<p>How does the common app work if our son is filling it out online, but a teacher needs to fill out the recommendation page? The instructions didn't make sense to me. Does he fill his part out online and print the teacher rec out and give it to him to mail in separately?</p>
<p>The instructions for the common app in general are confusing. Follow the on-line form and fill in all the teacher and GC information requested (it asks for their e-mail address). It gives you the option by college depending on how many recommendations the particular school requires. Apparently the teachers and GC receive an e-mail and complete their portion. I’m still not sure how it works behind the scenes but it does. The system may even send them a reminder…not sure, the instructions from CB are not at all clear. I cannot remember whether there is an option to print out but there may be, the common app is completely designed for kids not to customize and to execute on-line. My S2 had specific essays written for specific colleges and it was a pain in the behind to force the system to customize much. I’m not a fan of the clearinghouse approach to college apps but it does work.</p>
<p>As one who has to do recs every year, I will tell you that I get those e-mail things, and I hate doing the recs on line. It’s not easy to submit.</p>
<p>dke: also, check with your school’s guidance dept; some get the recs and make copies to send out with the transcripts…depends on policy…they may be better equipped to answer your questions…</p>
<p>gloworm: thanks for that heads up!</p>
<p>In my sons school some teachers like to use the online form, and others don’t. The kids ask the teachers what they prefer, and if it’s OK to give their email addresses to the common app. It’s OK to do some online, and some by paper. Last year my son had 2 submitted by online forms, and one by paper. The nice thing about the common app is that once the teacher uploads it in, and the school has received it, you know on the site. For the paper ones, you need to check with each school individually whether they received all of your recs or not.</p>
<p>My son printed out blanks for the teacher who wouldn’t do them on line (history) and had the email sent to the teacher who did do them on line (math).</p>
<p>Have you figured out yet how to make different versions of the application for different colleges?</p>
<p>Just wanted to mention that when my daughter filled out the common app a couple of years ago, our school counselors were unable to do the recommendations online - our school website blocked access. She filled out the top portion (with her name, etc.) and printed off copies for her teachers/counselors and we also provided stamped addressed envelopes for them to mail.</p>
<p>Isn’t that ironic that the school’s computer’s blocked access to the common application site?</p>
<p>Yes - they also blocked all “outside” emails for a while, too. So no parents could email them - just other school employees!</p>
<p>Our daughter’s guidance counselor in her public school, collected all the recommendations, and forwarded them to the schools. So, check with what the High School’s process is.</p>
<p>How timely! gloworm (and any other teachers out there?)–I’m always about trying to make it as easy as possible for the teachers who are wonderful enough to donate their time and energy doing these recommendations. When my oldest went through this (really just a couple of years ago!), it was all paper (we’d provide addressed, stamped envelopes). Now we’re in round 2, and some schools DS will apply to take common app and some do not. I also know one common app school he’s applying to wants NOTHING in paper form.</p>
<p>So is it overly annoying to have to do an electronic one <em>and</em> some paper ones? I guess maybe not so bad because it’s still only writing one recommendation?</p>
<p>The “motto” in my building for everything is that if something can be done paperless, it must be done paperless. It stinks!</p>
<p>The teachers and counselor who did common app recommendations for my son all had difficulty and confusion, one way or another, with the online form. He consequently ended up with some late recommendations and a lot of stress. If we had to do it all over again, he would have given them paper forms with the addressed, stamped envelopes.
My son attended a small, new, charter school, though; it might be a very different experience at a HS where the staff has a lot of experience with the common app. Plus, hopefully the common app. is making improvements to the system every year.</p>