Common App 2022: Everything you Need to Know

The Common Application for the Class of 2022 is almost live! In just 14 hours, students can log into their updated accounts and get a sense of all that’s changed as well as all that hasn’t. Though the Common Application has historically launched for each rising senior class on August 1, we at Lotus recommend that juniors begin setting up their common app accounts during the spring of their junior year.

Below, we have included information about what student should expect to see on the updated common app.

Lotus Pro-Tip! Some of these changes seem small in nature, but every piece of information that is on the common app is included for a reason! Often the Profile, Family, and Education sections of the common app are some of the first things that admissions officers see!

Changes to the 2021-2022 Common App:

1) The question on religious affiliation will be dropped from the Common App. Some colleges may choose to add this back into their supplemental applications.

2) The geography and citizenship questions will be edited. There will be new options for undocumented and DACA students.

3) The military discharge question will no longer be asked.

4) The sex/gender question will be changed to use more inclusive language.

5) The question about student discipline will be removed.

6) Parent information like birth country, occupation, and employment status will either be dropped or become optional.

7) The old common app essay prompt about problem solving will be replaced with a prompt about gratitude.