<p>So I keep seeing posts on CC saying that you should try to write as many of your essays as you can over the summer. However, many of the applications don't seem to come out until mid-late August or early September. I have heard that the essays generally don't change that much, so if I can look at this year's applications and pull out the essay questions, my S, who is just starting junior year, will be able to get a jump on the application process by working on them next summer. </p>
<p>My problem is that in order to see the applications (most of which are now on-line only), you have to create an account for each school. Since S won't be applying until next fall, is he allowed to create an account this year and that way get a look at the application? Or is it going to screw things up for him next year when he tries to apply for real?</p>
<p>I think in previous years this wasn't so complicated because most of the schools posted .pdf versions of their applications, but now it seems that in many cases now everything is pretty much locked down unless you sign up for an account.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help!! And sorry if this question seems crazy.</p>
<p>Oh gosh. Don’t do that to the poor kid. He still has HALF of his HS years ahead of him. He’ll grow so much (physically and intellectually) in this coming year that whatever he’d write now would look “so last year” a year from now. </p>
<p>You want him to be pulling his hair out with all of his peers right around this time next year. The mutual energy will propel him to finish and his HS process (whatever it looks like when fall starts) will help too. Meanwhile, you really don’t need to think about any of this other than doing the fun stuff which is starting to read about schools. Enjoy it and wait.</p>
<p>Zebra is talking about him writing his essays NEXT summer, right before his senior year. I don’t think that is unreasonable. I preached this to my kids who all completely ignored me and wrote their essays as close as possible to the deadline (on-line apps were in play for the youngest 2 and I think they waited until 11:58PM for those apps that were due by midnight of that day). For the most proactive of applicants, writing all of the essays during the summer before senior year would seem to be the most reasonable approach, so that life is not quite so hectic during senior year when apps are due, senior shows are launching, and there are a boat-load of tests to study for. However, for MT majors who tend to be masters at juggling schedules, it would be far less dramatic to have all of that done ahead of time. </p>
<p>It is a good idea Zebrarunner, and maybe your son will cooperate. In any case, you could probably call each school he is interested in to find out the essay topic, if it is not accessible on-line.</p>
<p>Woops misread the OP. My apologies and thanks for the catch takeitallin. Yes absolutely next summer - crack the whip. Of course it may boil down to dribs and drabs… and tons of complaining and not focusing on it because in the end you can only suggest, you can’t write those essays but anything you can get done before schools starts is good.</p>
<p>And I would not hesitate to think that the previous year’s essays will be close to the next’s. And if they aren’t whatever is written might become good starter fodder for another school. Likely not time wasted.</p>
<p>My own son is in it right now. He has his common app essay “sort of” ready but it needs reordering and it has to be cut by 200 words. So no… not there. And I have this fantasy that he’ll square that away next week AND also crank out a school supplement essay or two as well. I also have fantasies about teleporting. I’d be happy if I get ONE of these to come true. All the best!</p>
<p>Also - many schools give you the option for submitting a paper copy of their application which includes a link to their essay questions. That might be a way to see the supplemental essay questions. Until this year, you could see a PDF version any school supplement in the common app website without logging in and having an account. But yes now it seems you need an account to do so. Don’t know the answer to your question about whether you can set up an account a year early or not. Try it? Worst thing that can happen is you can’t make one? And if you can’t, then find somebody who has one for this year and ask them to cut and paste whatever school’s essays you want access to for next year.</p>
<p>You can have a common app account this year and you will be forced to create a new one for senior year. It is not a problem except you can’t use the same email address both years so keep that in mind.
The common app essays actually come out mid July. You can check here on CC on the common app thread.
If you want to start in May/June, here are two safe things to do. One, have him write at least 500 words on “why do I want to be a performer/an MT major.” He will need this multiple times, or can be used for an open ended essay.
Also writing a paragraph for each school on “why do I want to go to this school” may be needed for short answer questions and will help him in the interviews.
We are applying to 14 schools this year. 8 are on the common app. We are almost finished with all the common app schools now. The rest of the apps open on Sept 1. So we hope to be done with all the paperwork in 3 weeks… And onto auditioning!</p>
<p>Halflokum, don’t worry, I am not THAT crazy that I’d make my poor kid start doing his essays now for next year! But thanks to you and Dramamom - you both have very helpful suggestions. Good luck to both of you in the upcoming months - can’t wait to hear about your journeys!</p>