College Application Process

Types of Applications

• The Coalition Application for Access, Affordability, and Success for 113 institutions was developed to improve the college application process for all students as they search for and apply to their perfect college.

• The Common Application (CA) Use one application for 700 institutions across the country  (and the world).

• Common Black Application (CBA) Created to aid lower-income families in getting into college, the Historically  Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Common App allows students to apply to half of the nation's historically black schools with a single application fee.

*Check for University Specific Applications

Create the following accounts:

• Federal Student Aid ID- Make for Parent AND Student (FSA ID)

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

• Maryland College and Processing System- Money for Maryland Colleges (MD CAPS)

Videos:

How to Make your Common App Stand out

General College Information

• College Search Engines - Choosing the Right Fit

Naviance Supermatch

Big Future

College Vine

College Raptor

Collegexpress

College Navigator

College Search Quiz by Niche.com 

• College Planning Timelines

9th - 12th Grade College Planning Timeline- My Future

9th Grade Checklist   -  Spanish

10th Grade Checklist   - Spanish

11th Grade Checklist   -  Spanish

12th Grade Checklist    -   Spanish

• Helpful College Lists

Maryland's Academic Common Market (In-State Tuition for Select Out-of-State Programs not offered at a Maryland institution.)

List of Maryland Colleges and Universities

Colleges: SAT/ACT Optional

Colleges with strong learning support services for students who have disabilities

4-Year Colleges that Respect the B/C Student

• Useful College Admission Tips

College Admission Terms you should know

8 Tips for Crafting Your Best College Essay

26 Review Factors of UMD 

Common App Ready Toolkit 

Common App Essay Prompts for 24-25

Choosing a Major

Personal Statement & College Essay Examples

Writing The Personal Statement-  Also see Examples, Advice from Admission Officers, and Top 10 Rules and Pitfalls.  

How to write a High School Resume for College Admissions

Resources from Organizations

2025-2026 Common App Essay Prompts

Most students will complete the Common App and one of these essays. As you begin to brainstorm possible topics, consider these prompts as a starting point.

Breaking Down All 7 Common App Essay Prompts

Watch the video to hear about each essay prompt from Common App.

Coalition for College – How to Write – And Not Write – A College Essay

This short article explains some dos and don’ts.

BigFuture - How to Write a College Application Essay

This short article provides six quick tips for writing. 

Resources from Colleges and Universities

The Art of the Admission Essay – Howard University

This article from the admissions blog at Howard University explains what admissions officers want to see in your college essay.

Essays That Worked: Johns Hopkins University

This page includes six essays from students who were admitted to JHU, along with comments from the admissions committee that explain why each essay is strong. 

Other Resources

College Essay Guy – How to Write a Personal Statement

You can read or watch a video, and sample essays are included. Please use the free resources. There’s plenty of helpful content that doesn’t require you to pay.