<p>Is it just me, or are the common app essays SO drab and boring that it's easier to write essays for non-common apps? In that case... wouldn't it be to your advantage to do the college-specific application rather than the common app one, if you can write a better essay for it?</p>
<p>^^ the essays are boring and generic, which is why most top colleges have supplements for you to do. Those tend to be more specific to the school / more interesting to write on.</p>
<p>the common app essay... i wrote about my own topic... and the most interesting EC essay on the common app was easy.</p>
<p>in fact, since my Stanford app was due first, I wrote that essay, and sent that as my common app essay.</p>
<p>and supposedly, neither application is valued over the other... so if you believe you will have a better application by using one instead of the other, all the best.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Supposedly neither application is valued over the other
[/quote]
While "supposedly" that's true, it looks like you care more about the institution if you use their specific institutional application.</p>
<p>^^ no, it doesn't. As I've said before, colleges switch to the Common App for your convenience -- so you don't have to waste time filling out the same info over and over again, and instead can work on important parts like the essay. Which is also why the college usually has a supplement containing a few more essays for you to do. That supplement, if you'd like to think of it this way, is what shows your "interest" in the institution.</p>
<p>I guess we'll just agree to disagree.</p>