I plan on applying early to a college during this upcoming admissions cycle. If there is a specific accomplishment that you earn during the time period between the submission of an early application and the submission of an application for regular decision, could you add it directly to the Common App or do you have to contact admissions directly? My college friend told me that you can still edit the Common App, but the Common App website says otherwise, so I just wanted to set the record straight here.
If you edit the common app, it will add your accomplishment to the applications you haven’t sent out yet, but it won’t change anything for the ones you have already submitted. Once you’ve sent it to a college, you will have to contact the admissions people at the school itself to make any changed to your application. I wouldn’t do this unless it was a very important addition, though; if you got an award or won a competition, definitely mention it, but if it’s something small (like becoming treasurer of the anime club) it really won’t make a difference.