Common Application Questions We Get Every Year — Answered

Working with students from more than 35 high schools across the country means we field a wide range of Common Application questions every year. The same ones come up reliably, section by section. Here are the answers — organized the way the application is organized.

Profile Section

How do I get a Common Application fee waiver?

If you meet the eligibility requirements, contact your high school guidance counselor. The counselor must confirm your eligibility and assign the fee waiver directly — your application will not be considered complete without the school completing that step. Do not assume the waiver is in place until you have confirmation from your counselor that it has been submitted.

Family Section

Does my parents' education level matter? What if I am not sure?

Do not assume. If you do not know your parents' education status, find out before you complete this section. Schools are genuinely interested in supporting first-generation college students — defined as students whose parents did not complete a four-year college or university degree.

Important: older siblings and other family members do not affect first-generation status. Only the parent's education level counts.

Education Section

What educational experiences go in the Colleges and Universities section?

Any college credit earned directly from a university or through a dual enrollment program belongs here. Also include pre-college summer programs if you attended one — particularly selective programs that required an application.

I am not sure if I have a class rank. Does it matter?

If you have a strong academic record, it is worth finding out. Class rank importance varies by school — some colleges consider it Very Important in their review, and some guarantee admission to the top 10 percent of the graduating class. If your school does not officially calculate rank, ask your guidance counselor whether an unofficial rank is available. This is particularly useful if you are not submitting test scores and need other signals of academic standing.

If your school does not rank students at all, note that in the application — do not leave the field blank.

I have a weighted GPA. Do I report it on a 5.0 scale?

Most likely no. Even if your transcript shows a weighted GPA on a 5.0 scale, the Common Application typically asks you to report on a 4.0 scale. Confirm what scale your transcript uses and report accordingly. If you are applying early action or early decision, report your GPA through junior year only — do not include first-semester senior grades unless specifically asked.

Why do I report current year courses if they are not yet on my transcript?

Exactly because they are not on your transcript. Senior year courses are reported separately so admissions can see the rigor of your current schedule — not just your historical record. Report your senior year courses accurately, and make sure your schedule is academically rigorous. Taking two study halls and an elective senior year is visible to admissions and raises questions. A full academic schedule matters even if you have already met your high school's graduation requirements.

What qualifies as an academic honor? Does being named team MVP count?

The Education Honors section is specifically for academic honors — not athletic or extracurricular awards. National Honor Society is the most commonly listed, but do not stop there.

Check your College Board account for AP Scholar designations — these are awarded automatically based on AP scores and are worth listing. Also check whether you qualify for the College Board National Recognition Program: as of 2025 the program recognizes students in three categories — Rural and Small-Town, First-Generation, and School Recognition — with a minimum 3.3 GPA and strong PSAT performance or AP exam scores. If you received a National Recognition Award, it belongs in this section at the national level.

Note: the 3.5 GPA figure sometimes cited for National Recognition is outdated. The current requirement is 3.3.

Testing Section

Do I need to complete the testing section if I am applying test-optional?

Not necessarily. If you are applying only to test-optional schools, your academic record is stronger than your test scores, and you are not submitting scores, you can leave the testing section blank.

One exception: AP scores. If your AP scores meet a school's minimum threshold for college credit, report those scores even in a test-optional application. Admissions offices are primarily interested in course rigor — the AP score confirms you did not just take the course but mastered the material.

What if I am applying to some test-optional schools and some schools that require scores?

You have two options:

Option 1: Leave the testing section blank and send official scores only to schools that require them, directly through your College Board or ACT account.

Option 2: Complete the testing section, then use the school-specific yes/no toggle to control whether scores are released to each school before you submit each application. Schools that offer test-optional review state they will not consider scores even if reported — but confirm each school's policy before relying on this.

Either way: if a school requires official scores, those must be sent from your College Board or ACT account. Self-reporting does not substitute for official scores at schools that require them.

Should I submit my AP scores if they vary a lot?

We recommend submitting scores of 4 and 5. If a school awards college credit for a score of 3, include that score as well — it demonstrates you earned credit, not just that you took the course.

Do not submit scores of 1 or 2. There is no requirement to report all scores, and low scores add nothing to the application.

How schools use AP scores varies: some review them as part of the academic record; others consider only the course rigor on the transcript and do not weight the score itself. When in doubt, report the strong ones and skip the weak ones.

Courses and Grades Section

Why is a school asking me to manually enter my transcript in the Courses and Grades section?

Schools like Purdue University use the Courses and Grades section so admissions can review academic records without waiting for official transcripts to arrive from every high school. Completing it accurately means your application can be reviewed sooner.

Other schools require a SRAR or SSAR — a Self-Reported Academic Record submitted through a separate system that links to the application. If a school on your list requires this, it must be completed for your application to be considered. Search: which colleges require SRAR or SSAR, for a current list of participating schools.

Either way, report your courses and grades accurately. Discrepancies between self-reported grades and official transcripts can create problems at the verification stage.

Questions about a specific section of your Common Application? Bring it to your next planning session — we work through the application section by section with every student.

College Placement Consulting  ·  Blog Post  ·  July 2026