<p>So for my common app essay, i did which fictional character influenced you the most.
Is it ok to just use that for my columbia essay? Or will it count against me in some way or something?</p>
<p>If it goes with the prompt, why not reuse it? I don't even think Columbia has a way of checking your common app essay...</p>
<p>Try and disguise it a little so it doesn't look like a blatant common app essay. Columbia obviously knows what the common app prompts are. To just submit one of them could look like a lack of effort.</p>
<p>i second the above answer and would go as far as to say try to write a different essay and incorporate aspects of the one you've already written because if you submit an essay that is blatantly answering a specific question that is known to be a common app question when columbia gives you an open-ended prompt it will raise some red flags as to your interest in the school. There's a reason columbia doesn't participate in the common app.</p>
<p>^ Actually, the admissions rep that came to our school said that columbia would be changing to the common app in the near future.</p>
<p>I would reuse that same essay. It's totally useless recreating the wheel.</p>
<p>It's not about whether or not the Common App prompt is good or should be used, it's about how this guy can show the adcom that he's interested in Columbia. Recycling a Common App essay is not one way to do so, as Shraf pointed out.</p>
<p>
[quote]
^ Actually, the admissions rep that came to our school said that columbia would be changing to the common app in the near future.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I have no insider info, but I find this unlikely -- unless there's a supplemental application with the traditional Columbia questions (why Columbia, books, etc.)</p>
<p>That Columbia may be changing to the common app soon sounds believable to me. After all, Brown switched from its own application to the common app last year. But if that should happen of course the "why Columbia" and other traditional questions will be mainstays and added as a supplement.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure the columbia essay question is very general (ie. something to the effect of "tell us something about you that we couldn't get from the rest of your application). To me, his essay qualifies. So unless he has to write a different essay for some other schools then I would say that there's no point writing a new one just for columbia.... to me, it just seems like such a big waste of time.</p>
<p>do you think using my essay from the common app would be okay too?
i used the experience that has had an impact on you?</p>