The New Common Application (CA4) Is Easier to Use and Lets Students Provide More Info

The Common Application, an application used by many colleges across the country, has recently been updated and students will see the changes this August. The application makes it possible for students to apply to nearly 500 different undergraduate schools by filling out just one application.

The new application, called the CA4, will be the fourth generation application and is the result of two years of research and an $8 million development process.

This past week, CA4 became available for college counselors and independent educational consultants to preview.

What’s in the New Application?

Many of the new features on the application were suggested by past applicants, school counselors, independent educational consultants, and colleges. The changes are meant to make it easier for applicants to apply for college and for colleges to receive the information they need in order to make sound acceptance decisions.

Applications Accepted Online Only with an Enhanced Question Format

The new Common Application will only be available online. Paper copies will not longer be available.  The format of the online questions is updated and students will be given a few questions at a time and will only be asked questions that specifically apply to them as an individual.

The new format will include onscreen support and progress checks, making the application process easier. Students will also be able to find school codes more easily through an updated system.

 The Ability to Provide More Information

Students will now be able to add more information about citizenship, languages, schools, colleges, siblings, stepparents and parent and guardian degrees. This added information will help colleges better understand applicants.

 Changes to the Arts Supplement

The Arts Supplement portion of the application will be replaced by a new Slideroom.com system for some students. Some applicants will be able to use their own art forms when necessary.

 Discontinuation of the Athletic Supplement

The Athletic Supplement will no longer be part of the Common Application. Students will now provide information about athletic participation in the main portion of the application. College admissions offices will be able to forward athletic information from applications on to coaches.

 The Ability to Revise an Application

Students can now revise their online application an unlimited number of times, instead of just 10 times. This allows for corrections and revisions that may be needed for applying to different schools.

In the new application, students will be allowed to make changes to their essays three times.

 New Essay Prompts

One of the biggest changes to the new Common Application is the addition of new essay prompts. The new prompts will be reviewed each year and may be revised as needed. The new application will not include a prompt that lets students choose their own topic.

 Changes to the Payment Options

With the new application, students will no longer be able pay the application fee with a check. All fees will be paid online at the time the application is submitted.

The new Common Application includes many advanced features that will make the college application process more streamlined for students. The new application is based on research and suggestions from colleges, so it better reflects college admission requirements. Students will be required to use the new form starting August 1, 2013, when it becomes available.