Spelling errors are very common…
For everyone who has made a small error on their applications…take a deep breath and read this:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/470497-clam-fart-oh-my-god-what-did-i-do-p1.html
I’m already accepted, but I’m nervous an error will come back to haunt me in my future if I don’t report it now, but I’m nervous if I report it now they will rescind my admission. It was an honest mistake, I typed National Merit Scholar and clicked national recognition on my application when I am only a National Merit Commended Scholar and I was supposed to specify state recognition. I have read stories of people being denied admission for the smallest mistakes because they are considered liars. I am not a liar, I sincerely felt what I wrote was true at the time and only recently (revisiting my Common App) realized my mistake.
@skycolors527 -Notify the college you plan to attend of your error and explain, as you’ve told me, that it was an honest mistake because you were confused by the National Merit classifications (which are indeed confusing!) I don’t see this as being a problem for you or affecting your admission decision, but–even so–I do recommend setting the record straight with a brief explanation (and an apology).
@Sally_Rubenstone I agree. Thank you for the advice. The classifications are a bit confusing, I was never really given a rundown of what being recognized meant by my school or parents. I am incredibly nervous to contact the college, as it is UVA. I have tried to find information on how they handle these instances. My college adviser is convinced they won’t care whatsoever and I don’t even need to contact them. Some schools have no tolerance for anything seemingly dishonest. I feel like I will regret it if they don’t trust me that it was an honest mistake & informing them negatively impacts anything, but this is such a nagging feeling that I need to notify them.
@skycolors527 -I agree with your college adviser. I don’t think that the UVA folks will penalize you at all, and they will view your mistake as an honest one. It’s almost certain that you could say nothing and the matter will not come up again. But I can tell that it would bother you if you remain silent (which is to your credit) so I recommend sending in a brief explanation that says exactly what you said here: " The classifications are a bit confusing, I was never really given a rundown of what being recognized meant by my school or parents."
Most folks make a bigger deal out of National Merit than it really is. Sure, a NM scholarship can be a huge benefit to the students who get the big ones. But typically the NM amounts are small and don’t make much of a dent in college costs, and many of the most well known colleges don’t even participate at all. Yet somehow NM seems to loom larger in most minds than it really is. So just send in a short email with an apology, explaining what you’ve already said here and saying also that you consider yourself a very honest person and don’t want any misunderstandings about this to linger. You’ll be fine.
The Common Ap was submitted with a very low GPA in error. A typo put the GPA as 2.5, when it is really much higher. The colleges will get official transcripts. Should the colleges be contacted about this error?
@Hewlett70 -Definitely send a correction. If the admission officers see one GPA on the transcript and a different one on the application, it will cause them unnecessary confusion as they sort out which one is the mistake.
Thank you.
Question. I had one typo. It went something like this in a sentence:" I to take this class…"
What I’m saying is I left out a verb, which should have been “I had to take”. I was explaining something in the additional information section. Do you think this will knock me? Is this a big deal? what should I do?
@jayaya -Send me a little more context, not just his partial sentence. It’s highly likely that I’ll tell you not to send a correction because the admission folks will easily figure out what you intended to say, and you don’t want to annoy them by supplying obvious information. But I can’t tell for sure without a longer excerpt. You can send it via PM if you don’t want to post it publicly.
Of course right after submitting his first application we realized there was a small error on the Common App. When he was listing his honors he accidentally put down that he made Honor Roll in 9, 10, 11 AND 12. He’s a high school senior so putting down 12 was inaccurate since first quarter isn’t over yet. Is this something to worry about? Should he contact the school and mention it? He doesn’t want to appear dishonest yet we are wondering if it’s worth bringing to their attention. Thank you.
@Snickers1234 - Since it sounds like your son (is that who you’re talking about?) made the mistake on an application that’s been sent to just one college so far, he should correct the mistake on his Common App so that the info will be accurate on his subsequent submissions. Meanwhile, he shouldn’t worry about this very minor mistake. The college folks most likely won’t even notice it so there’s no need to bring it to their attention. And if they DO notice it, they will understand it and simply assume that he made a strong start in his senior classes and is destined for an honor roll spot yet again.
BUT … when the first quarter grades do come out (when’s that? November? early December?), if he didn’t make the honor roll, then he SHOULD send a correction to the college that received the error, although–given his history–it seems unlikely that this will be necessary.
Thank you @Sally_Rubenstone! I didn’t think it was a huge deal but wasn’t sure. What you said makes a lot of sense. Thanks again!
D applied to a school where you must list two majors (first and second choice). For the second choice major she picked something in her field of interest that was listed on the drop down screen. Looking at their website later on she saw a major in that dept that didn’t show up on the Common App which she would much prefer. She contacted the school, and asked if they could change it, but they never responded. Contacted them again over a week later, and didn’t respond. Help
@citymama9 - How did your daughter contact the college? I would suggest an email to her regional admissions rep with a Cc to the main admission address. If she’s already tried this without success then the next step can be a phone call to the regional rep.
Note, however, that this is the busy travel season for admission staff as well as high season for questions, so sluggish turnaround time isn’t surprising.
My daughter has had a couple of problems with Sr Year courses that were discontinued when her school couldn’t find a teacher. She was so eager to get her Common App done early that she filled it out with her original schedule back in August. Once she completed her essays and school-spcific stuff and FAFSA, it was October 22 and she pressed submit without updating the Common App course schedule with the changes that happened in the past few weeks. How can she send corrections? Email or through common app itself?
@Sally_Rubenstone Thank you! First, she sent an email to her regional rep. She got a response saying she was out of the office, traveling. Then she called admissions and they said she needed to send them an email ( so they would have it in writing) which she did. No response. Sent a second email to admissions office, no response. It’s a big school so that must explain what’s happening.
Hello - our applicant neglected to include information regarding her uncle’s status as both an alumnus and a long-time member of the staff at Harvard (Senior Administrator) in her Harvard application. Is this an omission that matters? TIA!
@citymama9 -You’re doing all the right stuff. The updated info is most likely in your daughter’s file now, but she may NEVER get an acknowledgement of it. If that makes her uncomfortable, she should wait about two weeks then call the admission office again to confirm that the change is in there.
EXCEPTIONS: If her choice of majors on the application aren’t binding (i.e., she won’t be expected to necessarily major in whatever she put on the application), then there’s no need to do anything else at all.