Can the Common App essay be edited after submission?

Once you submit your Common App essay to a college, you cannot edit it for that specific school. It is set in stone. However, if you have not submitted your application to all your schools yet, you can still make changes to the essay before each new submission. So if you spot a typo or want to improve something, you have the chance to do so for the next college on your list. Just remember that any edits you make will apply to future submissions only. Always save a clean copy, review your changes carefully, and treat each submission as final for that college. Once it is in, there are no do-overs for that school.