With the 2026-2027 college application season now underway, we wanted to highlight an often-overlooked aspect of the college admissions process: file completion.

You may ask, “What is a file?” In easy terms, a file is the complete record of information that a college receives and compiles regarding a student’s application. This includes the obvious materials, such as the Common App (including the personal statement and activity descriptions), as well as any additional information a given college may require to consider a student’s application “complete,” such as official test scores, official transcripts, resumes, portfolios, etc. 

There is a common misconception that once a student hits “submit” on their application, their application is received and considered complete. However, there is a distinction to be made between “submission” and “completion.” 

It is common for a submitted application to be incomplete because it is lacking all of the required information for a student’s file when it is initially submitted. For example, the transcript has not been received, not all recommendation letters are in, test scores have not been submitted, etc.

In these cases, follow-up is required to ensure a file is completed promptly. This distinction can not only delay a student’s application review but also potentially affect admissions decisions. 

Let’s use an example to illustrate the distinction between a file being “submitted” and being “complete.” 

Student A is interested in applying Early Action at a school. Student A completes their Common App and submits it in early September. At this point, the application is “submitted.” They then contact the College Board to send official test scores, which arrive in October. The student subsequently meets with their school counselor and receives assistance with filling out the STARS (an online service that sends official transcripts to colleges) in mid-October. Only once the college receives all of the above material is the student’s file marked “complete” in mid-October—a full month and a half after initial submission! 

Most admission officers will not review a student’s application until it is “complete,” so delays like the one illustrated above can have significant consequences for a student’s admission decision, depending on a school’s admission policies. Some schools will not penalize students for merely “submitting” by the application deadline, but others might. For example, the University of Pennsylvania only needs an application to be “submitted” by November 1 for Early Decision. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) requires applications to be submitted and “completed” by November 1 for Early Action. 

To ensure best practices and timely file completion, students should have all aspects of their application—the Common App, test scores, transcripts, and anything else a school may require—ready for early submission. If students are unsure which materials are required for a file to be considered “complete,” we encourage them to visit a college’s admissions website, check their student portal, or contact the college’s office for more information.