Common App has teamed up with Xello to make it easier to support your students with their college applications. For Common App colleges, students use Xello to send a request for a Teacher evaluation.
If you're selected by a student as a recommender, you'll receive their request via email. Use the email to sign in to Xello, or if you use single sign-on (SSO) at your school, access your Xello account as you normally would. View your list of student requests, write your evaluation, and upload a letter of recommendation.
The teacher evaluation is sent to all the Common App colleges the student has assigned to you. This means you only need to fill it out once. Make sure your letter is specific to the student's accomplishments and not to the institution they're applying to.
To complete a teacher evaluation request for Common App:
- From your educator account, click Features and select College Planning.
- Or, from your dashboard, click the College Planning card.
- Next to Common App, click Manage to land on your list of student requests. Any requests you've received from students who are not in your current school will be tagged as out-of-school requests.
- Next to the student whose Teacher Evaluation you’ll fill out, click Review.
- This opens a brief overview of the forms to fill out, and the colleges the student is planning to apply to.
- Next to Teacher evaluation, click Complete form.
- Fill out each field and upload the PDF of the recommendation letter.
FYI: For help on how to create a PDF, check out Create a PDF.
- Once the form is completed, click Done to return to the student's list of forms and colleges.
- In case you wish to pause and return later, clicking Done will save your work.
- Click Edit to resume an incomplete form or make changes.
- To send the completed document to all the colleges in the student's list, click Send.
- The status next to the form will indicate success.
- To review what you've submitted in a student's evaluation, click the View PDF link.
Check out the video below to see how to set up a teacher profile and complete teacher evaluations.
Additional resources
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Short Video
Short VideoCommon App teacher recommender through XelloA quick overview of how teachers complete teacher evaluations for students applying to Common App colleges.