Common Application
Frequently Asked Questions for prospective students who are applying to Florida Atlantic University through the Common Application
Does Florida Atlantic University require students/counselors to submit a school report as part of their application?
No, Florida Atlantic University does not require one to be submitted. FAU uses the Self-reported Student Academic Record (SSAR).
Who is required to submit the Self-reported Student Academic Record (SSAR)?
- All freshman applicants educated at a high school in the United States must complete an SSAR.
- Applicants educated in an IB school curriculum outside of the US.
- Applicants educated at/in a secondary school patterned after a US curriculum.
Who should NOT complete the Self-Reported Student Academic Record (SSAR)?
- Students who have not followed an academic curriculum patterned after the U.S. system must submit official or certified copies of all secondary school records and/or examination results.
- Students educated outside of the US (not in a US patterned school) must have their academic credentials evaluated by a credential evaluation agency. We recommend a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (naces.org) or International Education Credential Services provided by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. The evaluation must be course-by-course and show an overall U.S. grade point average (GPA).
- GED graduates must submit their official GED transcript, along with official partial high school transcript(s).
* Documents provided by students cannot be accepted. Any documents must come from a school counselor/administrator or the evaluation agency.
If a school report is not required, why is it listed as required on the Common Application website?
The Common Application is used by a large number of colleges, many who do require a school report. When a student submits an application via the Common Application, regardless of how many colleges they apply to, their college counselor is asked to submit one school report - which is made available to all colleges on the Common Application. FAU however, will not use the school report. We require the SSAR.
Are students required to invite a counselor to their Common Application?
The Common Application does require students to provide a counselor contact information. However, Florida Atlantic University requires no further action on behalf of the counselor. FAU does not require a school report to be uploaded and submitted at the time of the application, as the SSAR will provide us with the necessary information needed for application review.
What happens if a school report is not submitted?
Florida Atlantic will still receive the student's Common Application even if a school report has not been uploaded.
Are students required to invite recommenders to their Common Application?
No. The Common Application provides the ability to invite recommenders to submit information to colleges on your behalf, however, Florida Atlantic University does not require applicants to submit recommendations as part of the holistic review of an application.
Should students/counselors submit a school report anyway?
No. The information gathered from the school report will be collected through the SSAR.
Don’t see your question here?
Our staff can assist with any questions you may have about your Common Application. Contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by email, at admissions@fau.edu, or by phone, at 561-297-3040.