The Common Application (aka Common App) is a standardized undergraduate college application form that is accepted at 488 (and counting) colleges and universities nationwide. Some of these institutions use the Common App exclusively, while others accept either Common App or their own applications.
Common App will be rolling out an entirely revamped version this year. This new Common App (CA4) will be available online beginning August 1, 2013. Here are some highlights you can expect from the CA4:
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CA4 will be available as online version only (no more snail-mail submissions);
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You must choose from one of five required essay prompts (strict 250- to 650-word limit) — no more “choose your own topic” option;
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You will also have the opportunity to explain any special circumstances or qualifications not reflected elsewhere;
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CA4 will accept cut-and-paste from other word processing programs, and it will allow for basic formatting (bold, italics, underline, and accented characters);
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You may need to submit a non-academic evaluations by others outside of your high school (such as coaches, bosses, clergy, or others), depending on whether a college wants it.
It is our advice that current Juniors start working on their essays early on during their summer break, starting in June, to finish one or two of the REQUIRED essays before August 1st (don’t worry…the essay questions are available already). Then start working on college-specific essay requirements once they are released on August 1st, so that you will get all your essays done and ready to submit once your senior year starts.
More Than SAT can help you cruise through the entire essay process, so you can best craft your essays to reflect your story and best-fit for colleges. More Than SAT will offer webinars on the CA4 during early summer, so stay tuned, and “Like” our facebook for tips and help.