College Application Process

Common App

RISD students will primarily use Common App for college applications.

When to begin: Now is the time to begin the Common Application section of the Common App. Give extra effort on the activities and writing sections.

Account roll-over will occur on August 1.  Students are encouraged to wait until after August 1 to add colleges, recommenders, and counselors as this info does not rollover.

• You are applying as a Fall 2027 First-Year Student.  Even if you have earned college credit in high school, you are considered a freshman with college credit. After your first semester of college, the college you are at will reclassify you with the credit you earned in high school at a later date. Applying as a freshman helps you with housing and scholarships. 

• You must use a PERSONAL EMAIL address on your college applications and not the district @g.risd email you have for high school. 

• Verify your LEGAL first and last name with your birth certificate or passport.  Common App must match!

• If you have a Social Security Number please use it. This will help the college match your documents during the application cycle. If you do not have a social security number, you must know your citizenship status and indicate on your application.

• The full name of your high school for college application purposes is: JJ Pearce High School. Make sure you use the search tool in the applications to find your high school and do not type it in. Your PHS School Code is: 445839 

• The Class of 2027 has 558 Students.

• RISD does not RANK students outside of the Top 10%. 

• The RISD GPA scale is 100 Point Weighted

• Seniors Graduate May 2027

• Under each college, you must choose Fall 2027 and an application type.  This is important as it displays this deadline to your counselors and letter of recommendation writers.

  • Early Action - Recommended for admission, housing, and scholarships

  • Regular, Rolling - Recommended if Early Action is not available or you missed the deadline

  • Early Decision - Binding decision, may limit financial assistance

  • Restrictive Early Action - not binding, may limit financial assistance

If you qualify for free and reduced lunch, then you qualify for an application fee waivers at ALL colleges.

• You must  complete a F/R Lunch Application first. Once verified you will be eligible for College Application Waivers. 

• In Common App, go to your Profile and then the Fee Waiver section.

• Answer “Yes” to the fee waiver statement. Enter your signature to certify your request.

• Your Alpha Counselor will approve this request within Common App.

If you took the ACT with a test fee waiver:

• You must either have taken the ACT with a fee waiver or qualify for free and reduced lunch to receive a college application fee waiver.

• You must submit your application to the college first before requesting a college application fee waiver. 

• Colleges can receive waivers by mail, email, or their school portal. 

If you took the SAT with a test fee waiver

• If you took the SAT with a fee waiver you qualify for four application fee waivers. These waivers will be delivered online to you in your College Board account; you will get them at the same time that you get your SAT scores.

• SAT College Application Fee Waiver FAQ

If you do NOT qualify for a fee waiver, search for colleges that have free applications on Common App

• College Search tab of the application and at commonapp.org/explore.

For Assistance with Fee Waivers, please see Mrs. Bennett 

The Household Family Data Form must be completed by parents to verify if you're eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch.

Complete the form every year -  Here

Once verified you will be eligible for College Application Fee Waivers.