Is it better to use the school’s personal application to show interest, or does it really make much of a difference?
<p>All of the colleges that accept the common app have agreed to not give any preference between applicants using the common app and their own apps. Quite a few of the colleges have simply done away with their own apps and only use the common app. </p>
<p>I can understand your concern. Michelle Hernandez in her 1997 book "A is for Admissions" was practically incensed against the common app since she felt that it made it too easy and people would just xerox it and apply to all the ivies. In her recent book, "Acing the College Applications", she reverses that, but still says that using the college's own app can't hurt. Hernandez was an adcom at Dartmouth, and I am told that Dartmouth has now done away with their own app and only uses the common app. If you want to use the common app and still be personal, you might compromise and fill each one out in ink instead of xeroxing it. Personally, if the app form that you use is an important factor, I don't want to think about it.</p>
<p>All colleges that use the common app have to swear to consider students who use it as the same as those who choose the school app.</p>
<p>That said, I'm planning on using the schools' individual applications for my reaches that allow the common app (like Amherst, for example). Not that I don't believe them, but I'd rather not take any chances.</p>