About

We’re committed to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process.

 

More than 40 years ago, a small group of colleges and universities got together to reimagine the college application process. One application, 15 forward-thinking institutions. What began as an experiment to simplify the admissions process has evolved into a global college access movement.

Today, The Common Application (Common App) is a non-profit membership organization representing nearly 900 diverse institutions of higher education. We connect applicants and those who support them to a wide array of public and private colleges and universities across all 50 U.S. states, and 20 countries.

Each year, more than one million students — a third of whom are first-generation — apply to college, research financial aid and scholarships, and connect to college counseling resources through Common App. But the path to higher education has changed. While everyone can go to college, not everyone does. In order to help all students reach their goals, we’re dedicated to:

• Lowering the logistical and systemic barriers to college access
• Supporting those who support students
• Serving a diverse group of students and institutions
• Leveraging data and insight to inform our member institutions

We do this by making the application simple, the process logical, and the experience joyful. Together, we’re forging a direct path to higher education for all students.