<p>So, my DS is finally, ever so slowly, getting started on the application process. He will be using the Common Application for about 5 schools, one of which offers non-binding early action. After much confusion, he has interpretted the directions to say that he can check off the box for the EA college and submit it on-line, then submit the others later. Furthermore, he thinks that he can edit/rewrite his essay for the later schools.</p>
<p>All this sounds reasonable, but I've read the instructions and FAQs and they aren't particularly clear. I thought I would ask the been-there/done-that crowd if these assumptions are valid.</p>
<p>To summarize the question:</p>
<p>Can you submit the Common App online to one school, then make changes to the essay and submit it later to other schools?</p>
<p>your S just needs to save his file 'EAschool', and once sent, it cannot be changed. However, he can call up EAschool and resave it as another name, RDschool, and make any changes he sees fit. Once it is sent, it RDschool cannot be changed, but, again, he can save it under another name, App3school.....</p>
<p>Just another parents saying Yes, Been There, Done That. Once you have pressed that SUBMIT button, you cannot go back and change anything for that particular school. But you can recall your app, edit it, add to it, change away, etc. and submit to another school or schools, ad infinitum.</p>
<p>Don't forget to check whether any of the schools require supplements. If so, some can be submitted on line directly from the CommonApp site, some online from the school's website and some hard copy.
Enjoy!</p>
<p>Yes you can do that. My son used the Common App for all but one of his final college choices and did them all in one evening, even with one supplemental essay for Oberlin. However he had such a great and unusual visit there, he whipped that supplemental essay out in about 15 minutes.</p>
<p>You can do it that way -- but I know with my son, who has dragged through this process painfully, he had 3 early admissions and 2 regular on the Common App and I encouraged him to hit "send" on ALL of them just to get them going. Unless your son anticipates having something substantially different to add in a couple of months it might end the procrastinating and free him up for any other applications he needs to get working on, not to mention supplements, teacher recommendations, resume, transcripts, test scores, FAFSA, CSS etc. Just a thought.</p>
<p>The only reason for putting the later applications off is to improve the essay, since it will be read by four more universities. </p>
<p>He has done all the easy stuff on the applications and common application supplements, but "saved" the essays for last. He has one other non-binding EA application (a long-shot reach he thinks is his first choice), but hasn't started that essay yet, so he may need to clean up the common app essay later. Of course, there are a couple more important essays for RA applications. </p>
<p>Thanks again to everybody. We will get through this, won't we?</p>