Why Discord?

We use Discord because it's the best all-in-one tool for building a safe, flexible, and easy-to-use community—without the noise, ads, or clutter of social media.

Here’s what makes it a great fit:

Free for everyone (with no required upgrades)
Available on any device – use it in a browser, or download the app on your computer, tablet, or phone
Simple or advanced—your choice – we’ve kept our server clean and easy to navigate, but it’s packed with features when you’re ready
Text, voice, video, and more – join the conversation in whatever way works best for you
Private and supportive – we built The College Commons for real connection, not marketing or algorithms

Step 1

Accessing Discord

Choose your device:

If you already have Discord installed (skip to Step 2)
Desktop:
Go to discord.com/download
Download the app or choose "Open in Browser"
Click the icon to install or open
Mobile:
Download the Discord app from your App Store (iOS or Android)

Step 2

Create Your Account

You can join first, then make an account—Discord makes it easy either way:

Browser Users:
Choose a username, accept the terms, confirm you're human, and enter your birthdate
Click “Claim Account” to set your email and password
App Users:
Open the app, choose a username, and follow the prompts to create your account

Step 3

Join the College Commons Server

Click the invite link you received (or find it on our website/social).

You’ll land in our welcome channel—follow the prompts and jump in!

Answer new member questions
Provide email and agree to Server Rules
Wait for approval

No complicated setup. No tech hurdles.

New to Discord? Here’s a great 15-Step Beginner’s Guide

Step 4

Select Your Role

Once inside The College Commons

Select your primary role: Student, Parent/Guardian, or Educator/Business Partner

Step 5

Congrat’s!!! You Are Now A Member of The College Commons!

Click "Let's Go!"

You'll be placed in the "#start-here" Channel with a welcome message

Read through the message and then at the bottom, you'll see a bar with a red question mark on the left side.

? Next Review the FAQ - Click on this bar
- The FAQ is a Work In Progress (WIP) and will be populated as common questions emerge.
? Introduce Yourself! - Click on this bar

You'll be taken to the #introductions channel so you can introduce yourself

After that, you'll be able to see all the public channels and private channels you have access to as a Student or Parent!!!

Check out the #channel-directory for a list of all the channels and brief descriptions

Browse them and consider where and how you want to participate!

Ask a question, comment on a post/question, or observe until you're ready! Go at your own pace.

Keep in mind as the community evolves, we will likely add, remove, or otherwise tweak the channels, roles, etc.

Recommended Info

for Introductions

Name or nickname and preferred pronouns, if any
Student's current academic standing (FR/FY, SOPH, JR, SR)
Intended Graduation Term/YR (e.g. Spring/2027
Where you're at in the journey (however you'd like to describe it)
Why you joined and what you're hoping to offer/gain from the community
A few brief things you want the community to know about you, such as…

Favorite ______?
Fun Fact about me is _____!
I'm most proud of _____.

You're not limited to these things; just briefly share some things that will help us get to know you a little!

Now That You’re In!

Consider the following…

Check out the #channel-directory for a list of all the channels and brief descriptions
- Browse them and consider where and how you want to participate!
Ask a question, comment on a post/question, or observe until you're ready! Go at your own pace.
Keep in mind as the community evolves, we will likely add, remove, or otherwise tweak the channels, roles, etc.

The College Commons

on Discord

A Quick-start Guide