crazy, but for many students this is not a bad strategy.

Making the decision to study abroad in the United States will open doors to experiences and opportunities that will last a lifetime. Once you have committed to making this move, you have to decide which area of the country is right for you. Different regions of the United States offer different opportunities in education, culture and entertainment—all essential criteria for getting the most out of your college experience. Here’s our look into one of the most exciting and unique cities in the country—Seattle, Washington.

Seattle is a coastal seaport city and the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. There are approximately 3.2 million people living in the Greater Seattle area, with about 570,000 living in the city itself. 

Its official nickname is the “Emerald City,” which is a reference to the evergreen forests that are throughout the state of Washington. In addition to its forestry, the area is known for its access to natural bodies of water. The city is located between Lake Washington and the Puget Sound, which connects to the Pacific Ocean. With so many natural attractions in the area, Seattle is a great place to engage in outdoor activities such as sightseeing, hiking, camping, kayaking and other activities to help you experience the natural beauty of the area. 

When you’re in Seattle, there’s always something to do. Seattle has a thriving music scene, three successful professional sports franchises and an annual film festival that attracts worldwide visitors. Home to the century-old Seattle Symphony Orchestra and the birthplace of grunge music, Seattle has deep roots in music. Over the years, Seattle has produced world-renowned artists including Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana. With music everywhere, it’s not hard to find a good concert on any night of the week.

Seattle is also the home to three major league sports teams: the Seattle Seahawks (American Football),Seattle Mariners (Baseball) and Seattle Sounders FC (Soccer). Whether you want to relax at a Mariners game or join the notoriously loud crowds at Seahawks and Sounders games, there’s sports action happening year-round in the city.

One of the most prominent festivals in the city is the annual Seattle International Film Festival. During the 24-day festival, which began in 1976, hundreds of films from around the world are shown to thousands of attendees. Each year, the festival includes a “Secret Festival,” in which attendees are shown unspecified films and must sign an oath to not share any of the details from the films.  

Preparing for school

While you’re studying in the States, earning a meaningful degree from an esteemed university is what’s most important. Seattle is home to several illustrious universities, both public and private, including the University of Washington. Seattle is also considered to be the most literate city in America, with the highest percentage of residents earning a college degree. Regardless of which school you choose to pursue an education, you’ll find Seattle to be a great community to meet your goals.

Seattle also offers great housing options for students moving to the area. If living in a dorm isn’t right for you, choosing an apartment near campus can be perfect for students hoping to get the most out of their college experience. ApartmentSearch.com is a great resource to use when searching for apartments in the city. The search engine allows you to find an apartment in your ideal area, and also allows you to view crime statistics, the cost of living, local restaurants, the length of your commute and more. If your apartment is unfurnished, furniture rental is an economical and hassle-free way to furnish your home. CORT, the leading provider of furniture rental in the U.S., furnishes thousands of student apartments with furniture and accessories, with rental packages starting as low as $99 per month.

Seattle is a city that is full of diversity and never-ending excitement that can’t fit into a single post. To learn more about the “Emerald City,” do some research to see if this is the perfect fit for you! Also, be sure to pack a raincoat—it does rain from time to time. For more information on CORT’s furniture rental solutions, please visit www.CORT.com.

Colleges and universities in the Seattle area

A.C.E. Language Institutes

Bellevue College

Cascadia College

Centralia College

Edmonds Community College

Green River College

North Seattle Community College

Pierce College

South Seattle College

Seattle University

Seattle Central College

Shoreline Community College

University of Washington

University of Washington - Bothell

Know the order of difficulty
SAT questions can be divided into three levels of difficulty: easy, medium and hard. The questions in the first third of each section are easy, those in the second third are medium and those in the last third are hard. (The only exception is the Reading Comprehension passages, which do not follow this order.)

Every question on the SAT is worth an equal amount. So spend your time making sure you get the easy and medium questions correct and tackle the hard questions if time remains. Rushing through the test to get to the hardest questions will only drag your score down.

Look for wrong answers instead of right answers
Don't know the right answer? It happens. But if you know which choices are definitely wrong, you will significantly improve your chances of getting the question right. This is called process of elimination.

Each question has 5 possible answer choices. Eliminate one or more possibilities, and your chances of guessing correctly are 25% or better. An incorrect guess will cost you only a quarter of a point. A correct guess will add an entire point.

Let's say there are 8 questions where you eliminate 1 choice and guess among the remaining 4 choices. Statistically, you will guess correctly 2 times and incorrectly 6 times. You are rewarded 2 points and penalized 1.5 points. You just earned .5 points by guessing 8 times.

Own your test booklet
You paid for that test booklet, personalize it. Scratch work is extremely important on the SAT. Don't be embarrassed about it—writing in your test booklet will help you keep your mind focused.

• Mark up geometry diagrams. Keeping track of your work directly on the page will help you avoid careless mistakes.
• For sentence completion, you will need to come up with your own word or two to help you answer a question. Write these down! Trying to keep track of information in your head can lead to confusion and errors.
• When you use process of elimination to eliminate a wrong answer, cross it out! Don't leave it there to confuse you if you have to choose between two remaining answer choices.
• When you answer a question but aren't entirely confident in your choice, circle the question or put a big question mark next to it. That way, if you have time to go back at the end of the section, you can find the question easily and quickly.
• When you answer a question but aren't entirely confident in your choice, circle the question or put a big question mark next to it. That way, if you have time to go back at the end of the section, you can find the question easily and quickly.