<p>See: <a href="https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/CA4/EssayStatement.pdf%5B/url%5D">https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/CA4/EssayStatement.pdf</a></p>
<p>Changes for 2013-2014:</p>
<p>-- NEW essay prompts to be announced March 1st. "Topic of your choice" will no longer be an option. Instead, applicants must choose one of five prompts and write about a specific topic.
-- NEW stricter enforcement of 500 word limit, possibly with a character limit.</p>
<p>Mine was 550 words. Am I off to a community college now?</p>
<p>Read the title! The changes go into effect next year 
I got in with a bit over 500.</p>
<p>Just got around to reading this. There has been a lot of talk about changes in the essay, but the NYTimes also reported back in October that “Other changes include…the elimination of the ability to upload a resume, unless specifically requested by the particular college.”</p>
<p>[Common</a> Application Is Removing a Surprising Essay Topic - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/new-common-application-will-be-a-stickler-for-essays/]Common”>Common Application Is Removing a Surprising Essay Topic - The New York Times)</p>
<p>I am surprised that I haven’t read complaints about this. I venture to say that a lot of students, esp. at a school like Yale, have outside-school achievements, summer experiences, etc. that wouldn’t fit on the standard Common App and required an uploaded activities list.</p>
<p>Anyone know whether this change is actually happening, and do others agree that this is a disservice to applicants who have some uncommon things to report? (I am not referring to kids who join 20 clubs in high school thinking they will look more impressive.)</p>
<p>[Common</a> Application Releases New Essay Prompts - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/common-application-releases-new-essay-prompts/]Common”>Common Application Releases New Essay Prompts - The New York Times)</p>
<p>Honestly, the topics are so broad that I doubt they’ll really hinder students. And the enforced world limit is 650, not 500.</p>