Why You Should Start Your Common Application Early

One of the biggest advantages to starting the Common Application early is to finalize your main application. You will be able to fill in information that likely won’t change entering your senior year, such as your school, course information, and any activities. Once you have the main part of the Common Application done, you can focus on any school specific requirements. One thing to keep in mind is that you should only start the main Common Application before August 1. This data will roll over into the new cycle, but any questions you answer for your schools will disappear after August 1.

While you shouldn’t fill out any school specific questions early, you can still  understand what your schools are looking for. You can start to brainstorm ideas for any additional essays required by your universities. You can also think about which major you might apply to, if you want to spend your first year away or if you want to rank another campus in your application.

If you are planning to apply to an artistic program at NYU, starting early will be beneficial to you. Artistic programs through Tisch and Steinhardt require a separate portfolio and maybe even an audition. Typically, we recommend that applicants to these programs apply a month before the actual deadline to allow time to complete additional requirements. Starting early will give you a head start in the process. You can read more about the artistic process here.

It’s definitely beneficial for you to start your common application early, plus, it gives you the added bonus of enjoying a stress-free Winter Break! Give yourself a head start!