Applying for college is a long and difficult process for students, teachers, and counselors. To make college applications easier, Xello has teamed up with Common App.
Common App is a program that simplifies the college application process. It saves time and effort by consolidating the tasks and documents into one workflow. Nearly 900 post-secondary institutions use Common App around the world. For those colleges, students only need to create one common application to send to any of them.
While students will continue to complete the majority of their college application tasks directly in Common App, requesting counselor and teacher recommendations will now be done in Xello. With the Xello and Common App integration, counselor and teacher recommenders will no longer log in to Common App to review student requests and complete forms. Student requests will be housed in the College Planning section of your Xello account.

Once integration is complete, follow these steps and share the resources to get your educators set up, support your students as they begin sending requests, and guide your recommenders to complete their requests.
- Add an educator account for teachers that are likely to be recommenders. Deactivate an educator account for those who are no longer working at your school. Newly added educators will receive an email and must register their accounts.
- Introduce students to the Common App and Xello integration with the Student Common App guide
(also available in Spanish
).
- Help counselors and teacher recommenders set up their Common App profiles in Xello:
Additional resources
-
PDF
PDFCommon App guideUse this guide to learn how students use Common App in Xello, and how you set up a Common App profile, complete student requests, track their progress, and more.
-
PDF
PDFStudent guide for Common App and XelloShare this guide with your students to help them learn how to use Common App and Xello together.
-
PDF
PDFCommon App teacher recommender guideThis guide will help recommenders set up a Common App profile, review and action student requests, submit and unsubmit teacher evaluations.
-
Walkthrough
WalkthroughCommon App integration walkthroughThis walkthrough covers how students link their Common App account to Xello to request documents, how educators create a Common App profile, and manage and track student requests.
-
PDF
PDFCommon App annual tasksA guide to help admin and counselors with wind-down tasks before the end of the Common App school year and start-up tasks before the next.
-
Xello Academy
Xello AcademyXello + Common App for CounselorsIf you're a counselor at a school that uses Common App, then you'd benefit from this course. You'll understand your role in the process, as well as steps for teacher recommenders and students.
-
Recorded webinar
Recorded WebinarXello and Common App 101Xello and Common App have partnered to deliver an integrated college application management experience. In this session, learn how you and your students will manage Common App applications through Xello.
-
Short video
Short videoPaying for college - student-facing videoHelp students learn how to navigate their financial aid options. From applying for FAFSA to learning about scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans.
-
Short Video
Short VideoRequesting your documents for Common AppA student-facing short video that walks through how to request documents for Common App in Xello.
-
Short Video
Short VideoXello's Common App integration for counselorsA short video to walk counselors through how to integrate and begin completing tasks for Common App in Xello.
-
Short Video
Short VideoCommon App teacher recommender through XelloA quick overview of how teachers complete teacher evaluations for students applying to Common App colleges.