With early action deadlines approaching in under two weeks, it’s extremely important to triple check for mistakes on your Common App. Follow this checklist to ensure your application is perfect for any admissions officer!

1. Check for Consistency

Ensure all information, especially activity durations and commitments, is consistent across the application. Verify the format for each activity description and title uses the same punctuation style.

2. Confirm Recommendations

Verify that your recommenders have submitted or are on track to submit their letters. You can resend their email from Common App to log in using the refresh button.

3. Submit Test Scores

Decide if you can self-report or need to submit standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, TOEFL) for your schools. It can take multiple weeks for colleges to receive official scores, so you should request them as soon as possible if your school requires it.

4. Submit Transcript(s)

Nearly every school requires an official transcript for application review. Your high school counselor might send it, or you might use a service like Parchment, Naviance, etc. Make sure to order your transcripts ahead of the materials deadline to ensure timely delivery. Depending on the school, you might also need to send a college transcript if you’ve taken dual enrollment courses during high school.

5. Finish Portfolios (if required)

Depending on the college and major, you might need to submit a portfolio with your application. Ensure you’ve selected the correct major on Common App and are on track to submit your portfolio. You might need to create an account on SlideRoom to upload this.

6. Financial Aid

The CSS profile is currently open. To qualify for the maximum amount of financial aid, complete the form as soon as possible. Additionally, in December, the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will open. This application is crucial for all students, regardless of income, who want to be considered for federal, state, and school financial aid programs.

7. In-State Tuition

Depending on the college you’re applying to, you might need additional documents to qualify for in-state tuition. This may include driver’s licenses, tax forms, home ownership records, etc.

8. Review Essays

This is possibly the most important part of your application. Carefully read your essays, ensuring they are free of typos and fully respond to the prompts. Sometimes, when pasting from sites like Google Docs, Common App messes up formatting. Unbold your essay, ensure spacing is accurate, and review the preview to make sure special characters like dashes haven’t been incorrectly pasted.

Before finalizing your essays, use Esslo to quickly improve your essays with line-by-line feedback, suggestions, scoring, and more!