<p>as I'm getting ready to begin the application process, I've noticed many of the colleges use the common app. Can anyone tell me anything about it? I tried registering, but it's unavailible until July. What exactly is on it, and do you prefer it or dislike it compared to individual applications?</p>
<p>I personally loved the common app, basically it's a very convenient manner of applying to colleges as it is now accepted by a little less than 300 colleges. It is a very short application, with a main four page app, as well as two teacher recommendations, midyear report, school report, and any required supplements for the schools of your choice. Here's the site that will help you: <a href="http://www.commonapp.org/common2006_app.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.commonapp.org/common2006_app.pdf</a>
Personally I loved the common app since 11 of my 12 apps were common apps. You are guaranteed a fair run in the process, though some say it looks better if you do a personal app, though I personally don't believe as much and b) it's easily less of a hassle on your teachers for recommendations. And don't worry, many prestigiou schools accept, including six Ivies: Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, UPenn (added this year), and Yale, as well as: Amherst, Barnard, BC, Brandeis, Bryn Mawr, Carnegie Mellon, Claremont McKenna, Davidson, Duke, Harvey Mudd, Johns Hopkins, Macalester, NYU, Pomona, Rice, Sarah Lawrence, Scripps, Skidmore, Swarthmore, Tufts, Wellesley, and Williams. And added this year: Cal Tech, U Mass-Amherst, and Northwestern.</p>
<p>Did you type or use pen to fill in the app, Tony?</p>
<p>I mailed all eleven, painstaking trust me, though I did type the main app, though all the supplements expect for BC were handwritten.</p>
<p>isn't it ridiculous how I don't know how to type it? I mean, I see it as a) online, so you have to type or b) print it out and write it. I downloaded the common app as a pdf, and I can't type in the answers, the lines and stuff get all out of order. </p>
<p>alright my writing is pretty neat, I guess I'll just use pen. . thanks for your input though :)</p>
<p>Yea, the teacher recommendations shifted for me too, so yeah I hand wrote those, so I guess you're a junior soon ot be senior, so good luck next year, and don't worry too much, trust me, it's not worth it.</p>
<p>I'm SO worried. Honestly, I mean, I see people here with such good stats and they get rejected EVERYWHERE. And then I look at me .. and laugh. haha. And everyone comes to the conclusion that those rejected w/good stats just represented themselves as unbecoming or something thru a mistake or so on the college app. </p>
<p>And I'm already at 7 that I must apply to, and I'm interested in about 30 more. Haha. this is gonna be tough. </p>
<p>it didn't take you a while to fill out right? i mean, really the only hard part should be essays . . everything else is give to teacher/counselor and easy info. but writing out the information x15 might get kinda annoying.</p>
<p>It's weird, i was sort of you like, extremely worried, applying everywhere, but seriously don't worry which I know is hard to say. It's just somethin you take one step at a time. So really don't worry. Also, in terms of time. Yeah, it will obviously take time, but the one thing I believe is different b/w the two of us, is that I'm a horrible procrastinator which doesn't seem to be your case, so you're fine in that department b/c trust me, no one was crazier than this kid, pulling an all nighter for MIT app, writing essays for my Princeton supplement, thinking about doing the Yale optional essay, so don't worry I mean I sent in my last round of apps on December 18th cutting it close, so really don't worry about time for yourself, just start early.</p>
<p>I used the Common Application when applying to Boston College, Swarthmore, Cornell and Yale. I sent in all 5 applications online and had no problems with the colleges receiving the applications. It definitely helps during the application process, especially if you're applying to 15 or more schools.</p>
<p>Wait, Penn what? U Penn was added this year.</p>
<p>You're right, my bad.</p>
<p>All good. :)</p>
<p>Since many schools use the common app, if you handwrite it, or type it out and print it out, can you just make a bunch of copies to send to the schools? Or if you hand write it, should you write it out again each time?</p>
<p>I copied and kept the original for any lost mailings.</p>
<p>Guys, I know I'm goin' to sound extremely idiotic but how can we type in the Comapp ?
After weighing up the pros and cons, I think I'll download the application forms->type them->print->mail (b/c I can't relish the prospect of my essays being cruelly truncated if I apply online. You know the word limit really stinks). Writing them by hand may not be a wise choice with me because my handwriting isn't coherent :(</p>
<p>So, plz tell me how to type ! Thanks a bunch ;)</p>
<p>Well, all the PDF's given by the commonapp page i linked up above on post #2 should be fine, it's those supplements (though some do work where you can just type onto them, the one I encountered was BC) you have to write by hand. But don't worry about handwriting the essays, regardless of mailing or online, the essay should be typed, always go for looks, with your name, b-day, and school applying to on each sheet of the essay.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for your thorough reply, Tonyt88 ;). Yeah I'm well aware of the fact that we have to type all the essays ( The only problem with applying online is if your essay exceeds the word limit, it will be automatically truncated. I'm really intimidated at that prospect :( )
Anyway, you made it to Harvard this season ? Your essays must be fabulous. Can I take a look ? ( if you don't see fit, no problem!. I'm just fond of reading all Eng materials )
Thanks again for your help !</p>
<p>If you type your essays in Microsoft Word and they are longer than the prescribed word count, will you be penalized? For example, the short answer essay asks you to talk about your most meaningful EC, and it says it should 150 words or fewer. What if it is 250 words, or 300? Is this bad?</p>
<p>My friend had essays over the limit and submitted them online. He wasn't penalized.</p>
<p>Also confused - can you go to commonapp.org site fill out app on line and fill out supplement on line but do essays in word and mail them under separate cover to schools?</p>