<p>When you upload an essay to common app it loads into the form for all the schools, how do you upload a different essay for each school? This form is driving my son and I crazy...he and I think it's easier just to do separate apps, but he's determined and I'm determined to help him get through this. His essay is specific to each school and there's a tell us more section that he wishes to fill for just one of the schools but not the other. When he clicks on delete it deletes it for both schools and not just the tab he is on. In the instructions it says it's not necessary to create versions...but it is necessary to create versions, his colleges are wildly different so we're sorta scratching our heads how to change things for each school. This process is not really one size fits all and it's like this form assumes that yes, you are one size fits all. Is this where the information about "alternative versions comes into play?" So son finishes one, and hits submit, then goes to the special URL and opens it changes what he needs to change and submits that to the second school? I'm assuming this won't screw up the recommendations and the GC info. Aaargh. Also how do you know your teachers and guidance counselors have sent the recommendations? The guidance admin won't know because this is an automated system so it doesn't circulate through her document number/tracking system that she keeps at college admissions time. Is there a pop-up that occurs that allows you to see that the recommendations have been received by the Common App organization? Are there any really thorough instructions somewhere that I'm not finding? He's completely done with his college apps that aren't common app or had their own app and I'm trying to help him get through these last two. Thanks, sorry to ask such remedial questions, but I'm not finding this very intuitive and not able to help him which is a horrible feeling so I turn to the experts....those that have trod this path already.</p>
<p>You can’t. For different info on each app, you must create new apps. At least, that was the case last year when my son was going through this process.</p>
<p>OK, so that’s the instruction where you hit submit on one app, then go to the “special” web address finish the second app and submit and so on? Any idea if the website tells you when the on-line reqs and GC “stuff” is submitted or do you have to call the colleges or do the common app schools send you a web access to monitor that stuff - any idea?</p>
<p>Yes, you can individualize your applications. Go to “Instructions” and learn how to make alternative versions. It’s not too complicated.</p>
<p>You can have up to 8 different applications- called versions. The first one is complicated and then it’s very easy.</p>
<p>Thanks all, yes, I read the instructions. But you can’t actually “do it” until you submit one according to the instructions. Son is close to submitting the first so then he will proceed with the second. I was looking for affirmation that this is “how it worked” as it would be a bad boo-boo for him to send the same essay to both schools since they are different essays geared toward each school and he has a personal statement for one that should not go to the other, he asked me to double check. I knew he couldn’t possibly be the only kid that didn’t have a one size fits all approach so I asked in the best place!</p>
<p>Yes, you have to submit the first one and then you can make alternate versions. A good tip is to label your versions with the school that you are sending them to, instead of just using numbers.</p>
<p>son wants to put different recommenders for different colleges, i havent gone through the whole app,…do you have to do different versions to do that or can you list recommenders school specific?</p>
<p>I’m just praying that the teachers “know” how this common app things works. I’ve got to assume that my son is not the first kid in the entire history of school to use the common app. I’m still not clear on how you know that they have “done them.” With a normal recommendation (non electronic) it clears our guidance office and the admin sends the student and parents an e-mail with a document control number once the package or e-mail has been sent on to the college. I’m assuming that there is some such notification with common app so you’re not operating in the blind. But I can’t tell yet, my son’s recommendations simply say the invitation has been sent. I’m hoping the word “sent” turns to the word “received” once the teacher has submitted, but I didn’t go through this with son #1, all his schools had their own application systems so this is a first.</p>
<p>I was helping a student with her Common App teacher recs, and the little instructional video does say you will be able to tell when the teacher recs have been sent. I haven’t actually done the process myself (my son had his rec letters done on paper), but I imagine it will be very easy to check to get a status update.</p>