<p>I was recently told by someone who seemed knowledgeable that even though a school may accept the common app, you should use that school's own application--I'm not talking about the school-specific supplement, but the actual application that's on the website for that particular school.</p>
<p>The rationale for doing this is to show the school that you are really interested in them and aren't just adding another school to the common app list.</p>
<p>Does anyone think this has any validity and/or is worth pursuing?</p>
<p>I honestly don't think it will make much of a difference.</p>
<p>Based on my son's results, we saw no difference. He was accepted with significant merit aid at several top tier schools for which he used the common app and not the school-specific app.</p>
<p>I don't think it matters either way. Honestly, with the type of schools that I assume we are talking about (highly selective), the common app supplement covers all the questions that would have been on their own app, so you're really only saving the time you would have spent filling in your name and address and stuff. Don't worry about it!</p>
<p>I am 90% sure that part of the agreement that each school makes when they join the common app is to make no distinction between the common app and their own application.</p>
<p>I really doubt it makes any difference. Most of the college supplements are long enough to be separate applications. Look at Caltech's for example: they ask you for SAT scores on the supplement even though they're right there on the common application! I'll bet the admissions officers don't even look at the common application.</p>