<p>After reading A For Admission and observing how short the Common Application is (and alot of top Colleges' Supplements for it), I am starting think that using the Common App might hurt your chances. I mean on the Harvard Supplement they have a Free Form Essay which is optional. It doesn't seem like much information (ECs Accomplishments etc) can be put into the Common App. And on top of that alot of people say that attaching resumes is bad because it makes you seem like a pompous prick. My posted list of ECs and accomplishments from CC gets severly fragmented b/c of the common app. Anyone else feel the same way?</p>
<p>Hmm, having just gone through the application process myself I would have to say that at least personally using the common app didn't hurt me, and 11 out of my 12 colleges were by the common app, and in the end I fared well so I don't think they really hold preferences, as long as you're a good candidate for their school, they should be able to see past the paper your app is printed on.</p>
<p>Better be safe and use their app then the common. I know I'm using my reach school's app and using the common for my safties and my hail maries.</p>
<p>so some schools that use the common app also have their own complete app? because i got an application in the mail from harvard and i'm pretty sure it's just the common app + supplement, not their own complete app. do you just go to a school's website to find their application, versus their common app?</p>
<p>Usually the school will have their form of the application posted on the web, though some schools have already chosen to use the common app exclusively with their own supplement. Plus, unless you're totally up for all the extra time you'll spend do applications and various essays [it's a lot harder to tweak an essay than you think] I would try to avoid using personal apps for each school since you will most likely be better at writing one strong essay than say six strong essays. Though, I would strongly suggest that if you're really keen on one college that you should definitely use their personal application.</p>
<p>Like Tonyt88 said, if your schools(s) of choice offer both the common app and their own, by all means use their own if the school is one of your top choices. This shows your commitment and willingness to spend the extra time to do a different application, although it is a very minor factor in the admissions process (I have also read A for Admission). However, if schools like Yale and Harvard only use the common app, definitely submit each school's separate supplement essay too, since it's another chance to let the admissions commitee know you.</p>
<p>Schools that accept the common application do not discriminate between the common app and their app. The school really does not care which one you fill out. They don't care about your "commitment and willingness to spend the extra time to do a different application" becasue at the end of the day it is not about what application you fill out it is what is actually in your application. A strong application is still going to be strong whether it was filled on a common app form or the schools form. Taking the time making the willingness to fill out the schools application is not going to make a week application strong. </p>
<p>Your best bet would be to do your research before hand about who accepts what and organize yourself accordingly.</p>
<p>The exception is probably Chicago, but they tell you off the bat, that you are filling out the uncommon application.</p>
<p>List of common app schools</p>
<p>exclusive users of the common app (harvard and Yale now only take the common app)</p>
<p>new members to the common app (Penn/Northwestern)</p>
<p>Many schools have supplements to the common app that consists of short answer essays and sometimes optional/required essay. Tony makes a really good point that your time is better served crafting 3 really good essays, (topic of your choice or what ever common app question you are going to answer), why ______College/University and a third essay. You should be able to make minor modifications to tailoring it fit the needs of your different schools (this really how you select your colleges can be helpful because if you are looking for paritcular things, you will have some overlap).</p>
<p>In our house, D applied to 7 schools all using the common app. Used one of the required essays in the Amherst app for the optional essay in the Tufts app. Was able to tailor her Why this College essay for 2 other schools, did all the supplements and short answers. In the end, got admitted to all 7 schools that she applied to (including Dartmouth which now only takes the common app-so the A is for admission data is a little out dated) and now a rising junior. </p>
<p>It's funny because now she is looking at the law school process and asked if I can go through our back up data to find one of her application essays because it would be a good framework in helping her to build upon her personal statement for law school. So a couple of really good essays today, could help you tomorrow.</p>