I am in the process of completing my Common App application and have encountered a question regarding the “Start Year” selection. Since I am applying during the 2025–2026 application cycle and intend to begin my studies in the fall of 2026, should I select “2026” as my intended start year? Alternatively, if I were to be accepted in early 2026, would that affect my start year selection?

I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to inform you about an important detail related to my university application through the Common App platform. In Algeria, I studied my first year of secondary school at one high school, and then transferred to another school for my second year. Additionally, I have transcripts starting from Grade 9, which in our system corresponds to the last year of middle school. When I collect all my transcripts from Grade 9 through my current studies, I have a total of 9 separate documents. However, the Common App allows the conselor to upload a maximum of 4 transcripts and assign only one counselor. Could you please advise me on the best way to organize and submit my academic records in this case? Also, I would like to know: Is the conselor allowed to upload only the transcripts from our current school, or is it possible for him to upload all of my transcripts, including those from my previous school, if I provide them to him? Thank you very much .

@Ivy Wizard please should the counselor submit all the recommendations through school email or his personal email.

Hey Class of 2026! I’m sharing my journey through college apps, daily thoughts, and life moments. Would love to connect , https://www.instagram.com/clas_2026?igsh=MTFncnl3bmdvbXcxeA%3D%3D&utm_source=qrfeel free to follow me!

You’ve probably heard Early Action and Early Decision offer better odds. That’s true—but the why is often misunderstood. Here’s what really drives early boosts: ✅ Why Early Acceptance Rates Are Higher 📈 Yield Protection*: Colleges want students who will enroll. Applying early signals commitment, boosting a school’s yield—the % of admitted students who attend. Yield affects rankings. 🧠 Strategic Planning: Officers want to lock in strong students early. If they find great fits in the first round, they don’t need to gamble later. 🎯 Stronger Pool: Early applicants often include athletes, legacies, and highly-aligned students—so the pool tends to be stronger and more prepared. That’s why early acceptance rates can be 2–3x higher than Regular Decision at some schools. But not all early rounds work the same. _____ 📌 Types of Early Applications Early Decision (ED) – Binding → Often significantly higher acceptance rates (known as the "ED Boost"), but you must attend if accepted. Apply October/November, results in December. ✅ Best for a top-choice Reach where you're realistically competitive ⚠️ Risky if unsure—it locks you in Early Decision II (ED II) – Binding → Same as ED I, but with later deadlines (typically January, results in February). ✅ Great second chance if ED I didn’t work out ⚠️ Still binding—must commit Early Action (EA) – Non-Binding → Apply November, results by December. ✅ Low-risk way to apply early and get results in December ⚠️ Not the same boost as ED, often only slightly higher than RD Restrictive Early Action (REA) – Non-Binding but Limiting → Apply November, hear back by December. One private school only. ✅ Ideal for one clear first-choice private school. Not the ED boost, but higher than RD ❌ Can’t apply early to other private schools but CAN apply early to public schools Regular Decision (RD) – Non-Binding → Apply by January/February. Results in March/April. This is when most students apply. ✅ Extra time to polish materials ⚠️ Most competitive round—after many spots are taken