Hi, Reader!

Some of you may be getting ready to submit applications soon — remember that you have until 11:59 p.m. local time on the deadline day to submit them. (But don’t wait until the last minute! The Common App becomes notoriously glitchy as we get closer to midnight.)

I know I’ve shared them before, but in case you need any last-minute help with your Common App application, here are two resources I find helpful:

• ​AXS Companion — Open Resource. Anyone can use or share this free resource. No login or account is required, and no student data is collected or used. The AXS Companion includes about 50 modules, so students can use it for end-to-end assistance, or to help with any sections that are confusing to students.
• ​How To Fill Out The Common Application In 2025 — COMPLETE WALKTHROUGH | College Essay Guy (39-minute video)

And before you click Submit, I highly recommend you print out a PDF copy of your application and read through it one last time before you submit to check for any content or formatting errors. Here’s how you do that:

1. Log in to the Common App and Select the School Application to Preview.
​Log in to your Common App dashboard and locate your list of schools. Click on the specific school to which you’re preparing to submit your application.

2. Confirm Application Completion
​Before you can generate a PDF, double-check that the application is fully complete. Look for green checkmarks next to each section, indicating all sections are finished.

3. Generate the PDF
​Click on Review and Submit to generate a PDF version of your application. Note: Don't worry! You can't accidentally submit your application by doing this. You have to preview before you can submit, and submitting will require credit card details.

4. Download Your PDF
​Click the download icon in the top right corner of the preview window that displays to save your document as a PDF. (Or click the printer icon to print your application.) This step allows you to review your application before the final submission.

5. Remember Final Submission Steps
​Keep in mind that generating and downloading the PDF does not complete your application submission. You’ll still need to take additional steps, including submitting payment, to officially submit the application to the school.

A few other Common App tips from me …

• As you’re calculating your hours spent on activities, a rough, reasonable average is fine. Schools know that participation amounts can vary greatly depending on the time of the year and the needs of the activity.
• You’ll notice when you paste in your essay, it generally goes in with bold formatting. Just highlight it all and unbold it. Also make sure the spacing between essays looks right.
• You don’t need a title for your essay!

Happy Writing!

Julia

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