How Long Has the Common App Been Around? A Trip Down Memory Lane (Or Should We Say, Paper Lane)
Ah, the Common App. The dreaded, yet somehow strangely comforting, online portal that holds the key to your future (or at least your next four years of life). It’s the digital bridge between your dreams of a fancy diploma and the reality of endless essays and standardized test scores. But have you ever wondered how long this application behemoth has been around?
Well, hold onto your pencils, because the Common App’s history is actually longer than you might think.
It all started in 1975, a time when bell bottoms were in fashion, disco balls were the life of the party, and the thought of applying to college online was about as likely as finding a unicorn in your backyard. A group of visionary college admissions officers, tired of wading through mountains of paper applications, decided to do something radical: create a standardized application form.
They called it, wait for it… the Common Application.
Think of it as the original “Netflix and chill” of the college application world. Instead of binge-watching shows, students could binge-apply to multiple colleges without having to fill out a unique application for each one. It was a game-changer, even if it involved a lot of paper and snail mail.
The Common App was a slow burn at first. It started with a small group of 15 colleges, mostly selective liberal arts schools. But word spread like wildfire, and by 1980, the Common App had garnered over 100 member institutions.
Fast forward to 1994, and the Common App hit the big time. Harvard University, the epitome of Ivy League prestige, joined the ranks.
Can you imagine the collective gasp of college applicants everywhere? It was like the Beatles breaking up, the Berlin Wall falling, and the invention of the internet all rolled into one.
The Common App was finally cool.
But the online world was calling, and in 1998, the Common App took its first tentative steps into the digital realm. They introduced their first online application, slowly easing the burden of paper. Then, in 2000, the Common App did something truly revolutionary: they became a non-profit organization.
This was a big deal, folks. It meant that the Common App was no longer focused solely on profit, but on making the college application process more accessible and affordable for everyone.
The transition from paper to online was a gradual process. The Common App continued to refine its online platform, making it more user-friendly and efficient.
Finally, in 2013, they said goodbye to paper applications for good. It was a bittersweet moment, like saying goodbye to your childhood teddy bear.
But the digital age brought its own set of challenges. The Common App website was suddenly burdened with a massive influx of applications, leading to crashes, glitches, and general mayhem. Think of it like a traffic jam on the information superhighway.
Essays vanished into the digital ether, application fees were charged multiple times, and students were left frantically refreshing their browser screens, praying their applications wouldn’t disappear into the digital void.
It was a mess, but hey, it’s the price you pay for progress.
Today, the Common App continues to evolve, adding new features and functionalities, and trying to make the college application process as smooth as possible. It’s still the most popular college application platform in the country, used by over 900 institutions.
So, the next time you’re staring at the Common App screen, feeling overwhelmed by essays and supplemental materials, remember that you’re part of a long legacy.
You’re following in the footsteps of countless students who have navigated the treacherous waters of the college application process, using the same tool that has been connecting students with their dream schools for over 40 years.
And who knows? Maybe someday you’ll be the one crafting the next groundbreaking feature on the Common App.
Think of it as your legacy.
But until then, keep on applying.
And if you need any further help, advice, or just a good laugh about the Common App, feel free to connect with us at JobLoving. We’re here to help you navigate the tumultuous waters of college applications and beyond.