July 21, 2026
The Common App opens for the Class of 2027 on August 1, 2026.
But first, Common App will go offline on July 28 at 5 p.m. to update for the Class of 2027. Although it is tempting to start filling in the Common App early; we recommend that our students wait. In the update, Common App will not save the following.
It is best to wait until after August 1 to start entering information into the application. At Class 101-Dayton, our seniors will celebrate Senior Week beginning on August 4 when they launch their Common Apps with our college planners standing by to answer questions.
Although the application is still unique to each school, the Common App platform offers a single place to organize, complete, and submit applications. Perhaps more importantly, Common App integrates with the counseling platforms of many high schools, including SchooLinks, Naviance, Parchment, and Scoir. These tools help students request transcripts and letters of recommendation to be sent from their high school. Common App also connects with Slideroom, the online portal used by many colleges to collect art portfolios from applicants.
In February, Common App announced that the essay prompts for the 2026-2027 application season will remain the same as in previous years. There are seven prompts. At Class 101-Dayton, we turn our focus away from the prompts and toward the student, encouraging students to share their unique voice. For that reason, we only look at prompt #7 as our students begin their essays.
Common App Personal Statement Prompt #7
Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
Students can spend too much time debating if prompt #2 or #5 is more compelling or worrying about keeping the first draft to 650 words. Prompts and word counts can stifle writing. A first draft should be messy; rewriting is an essential part of crafting the personal statement. So is listening to feedback from readers who want to help you: family, teachers, friends, or mentors.
Yes, there’s more. There are two additional, optional supplementary questions. The “community disruptions” prompt was launched during the pandemic; it now asks students about “challenges and circumstances.” There is also a place for “Additional Information” where students may add information about activities or interests or provide contextual information about their performance in school or extra-curricular and community activities.
In a specific college application, students might be asked to explain their interest in a major or their reasons for applying to that college. Students should start notes this summer to help them craft personal answers. Supplemental essays continue to be important to colleges including University of Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, Purdue University, the Ivies, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and many more.
On the other hand, some colleges have dropped their supplemental essays. This includes Washington University-St. Louis, Tulane University, University of Georgia, and UNC-Chapel Hill among others. Reducing supplemental essays could increase the overall number of applications, driving acceptance rates lower. Reading between the lines, students should expect that their Common App personal statement is more important than ever.
There is more to do before jumping into opening the Common App. Summer is a great time for rising seniors to visit colleges, research majors, draft essays, and polish the resume. These important tasks create the best foundation for a successful application when you open your Common App after August 1. Good Luck!
Common App First Year Toolkit: https://www.commonapp.org/apply/fy-toolkit
Common App Resources: https://www.commonapp.org/apply/student-guides-and-resources
AXS Companion. https://pressbooks.pub/theaxscompanion/ The AXS Companion is a free, online resource to help students navigate the Common App. The AXS Companion was designed by professional IECA member educational consultants to be used side-by-side with Common App as students work through their college application.
August 21, 2025
EA, ED, REA, RD, Binding, Nonbinding, Rolling…. College application deadlines are confusing. Is there a difference between Early Action and Early Decision? What does it mean to apply before the Regular Decision deadline? What is meant by Binding or Rolling Admissions? How does when I apply affect my application? Different deadlines make sense for different […]
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