The Common Application is a single online application form used by over 1,000 colleges and universitiesLinks to an external site. around the nation. Common App institutions are varied in terms of the "type", as they include private, public, large, small, liberal arts schools, etc. Having one application form prevents students from filling out the same standard information - like address, GPA, and extracurricular activities - over and over again. The Common App typically opens, or goes live, each year on August 1 and also has a dashboard that allows students and families to track their necessary application documents - like letters of recommendation - and important deadlines. When educators - typically teachers and school counselors - are asked to serve as a recommender for a student completing a Common App, they will also gain access to a dashboard that tracks all the students they are supporting within the Common App, as well as the important deadlines to keep in mind.

With the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, colleges and universities have questioned how AI will impact the higher educational landscape. One area of concern is how generative AI will impact college applications. Interestingly enough, the counselors reading and reviewing these applications are often gravitating to AI, as well.