Common App Rollover: What Information Carries Over Each Year?
When the Common App rolls over for the new application cycle each August 1, most responses in the My Common Application section remain in your account. This includes information from sections such as Profile, Family, Education, Testing, Activities, and Writing. Your personal essay also carries over. You can choose which colleges from your previous My Colleges list to keep, but college-specific questions, supplemental essay responses, FERPA authorization, and recommender invitations do not carry over. Reviewing what is saved and what must be completed again can help you prepare for the new application cycle. The sections below explain exactly what stays, what disappears, and what you should do before and after the rollover so you can avoid losing important work and start the new application cycle prepared.
Key Takeaways
Your Common App account, username, password, and most responses in My Common Application carry over to the new application cycle.
Information from sections such as Profile, Family, Education, Testing, Activities, and Writing is generally saved from year to year.
Your personal essay and activities list carry over, but you should review and update them before submitting new applications.
You can choose which colleges from your previous My Colleges list to keep during the rollover process.
College-specific questions, supplemental essay responses, FERPA authorization, and recommender invitations do not carry over and must be completed again.
Review every section after the rollover because Common App questions and college requirements may change between application cycles.
Common App Rollover at a Glance
| Common App Information | Does It Carry Over? | What You Should Do |
|---|---|---|
| Account, username, and password | Yes | Use the same login information after August 1. |
| Most My Common Application responses | Yes | Review every section because questions and answer choices may change. |
| Personal essay | Yes | Confirm that it still answers a current prompt and reflects your strongest story. |
| Activities section | Yes | Update roles, dates, hours, descriptions, and recent accomplishments. |
| Additional Information response | Generally | Review the response because questions or word limits may change. |
| My Colleges list | You choose | Select which colleges from your previous list you want to keep. |
| College-specific questions | No | Save useful responses before the current application cycle closes. |
| Supplemental essay responses | No | Keep external copies and review each college's current prompts. |
| FERPA release authorization | No | Complete the authorization again during the new application cycle. |
| Recommender invitations and assignments | No | Save recommender names and email addresses, then add them again after rollover. |
What Actually Happens to Your Common App on August 1?
Every year on August 1, the Common App refreshes for the new application cycle. Your account remains active, and most of the information in My Common Application carries over, so you do not have to start from scratch. Your college list also carries over, but college-specific questions, supplemental essay responses, FERPA authorization, and recommender invitations must be completed again. Because these cycle-specific details can change or disappear during the rollover, save any important college-specific writing and recommender information before the current application closes.
Your recommender invitations do not carry over to the new application cycle, so any counselors, teachers, or other recommenders you previously invited will need to be added again. Save their names and email addresses outside Common App before the rollover so you can easily re-enter the information when the new cycle opens. You will also need to complete the FERPA authorization again before managing your recommenders.
What Common App Information Carries Over After Rollover?
When the August 1 rollover arrives, much of your Common App information remains in your account automatically. Your username and password stay the same, and most answers in My Common Application carry over to the new cycle. This generally includes information from the Profile section, such as your personal details and contact information. Even so, review every saved response after the rollover because Common App may revise questions or answer choices from one application cycle to the next.
Your Family and Education sections also carry over, along with most information in Testing, Activities, and Writing. Your personal essay and Additional Information response remain saved, giving you a useful starting point for the new application cycle. Even when information carries over, review every section carefully. Update senior-year courses, new test scores, activity details, dates, hours, honors, and any personal information that has changed. Common App may also revise or remove questions between application cycles, so do not assume every saved response is still complete or current.
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What Gets Deleted and Must Be Re-entered After August 1?
While knowing what carries over saves you time, knowing what does not can prevent unpleasant surprises. The August 1 rollover does not erase your entire My Colleges tab, but several cycle-specific items must be completed again. This includes college-specific questions, supplemental essay responses, FERPA authorization, and recommender invitations.
Your responses to college-specific questions and supplemental essays do not carry over because colleges may update their requirements from one application cycle to the next. Save any useful drafts outside Common App before the annual rollover so you do not lose work you may want to revise or reuse. Your My Colleges list is different. During the rollover process, you can choose which colleges from your previous list to keep for the new application cycle.
You will also need to complete the FERPA release authorization again after the rollover. This step does not carry over from the previous application cycle and must be completed before you can invite or assign recommenders. Once the new cycle opens, review your FERPA selection carefully before submitting it.
How to Save College-Specific Responses Before August 1
Unlike most information in My Common Application, college-specific questions and supplemental essay responses do not carry over to the new application cycle. Any writing you entered for individual colleges may disappear during the rollover, so save copies before the current cycle closes. Keeping your drafts in a separate document also makes it easier to review, revise, and reuse relevant ideas if a college keeps a similar prompt.
Before late July, copy each college-specific response into a document stored in Google Drive or another secure location. Organize your drafts by college and prompt so you can find them easily after the rollover. Save recommender names and email addresses in a separate file because invitations and assignments do not carry over. You will also need to complete the FERPA authorization again before inviting or assigning recommenders in the new cycle.
Do not wait until the final days of July to save your work. Common App announces the exact system-refresh schedule each year, and access to the current application may close before the new cycle opens on August 1. Saving your responses early gives you time to organize your drafts, review what may still be useful, and avoid losing college-specific writing you may want to revise for the new application cycle.
The Common App Pre-Rollover Checklist Before August 1
Before August 1 arrives, use this checklist to protect any work that may not carry over and make the next application cycle easier to start.
Save copies of all college-specific questions and supplemental essay responses outside Common App.
Record recommender names and email addresses in a separate document.
Back up your personal essay, activities list, and Additional Information response even though they generally carry over.
Review your My Colleges list and decide which schools you may want to keep after the rollover.
Check Common App’s official announcements for the current cycle’s system-refresh schedule.
Avoid spending time finalizing college-specific responses before the rollover because prompts and requirements may change for the new application cycle.
Which Sections to Update First After the Rollover
Once the new application cycle opens, review your Common App information before adding colleges or completing new supplements. Even though much of your information carries over, some details may be outdated or incomplete.
Start with your Profile section and confirm that your email address, phone number, home address, and other contact information are current. Next, review your Family and Education sections, including your school information, senior-year courses, grades, and academic details.
Then check your Testing, Activities, and Writing sections. Add new test scores, update activity roles and hours, include recent honors, and make sure your personal essay still reflects your strongest story. Review your Additional Information response as well and remove anything that is no longer relevant.
After confirming that your general application information is accurate, review your My Colleges list, complete the new FERPA authorization, and begin working on current college-specific questions and supplemental essays.
How to Roll Over Your Common App Account After August 1
After the new application cycle opens, log in using the same Common App username and password from your existing account. You do not need to create a new account. If you have forgotten your login information, use the account recovery options on the sign-in page.
Once you log in, Common App will guide you through the rollover process. Review the information that carried over, complete any required introductory questions, and choose which colleges from your previous My Colleges list you want to keep. After the rollover is complete, check each section carefully before continuing with your new applications.
There is no need to complete the rollover immediately on August 1, but starting early gives you more time to review your information, update your application, and begin working on current college-specific requirements.
Prepare for the Next Common App Cycle
Understanding the Common App rollover can help you protect important work and prepare for the new application cycle with fewer surprises. Most information in My Common Application carries over, including your personal details, activities, and personal essay. However, college-specific questions, supplemental essay responses, FERPA authorization, and recommender invitations must be completed again.
Before the current cycle closes, save copies of any college-specific writing and record your recommender information outside Common App. After the rollover, review every section carefully, update anything that has changed, and confirm that your application information is complete before submitting to colleges.
Common App Rollover Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Common App essay carry over?
Yes. Your personal essay generally carries over to the new application cycle with the rest of your My Common Application information. Review it after the rollover to make sure it still answers a current prompt and reflects your strongest story.
Does the Common App Activities section carry over?
Yes. Information in your Activities section generally carries over. Update activity descriptions, leadership roles, dates, hours, and any new accomplishments before submitting applications for the new cycle.
Does the Common App college list carry over?
Yes. During the rollover process, you can choose which colleges from your previous My Colleges list you want to keep. However, college-specific questions and supplemental essay responses do not carry over.
Do Common App supplemental essays carry over?
No. College-specific questions and supplemental essay responses do not carry over because colleges may change their prompts and requirements each year. Save copies of your work outside Common App before the current application cycle closes.
Do Common App recommendation requests carry over?
No. Recommender invitations and assignments do not carry over to the new application cycle. Save recommender names and email addresses so you can add them again after completing the new FERPA authorization.
Can you start the Common App before August 1?
Yes. You can create a Common App account and begin completing many sections before August 1. Information in My Common Application generally carries over, but wait until the new cycle opens before completing college-specific questions and supplemental essays.
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