Table of Contents

Counselors: Optional Reports for Common App

Cristina Hernandez Updated by Cristina Hernandez

Optional Reports let you send updates or fixes to Common App after a School Report has been sent.

Use Optional Reports for:

  • GPA changes
  • Course updates
  • Transcript fixes
  • Grade reports

Optional Reports are not a substitute for the Midyear or Final Report

You can send up to two (2) Optional Reports per student, per application year.

Creating an Optional Report

Optional Reports are created one student at a time and can’t be created in bulk.

They must also be created in sequence. After the School Report is sent, Optional Report 1 becomes available. After Optional Report 1 is sent, Optional Report 2 becomes available.

If you can still unsubmit the School Report and make corrections, that is usually the better option. Optional Reports are best used for updates to documents that have already been delivered.
  1. Search for a student and open their profile.
  1. From there, go to Colleges & Applications > Manage Documents.
  2. After the School Report is sent, you’ll see "Optional Report 1" in the documents table. Select Create to begin.
  3. At the top of the report, you’ll see student details pulled from their profile.
  4. Choose the reason for the update. Based on your selection, the relevant section will appear so you can enter information and attach documents.

    Some fields may auto-fill from your School Reports template. You can edit these fields without changing the template.
  5. If you need to include a transcript (Initial, Midyear, Additional, or Transfer) or another supporting document, you can upload a new file or attach one that was uploaded earlier.

    Previously uploaded files appear in a list. Click a file to preview it, then click Attach to include it with the Optional Report. If the file isn’t the one you want to send, replace it before continuing.

    Upload a new file using the available options if no file is listed.
You can only attach one file per upload option. If you need to send more than one document, consider combining them into a single PDF (2 MB size limit).
When selecting the most recent grades included on the transcript, choose Correction if none of the available options apply.
  1. If you need to stop and finish later, click Save as Draft. After you fill in all required fields an no error message appear, click Complete.

Including a Grade Report in an Optional Report

If you need to share a Grade Report with colleges, include it as part of an Optional Report.

Common app follows a 'one and done' process, so there is no way to selectively pick which colleges have access to this document. Once sent to one Common App school, it will be sent to all of their Common App schools.
  1. Start by uploading the student's Grade Report to Scoir, either individually or in bulk. Make sure the document is complete and correct.
  2. While creating the Optional Report, select Other Corrections or Updates as the reason.
  3. When prompted to attach a document, select Attach next to the Grade Report you uploaded.

Once attached, the Grade Report is bundled with the Optional Report and sent together.

Reviewing & Sending Optional Reports

  1. After the Optional Report is created, go to Colleges & Applications > Send Documents in the student’s profile to preview and send it.


    For Common App colleges, the Optional Report appears in blue, with attached documents listed directly beneath it. Review the report and attachments before sending.
When previewing the Optional Report, the “Explanation” field may show generic text like “Uploaded document attached.”

This text comes from Common App and can’t be changed in Scoir. The document is still sent and received correctly..
  1. Click Send next to the Optional Report for any Common App college. Sending it to one college sends it to all of the student’s Common App colleges.You'll see the status under "Last Sent" update in real time.
    Optional Reports follow Common App’s one-and-done process. Once sent, the report and all attachments are shared with every Common App college the student has applied to or later applies to. Optional Reports can’t be sent to individual colleges.
  1. If the status stays Pending for more than a day, contact Scoir Support.
  1. Once Optional Report 1 is sent, Optional Report 2 becomes available.

Unsubmitting Optional Reports

You can unsubmit an Optional Report only if:

  • No college has downloaded it, and
  • The student has not submitted their application

Optional Reports must be unsubmitted in reverse order. For example, Optional Report 2 must be unsubmitted before Optional Report 1.

To unsubmit, go to Send Documents and click Unsubmit next to the Optional Report. This pulls the report back from Common App so you can delete and recreate it.

If any college has downloaded the report (shown by a date under "Last Delivered"), it can’t be unsubmitted. Use the next Optional Report to send corrections. If both Optional Reports are used, contact the college directly.

Restrictions and Requirements

  • Optional Reports must be created individually for each student. They cannot be bulk uploaded into Scoir.
  • Only two Optional Reports can be sent per student each year
  • Optional Reports are not substitutes for Midyear or Final Reports
  • Always check whether you can unsubmit the School Report before creating an Optional Report
  • All attached files are bundled together with the Optional Report and sent as one package, not as separate documents
  • Reports must be sent in order: School Report → Optional Report 1 → Optional Report 2
    • Unsubmitting happens in reverse order: Optional Report 2 → Optional Report 1 --> School Report
  • Once sent, the Optional Report and all attached documents will be made available to all Common App colleges the student has applied to or later applies to. It cannot be sent to select schools.
  • On the student’s Common App account, the Optional Report appears as Submitted under Recommenders and FERPA.

How did we do?

Creating Midyear Reports When Using the Common App Integration

Counselors: Managing Common App Early Decision (ED) Agreements in Scoir

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