A Way to View Past Common App Applications: Unlocking Your College Application History (and Maybe a Few Laughs)
Ah, the Common App. The digital gateway to higher education, the breeding ground for existential crises, and the source of many a sleepless night. It’s a love-hate relationship, isn’t it? But even after you’ve submitted your application, graduated high school, and maybe even graduated college (congratulations!), you might find yourself wondering: “Can I see my old Common App applications?”
The answer, my friend, is a resounding yes, but with a few caveats.
Think of it like this: You’re cleaning out your attic and stumble across a dusty box filled with old love letters, embarrassing yearbook photos, and maybe even a few crumpled-up college application essays. The Common App is like that attic, but instead of dusty boxes, you’ve got a digital treasure trove of your college application history.
Here’s how to take a trip down memory lane (and maybe cringe a little):
- Log in to Your Common App Account: You’ll need to first navigate to the Common App website, and log in with your trusty username and password. Remember those? If you’ve forgotten, don’t worry, the Common App probably has a “Forgot Password” option somewhere.
- Navigate to the Dashboard: It’s time to find your dashboard, the digital hub of your Common App journey. This is where you can check the status of your applications, see which colleges you’ve applied to, and even access previous applications.
- Locate Your Past Applications: Take a deep breath and brace yourself for a trip down memory lane. You’ll likely find a section dedicated to your previous applications. This is where the magic happens.
- Download Your PDF: The Common App allows you to download a PDF copy of your previous application. This PDF includes all your responses to the main Common App questions, as well as any college-specific questions. If you’re feeling nostalgic, you can relive the glory (or the cringe) of your college application essays.
What You’ll Find (and Maybe Want to Forget):
- Those Essays: You’ll find those essays you toiled over for weeks (or maybe just a few hours in a caffeine-fueled frenzy). You might find your writing style has evolved, or maybe you’re just relieved you didn’t write about your “passion for pizza.”
- Your Activities: Remember that time you spent hours listing every club you joined, even if you only attended one meeting? It’ll all be there, in glorious, detail-filled glory.
- Your Letter of Recommendation Requests: Oh, the memories. You’ll see those awkward emails you sent to teachers begging them to write you a glowing recommendation. Hopefully, they did!
The Common App: A Digital Time Capsule of Your College Dreams (and Nightmares):
The Common App holds onto your personal information for a while. Why? They say it’s for “legitimate reasons,” like research, longitudinal studies, or just plain old business purposes. In other words, they’re probably analyzing your application to see how their system can be improved. So, your application is contributing to the future of college admissions! Or maybe they’re just trying to figure out the best way to capitalize on your data. Who knows?
What About FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is like the guardian angel of your college application information. It gives you the right to view your own information, including your college admissions file. But here’s the catch: You can choose to waive your FERPA rights or leave it blank. If you waive your rights, colleges can share your information with others. So, think carefully before you waive those rights.
The Common App: A Reset Every Year?
Yes, the Common App has a yearly reset, usually around August 1st. This is to prepare for the new admissions cycle. So, if you’re applying for the following fall semester, you’ll need to wait until after the reset to start your official application.
The Common App: Not a Magical Acceptance Machine
Remember, the Common App is just a tool. It’s a way to get your application into the hands of colleges. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll get accepted. That’s up to the individual colleges. So, don’t blame the Common App if you get rejected. Blame your bad essay or those questionable extracurricular activities.
A Final Word of Advice
If you’re feeling nostalgic, or just curious about your past college application journey, go ahead and take a trip down memory lane with your Common App account. You might be surprised by what you find (and maybe even want to delete it all).
But remember: The Common App is a tool, not a magic spell. It doesn’t guarantee acceptance, but it can help you get your application into the right hands. And who knows, maybe one day you’ll look back on your application and actually be proud of the person you were.
Need more help with your Common App journey? If you need help with your applications, have questions, or need some advice on how to navigate the college application process, feel free to connect with the JobLoving community. We’re always here to help you through this crazy, chaotic, yet exciting journey!