Changes to the Common App for the 2022-2023 School Year

The Common App for the 2022-2023 application cycle opened up on August 1, 2022 and is available for students to start right now. Common App has reported that this year’s essay prompts will remain the same as last year.

For 2022, the Common App is introducing two updates to the application. These changes are part of an effort to create a more inclusive application and build on some of last year's updates.

Changes to the Common App in 2022

1. Sex and gender
2. Common App fee waiver

Sex and Gender

• Addition of gender-neutral prefixes
• Addition of “legal” to “first/given name” followed by option to share the first name that you go by
• Relocation of the gender and pronoun questions

This year the Common App will be adding prefix options that are gender neutral. Following the option for preferred names and choice of pronouns for students, which were added last year, this year’s application will introduce the option to add “Mx.” and “other” for students, counselors, parents, recommenders, teachers, and advisors. Additionally, the addition of the word “legal” before “first/given name” will be added, followed by an option to share a different first name.

The Common App is also moving the the gender and pronoun questions from the “profile” section to “demographics” section, which is where the legal sex question, which was revised last year, is already located.

Common App Fee Waiver

• List of fee waiver eligibility criteria to accompany the question
• Fee waiver eligibility question replaced with a yes/no question
• Addition of an optional extra details box for fee waivers
• Removal of dynamic criteria multiple section question

It is now easier for students to find out if they are eligible for a Common App fee waiver. The fee waiver question is now accompanied by a list of eligibility criteria that students can read through to see if they are likely to qualify for a waiver. In the past, counselors were required to verify a student's eligibility, which created extra work for counselors in schools where a large number of students seek waivers. The counselor verification requirement will be replaced with a yes/no question and optional short answer section for students to provide more details, if needed.

The dynamic criteria multiple section question will also be removed for simplicity.

More information on the changes to the 2022-2023 Common App can be found at commonapp.org.

Learn more about the Common Application and join the CC Community.