<p>I notice people are anxious for the launch of common app and are awake to welcome the launch and have started filling out details right after.</p>
<p>A curiousity question - what is the advantage in doing it during the summer break? Why so much hurry even assuming early action choices?</p>
<p>Is it not enough to just prepare the common app essay and once school reopens be in touch with the counsellor whenever needed and fill it out systematically</p>
<p>Not sure if I am missing something. the early action deadline is typically Nov 1 and one has 3.5 more months to send out stuff to colleges. Just wondering if its overanxiety or the typical planning approach.</p>
<p>There’s no real advantage to start filling it out the instant it becomes available. It is a good idea to get started early, if just so that you have more time to think about the writing portion and such, but some people just get overanxious.</p>
<p>Some of us already have the common app writing portion(s) finished. I started as soon as possible even though I won’t be submitting my application for another month or so because it helps to have the application sitting for a while so I can go back with fresh eyes and proofread instead of completing the application and proofreading it a day later.</p>
<p>Some people are nervous and a little overanxious, though.</p>
<p>I probably won’t be submitting my application until November because I am taking the ACT in October. However, I will be busy with school, sports, and activities, and the more I can get done in my limited free time, the better.</p>
<p>I think people want to get it out of the way early, there is less pressure, they have lots of time to work on it, and that way it will not interfere with school, activities and additional entrance exams.</p>
<p>Simple. I went through the forms, and (with supplements) I have 37 essays to write. Unless you want to do a terrible job, 37 essays WILL take a long time.</p>
<p>Even if one wants to submit the application early, does the recommendation letter, school reports, transcripts, etc not need to come from the school? So, one cannot really submit until the school submits the above documents. Right?</p>
<p>Yes, query, you’re right-- but once you’ve submitted the app and the fee, the school has your application in process. For rolling application schools, the earlier the better. Performing arts kids have to have the app in in order to schedule auditions. And once a senior year full of AP classes begins, the mental spaces for application essays shrinks considerably. </p>
<p>Never fear though-- I’m sure most people will be hitting submit at the last minute!</p>
<p>wow, 37 essays? how many colleges are you applying to? assuming an average of 2 per school other than the common app - does it mean you are applying to 18 colleges???</p>
<p>For anyone in the class of 2013 please note that if you start your application this year all data inputted will be lost when the 2012-2013 version launches on August 1, 2012.</p>
<p>My twin sons and I learned this the hard way. We thought we’d get any early start when school let out in June and completed much of the demographic and school info. Tried to access the applications today and got error messages and, after an inquiring e-mail, this response from the Common App folks:</p>
<p>Unfortunately if you created your application before August 1, you will need to create a new application. Last season’s account information and application are no longer available. We cannot retrieve your application since all apps are removed and placed on back-up media. Back-ups can only be accessed for legal purposes at this time. For further information, please see the Privacy Policy link, located at the bottom of each page within the online Common Application.</p>
<p>Remember that if you plan well, you can reuse some of your essays. Some people like to plan way ahead but I can tell you there are a whole lot of students who don’t do it at all until October…November…December. </p>
<p>And 37 essays does seem like a lot. I think sometimes students apply to so many schools because they only have to do 1 app. Who has that kind of money to spend on Apps? Not us. My DS did 11 but 5 were not common app schools.</p>
<p>Just don’t wait to submit the day it’s due…sometimes computer systems go down or get too busy to handle the volumen.</p>
<p>What Tenors said. It is to get a head start so it is not as much of an issue during the holidays! I have a love/hate relationship with the holidays anyway, adding my son working on college applications would push me over the edge. He does not intend to submit the common ap anywhere this minute. But has already submitted one university specific application that has rolling admissions. He will submit common ap after he retakes SAT/ACT this fall, or close to it, so that those scores are seen at the same time as the older scores.</p>
<p>As someone who went through it, I suggest you get as much done as early as possible because you never know what homework, large tests, or ECs will come up around deadline-time.</p>
<p>Assuming 10 schools approx how many essays is the estimate? I know it varies but … schools like MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Berkeley, Upenn, UCLA, Columbia, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon … Can someone help me with the the total number of essays that might be needed for the above list.</p>
<p>I dont see the supplement detail for Stanford yet.</p>
<p>How many words/characters does the writing portion in common app (about any extra curricular activity) need? Its not explicitly mentioned in the app.</p>