A counselor will use the Common App recommender system to submit school forms, upload transcripts, and track student application progress. Counselors who use a Common App integration partner will submit forms through the partner. A student can invite one person as their counselor.

A teacher supports a student by submitting an academic evaluation on their behalf. Students must invite and assign teachers to individual colleges on their list. Not all colleges require a teacher letter of recommendation.

Some students may choose to invite someone other than a counselor or teacher to submit a written evaluation on their behalf. Some examples of other recommenders are coaches, employers, and college access advisors. Not all colleges accept letters of recommendation from other recommenders.

An advisor is anyone assisting a student with their application. Some examples include mentors, college access advisors, family members, and independent educational consultants. Counselors who use one of Common App’s integration partners to submit school forms can also use the advisor role to gain additional insight into their student’s application completion. Students can invite up to 3 advisors to review their in-progress application and track their progress using the Common App recommender system. No forms are submitted while using the advisor role. Colleges do not receive any information about advisors.