How should I discuss college with my child?
Whether your child will be the first person in your family to go to college or your child comes from a long line of college graduates, there are two truths about the application process that cause apprehension for families. First, with its many moving but interconnected parts, applying to college is complex. Second, even though senior year is a fixed point, every student advances towards it at his or her own pace.
If you sense that your child is reluctant to talk about college, try to discover why. It might be that your child does not fully understand what college is or what opportunities it might offer.
- Our Why Go To College page can help explain the value of a college education – and so can an array of other advocates like your school counselors, teachers, principals, coaches, community mentors, and college admission and financial aid officers.

Why should my child use the Common Application?
With more than 700 member colleges and only one application, The Common Application is comprised of a rich and diverse membership – colleges that are public, private, large, small, secular, and religious. No other college application system matches the diversity of institutions accessible through The Common Application, which is why more than 1 million students, counselors and teachers rely on us every year.
How does The Common Application work? Colleges request a large amount of information from applicants, and we simplify the process by collecting much of that information all in one place. This prevents students from repeating the details of their background, education, activities, and testing over and over again, for every school on their list. It also enables students to stay on top of deadlines and manage school-specific tasks – without leaving our system.
- For more information about the application itself, visit our How To Apply page.

