Hi I am a Junior at a public high school. I want to have some idea of the application process but I honestly don’t know much about it. I heard that we apply through something called Common App? I also heard that you have to write an essay for common app and an essay a college. So I wanna start preparing for that process but I don’t know where to go to find them. For college essays, do I just google (college name) essay for 16-17? and for common app, do i just make an account and they’ll tell me what t write? so In summary
Can I see what essays I have to write if I log into Common App?
Where can I find the college’s essays?
How many essays do I have to write for a college in usual? just one? two?
Kudos to getting prepared ahead of the game! You can see all of the Common App essays if you create a Common App account. The way the Common App works is you write one essay to send to all of your schools. You get to construct this essay around one of five prompts (they let you choose). Schools may then also require a school-specific, supplemental essay, which you will see once you add that school to your common app list. Many schools allow/require you to apply through an alternative application (ex: Texas and California both have their own application systems). In that case, you would have to create an account with that application system. The essay prompts would show up on a certain page of the application.
Sometimes you can Google around and find the essay prompt. Make sure it is the essay prompt for this application cycle (it would be a waste of time to write an essay using UPenn’s essay prompt from 2012).
Yes; unless the school or program (ex: Honors) you are trying to apply to require you to use something other than the Common App.
There will be a list of essay prompts for the application, but these can change so it is best to wait until they the Common App opens usually August 1. You can take a look at last year’s prompts on the website.
Some colleges will require a supplemental essay (s) beyond the common application essays and you can go on to each schools website to see the specifics. The number of essays can vary, so again check each schools website.
You will also need letters of recommendation for usually 2 teachers so something to think about before the end of the school year.
There is a forum on this site devoted to essays. There is a thread going right now about cliched essays, and someone has posted a link to Johns Hopkins. There are about 7 really great essays that will give you good ideas and show you what a good essay looks like.
Essay Hell has some good examples and can explain how it works to you too. http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/
I think Johns Hopkins and UVA publish some essays they like so look on their website. I think UChicago does too. Some colleges on their admission pages will publish essays from previous students. Also email the admission rep to make sure there will be no changes from this past year to next year. Also know that about 90 colleges who were part of the Common App are said to be switching or using in addition the “Coalition to Equal Access” application. They haven’t released their essays questions yet and I am hoping they skip and do not implement it until next year. http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/
Finally if you are applying to the UC’s, they have switched essays to 4 out of 8 with no more than 350 words.