Category Archives: common app

10 Tips to Help with the Common Application

common application

Most high school seniors use the Common Application to apply to colleges. Since over 1000 schools now use this application, students can apply to multiple schools with one application. That doesn’t mean your student should “phone it in”, however. Taking the Common App seriously is the first step in completing an application that will help you stand out and receive an offer of admission.

Here are ten tips that will help your student ace the Common App this year:

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5 Ways to Look Uncommon on the Common App

Common App

The Common Application is used by over 500 colleges. It was created to save colleges and students time when submitting their college applications, hence called the Common App. The basic information you complete in the application will be used by every college you apply to: test scores, personal information, and extracurricular activity lists. You don’t have to resubmit that information to each individual college.

The Common App was set up in 1975 to simplify the application process, but the very name of the application suggests that there is no opportunity for students to stand out in this common app process. But there are opportunities for students to stand out, or look uncommon when using the Common App.

Continue reading 5 Ways to Look Uncommon on the Common App

The 4-1-1 on This Year’s Common Application

common application

It looks like the widely used Common Application has taken some cues from the new Coalition Application.

The new changes to the 2017-18 Common App for colleges mirror features found in the Coalition App. Competition often creates innovation and the Common App has some much-needed updates. The Common App changes this year will benefit high school students and make the application more user friendly.

While these changes will be welcomed by students, it’s too early to tell whether or not they will bring with them glitches in the application system. Here are some possible complications that could arise as high school students attempt to use each new section.

1. Detailed Course and Grade Section

Previously, in order for colleges to see a student’s previous years’ class schedule, they either had to request it or wait and view it on the official transcript. Now a college can view a high school student’s academic performance before the arrival of the transcript. Students input their own grades and can view their own academic performance while in the Common App. This is an option that the Coalition App currently provides as well.

This consolidates the grade-reporting process within the Common App and allows colleges to have detailed information provided by the students themselves. It’s still not clear whether this option will be required or optional, but students should always provide as much information as possible when applying to colleges.

2. Integration with Google

Recognizing that many high school students use a cloud platform to create and collaborate on assignments, the Common App has added this feature to its 2017-18 version. This allows students to upload essays and high school resumes directly from their Google Drives into their applications.

It is possible that students will experience formatting and other glitches that sometimes happen with cloud documents. These changes could mean problems for students, but until the application is widely used, we won’t know about technical problems. High school students will be able to write, revise and proofread documents easily on any computer before uploading them to the application. Since many students use school or public computers, this function will make it easier for them to complete the process. This is another functionality that is similar to the one offered by the Coalition App.

For more changes and improvements, click here to read the original article on TeenLife.com

The Top 3 Mistakes Students Make on the Common App

 

common appWe are in the midst of the application season, probably one of the most stressful, scary, and overwhelming times for most teenagers and their parents. I want to share with you the top three mistakes students make on the Common Application and how you can make sure your children don’t make them and get into the colleges of their dreams. 

1. Not Telling Their Unique, Compelling Story

Schools are looking for well-rounded student bodies NOT well-rounded students. The admissions committee and anyone else should be able to read through your child’s application and get a sense of exactly who they are and what they care about. This doesn’t happen if your child is president of every club, plays every sport, and volunteers at 20 different organizations.  Your child’s application should focus on depth not breadth, quality over quantity. Don’t just take my word for it. This is what Harvard has to say about your child’s activities:

We are much more interested in the quality of students’ activities than their quantity so do not feel you need to fill in the entire grid! Contributions students make to the well-being of their secondary schools, communities and families are of great interest to us.

Everything from the activities to honors to courses to essays should come together and tell your child’s unique, compelling story. Getting an outsider’s look at your child’s complete application can really help with this.

2. Underselling Their Activities

I’ve seen students do it over and over again. The activities are seen as an afterthought, and students give very little attention to them. They also tend to underestimate the time spent on their activities. This is where your child sets themselves apart from all the other high test score, high GPA students. This is where they become “that girl” or “that guy” – the socially responsible athlete, the engineer who cares about social justice, the piano player who wants to help autistic kids. 

Students are only allowed 150 characters to describe each activity, so the descriptions need to be compelling and concise. All of the tips that apply to resumes apply to this activity list. Your child needs to focus on numbers, like the number of new members they brought into the club, the amount of money they earned/got donated/managed, the number of participants at their events. Make sure they put numbers in every description. If the honors they listed previously were associated with an activity, be sure they tie that back in. The activities should sound as impressive as possible. One tip I absolutely love for this section is to include a website for the activity if there is one.

3. Rushing Through the Supplements

Each college has questions and many of them require writing supplements. These are just as important as the Common Application itself. Students often leave this until the end and struggle with it. Make sure your child spends as much time on and with their supplements as they do with the rest of their application.

Many writing supplements ask “Why School X?”. One tip I give all the students I work with is to mention specific activities, programs, and professors at the school that they’re excited to work with and be involved in. Remember, what the supplements are really asking is why your child should be admitted to that particular college. Make sure their application and supplements describe how they will contribute to the school and its legacy. 

Now that you know the top three mistakes students make on their Common Apps, you can help your child avoid them and get into their dream college. Get my Ultimate Guide to the Common App plus worksheets and tools to help your child create their best application and my favorite college admissions resources and websites. All totally FREE!

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Today’s guest post is from Jessica Yeager, a grad of Harvard and MIT, and a tutor and college coach for high-achieving students and their parents at Impress the Ivies. You can get her Ultimate Guide to the Common App for free.

One-Week Online Common App Bootcamp

common app boot camp

Everyone knows the importance of the college application. Books are written about it, articles published, and seminars taught about how to complete it. One of my Twitter colleagues and an essay expert, Ethan Sawyer @CollegeEssayGuy, knows how to craft the perfect college essay and personal statement, and he’s offering help with an upcoming common app boot camp webinar.

If a private university or college is in your future, the Common App is your one-way ticket. You’ve got one shot at a winning application, and Ethan Sawyer, the College Essay Guy, is here to help!

Using the Secrets of Screenwriting to Write Your Personal Statement is his five-part webinar series for students and counselors that runs July 13-17.

In just five days, you’ll finish your:

  • First draft of your Common App main statement
  • Activities list
  • Additional info section

Plus you’ll get tons of tips and step-by-step help to conquer the Common App.

Click here for more info.

Can’t make a particular session? No worries: He’ll email what you missed.

Can’t afford it? Don’t worry, there’s a pay-what-you-can option.

Are you a counselor? You’re invited too!

Click here to reserve your spot.

Mom-Approved Tips: Everything you Need to Know About the Common App

 

(This article was originally published on University Parent’s blog)

Common AppApplying to colleges can be a daunting task, especially for students who apply to multiple schools as most do. Happily, there is a time-saving tool that allows students to fill out only one “common” application. Yes, I’m talking about…

The Common App

The Common App is an online admission application used by over 500 colleges and universities — public, private, large, and small. Each year, more colleges are added to the Common App list as they recognize the value of its ease of use. About one-third are “exclusive members” that use the Common App as their only admissions application form. If a member college has a separate application of its own, it is required to give equal consideration to applicants using either form. As an added bonus, several dozen schools that accept the Common App will reduce or waive the application fee if a student applies online using the Common App.

Your student may already have created a Common App username and password; if not, she can access the form at www.commonapp.org and view a list of participating colleges and universities. Early Decision and Early Action deadlines are usually November 1 and 15; most Regular Decision applications are due January 1 or January 15, 2015.

The basics

The Common App covers several areas: personal and family information, educational data, standardized test information, academic honors, extracurricular activities, work experience, a personal essay, and criminal history. Some colleges require a supplement (usually an extra essay). Students using the Common App must be sure to enter all additional information requested by a college. Verify on the college’s website any additional requirements and/or forms to ensure the application is complete.

The parent’s role

How much should you be involved in the Common App completion and submission process? Parents should never assume a student’s identity and fill out the application. However, there’s plenty of work that can be done as a team.

Parents can provide:

  • Personal information (family data, etc.) required by the application
  • Brainstorming help if a student is having a hard time getting started on the essay, or finding the common narrative thread — her “story” — that will help her create a stronger application
  • Institutional memory if your student did not keep a record of activities, volunteer and work experiences, academic honors, etc. over the years
  • Feedback on the essay(s)
  • A second set of eyes to catch typos or omissions
  • Encouragement to stay on track

Knowing the basics is a good start, but in order to submit a perfect and “uncommon” application, you will need to know more. And I’ve got you covered! Following are two articles I wrote for University Parent about the Common App. They should answer everything you need to know about the Common App but didn’t know who to ask.

Parents’ Guide to the Common Application

Look Anything but Common on the Common App