Are you wondering if you should write about Covid on your college application? It’s an optional question on the Common App this year, but let’s discuss whether it makes sense to respond…because in this case optional truly means optional. The specific wording of the “Covid essay” is: Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters […]
Changes to the Common Application
This fall, a small, but significant change has been made to the Secondary School Report section of the Common Application. Historically, the form has included a comparison chart for college counselors to rate a student relative to other students in their class, and then provide a written evaluation or recommendation. This application cycle, counselors will still be expected […]
The Common Application Welcomes New Members!
For the 2013-2014 application cycle, 39 more colleges will join the Common Application. This brings the total Common App college count to 527 colleges and universities in 47 states and 7 countries other than the United States. In addition to the 446 private colleges and universities on the Common Application, there are also 81 public […]
Common Application Shut Down 2014
The Common Application will be temporarily shutting down on July 23. At that time, all existing Common Application accounts and personal information will be erased. The Common Application will then re-open on August 1 for the 2014-2015 application cycle. In anticipation of the shut-down, if you already have an account and plan to apply this […]
Common Application Statistics
Given the popularity of the Common Application, we thought you might be interested in knowing a bit more about what those last hours before the big January 1 deadline are like over at the Common App. Here are some statistics for this application cycle. 1) In the last 72 hours of 2012, from December 30 […]
Common Application Shut Down and Re-Launch
If you’re a rising high school senior, you’ve probably been thinking about the upcoming college application cycle. You may even be thinking about getting a head start on your applications during your summer vacation. Getting started early is a great idea, but it’s important to keep in mind the Common Application shut down and re-launch […]
Common Application Announcements!
The Common Application is the most widely used college application, with over 400 colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad accepting it. Chances are, if you’re applying to college in the coming months, you’ll most likely use the Common Application for at least one of your schools. This week, the Common Application announced the addition of […]
How to Write a Strong Common Application Activities Statement
“Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below.” There’s a lot of talk about the Personal Statement for your college applications, but you don’t seem to hear as much about the Activities Statement. After all, it’s only 1000 characters; how much of an impact can it really […]