Common App Section by Section - Profile
A step-by-step guide to completing the Profile section of the Common App with confidence.
Profile
After you’ve finished creating your Common App account, the first step towards completing college apps is filling in the demographic information in your profile.
What you really need to know about the ‘Profile’ section of the Common App:
Always answer to the best of your ability, meaning: truthfully
This isn’t the tricky part of the app :). It should only take a few minutes to complete.
Personal Information
Add your name and date of birth. If you go by a nickname, it’s fine to include it here.
Address
This is wherever you receive post office mail. As you get further along in the application process, colleges may wish to reach you by post (vs email or text). For example, many acceptance notices (you want to receive these!) are still sent via standard mail.
If you move during the school year - you can always come back and update your info. Or, if you’re further along in the application process when you move, you can just let the college or university know by notifying them directly at that time.
Contact Details
I would suggest using your mobile phone, where you can easily receive text messages.
Demographics
You will see options for gender and identity - answer with what is right for you at this time.
You’ll also see questions about race and ethnicity. Since the recent Supreme Court decision regarding race conscious admissions, this information will NOT be used by colleges as part of admission criteria. But, the info is still sent to colleges in most cases. It is used by the Common App and universities for reporting and data research purposes (example).
Military veterans, make sure you indicate your veteran status here.
Language
This information is used for communication preferences (e.g. when you receive an email, it will be in this language) and for data reporting and analysis purposes. This is not the place where you need to enter information about a language other than English that you studied in high school.
Geography and Nationality
For some students, there can be a question about how to report their current immigration status. You can and should be honest. There is room across the questionnaire to reflect even complex scenarios such as dual citizenship, DACA (dreamers), and/or refugees. International students should also signal their citizenship accurately.
If you have questions related to your specific situation, I’d recommend chatting with your school counsellor. Another good, free resource on the web for this topic - https://thehiddendream.org/resources-page/.
Common App Fee Waiver
Most colleges and universities charge a fee - typically around fifty to seventy-five dollars - for you to apply. This helps them cover the cost, amongst other things, of staff to sort through thousands of applications. But, colleges also don’t want the fee to stand in the way of your application.
If you meet the waiver criteria, do apply for it.
Having a fee waiver WILL NOT negatively impact your admissions chances - colleges want you to take advantage of this benefit and apply. The most important thing to them is that they receive your completed app.
More information on fee waivers can be found in this Common App FAQ.