<p>Someone suggested using the common application, but when I looked at the website, very few schools on my son's list use it. That was disappointing because it's not going to be useful at all for just a few schools. Is there a way he can fill out a different application and apply to each of those schools separately? How does a school get onto their list? Does it have anything to do with school rankings or how popular a college might be? Why don't more colleges use it?</p>
<p>Most schools have their own applications in addition to the Common App. But why not use the Common App where it's accepted (even if it's only a few schools) and the school's app where it's required?</p>
<p>All five of my D's schools used it--neither of my son's did. It's mainly aimed--as far as I can tell--at smaller liberal arts schools.</p>
<p>MrsP, what kind of schools is your S looking at? Major state schools? </p>
<p>My D applied to 14 schools ranging in selectivity and size from 900 to 9,000 and from 1 -100. 13 used the common app, with only the state school safety requiring their own app. </p>
<p>Doesn't have anything at all to do with selectivity or popularity.</p>
<p>I also recommend the Common App wherever it is accepted --it is flexible enough to tailor the essays to individual schools where needed. Also when a non-Common App school has its own essay topic, you can still re-use this essay (with adjustments if needed) under the heading of "Your own topic" on the Common App.</p>
<p>MrsP:</p>
<p>277 colleges accept the CA, including top non-LACs: Harvard, Yale, Cornell, & Johns Hopkins (to name a few), although some require supplements to the CA. I can only speculate, but colleges likely don't use it bcos they want more information than can be gleened from a 500 word essay in the CA. UofChicago uses the Uncommon App and is proud of it -- they want creative responses to their uncommon prompts -- to better to let adcoms know that a kids really "gets" the College. Schools like Emory, will accept the CA, but if you look at their website, it is clear that a 500 word essay may not be competitive since they state essay responses to their own app typically run '1-2 pages'.</p>
<p>The list we now have has some large public universities and LACs. I saw only two of the LACs on the list.</p>
<p>I believe that my son applied to 4 schools that were not listed on the common app. 2 of them were state schools, and 2 were LACs. The 2 LACs had such simple applications, that they were nearly as simple as some supplements to the common app. In fact, one school mailed their app with part of the info already filled out. They knew my son's name, address, etc. from a form he completed when he visited. That app. was really a pleasure for my son to complete. The other LAC was not too difficult either, and my son completed the app. online. This school did lose my son's transcript, but that could have happened with a common app. school. Have the applicant check with admissions that all papers have arrived.</p>
<p>MrsP. I did some checking and at least 151 of the schools listed as first or second tier on USNWR lists of National Uni's or National LAC's are common app schools. There may in fact be a bias in the commonapp system un-apparent to me before in that more regional LAC's like Chapman and some others in California that I think you are interested in are NOT on the list. When I first read your post I thought you were asking why the most popular or most selective weren't on the list. As I re-read it in light of your other posting , I think I see now that you may be talking about lesser known schools.</p>
<p>So, I want to change my answer to " The common app seems to appeal to some schools who have or want a more national reputation and relatively fewer regional schools are members." There. Now I'm happy. ;)</p>
<p>curmudgeon, that is correct. My son is looking at mid-range LACs or public universities. I spoke to a neighbor with a junior at a UC who said that only a few schools her child applied to used the common application and they felt it was more trouble than it was worth due to the space restrictions.</p>