<p>I've submitted my common app to 2 colleges and I just saw that in my activities, I put 20 weeks instead of 10 weeks for a certain extracurricular involvement. What should I do? Is it worth contacting the 2 colleges that I have already applied to?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Yes, better to be honest about it than face the consequences</p>
<p>61 views and no other opinions?</p>
<p>Should I just email the admissions office and tell them the exact issue?</p>
<p>I’m just a highschool student but…</p>
<p>I think it would be a good idea to call. Better safe than sorry. I doubt calling and explaining what happened will have any major negative impact on your application whatsoever. Besides, if they feel like 20 weeks is a lot for a certain activity in context, then they might get suspicious of your other activities. Calling can prevent that.</p>
<p>No, leave it be…if questioned (highly unlikely) it was an easy typo error…you are calling much too much attention to a small detail…(unless of course it was a very high powered activity)…correct it going forward.</p>
<p>I just emailed one of the colleges and told the exact issue. Depending on what this college replies to me, I’ll email the other college. Im just stressed because these schools are like safeties for me and I’d be really worried if i didn’t get in based on such a small issue.</p>
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<p>I agree. Correct the issue for colleges you haven’t submitted your application to . . . and let it go for the the two that you’ve already sent. As this NYTimes article states, colleges are having enough issues with the New Common Application and your error, in the scheme of things, isn’t that critical: <a href=“Online Application Woes Make Students Anxious and Put Colleges Behind Schedule - The New York Times”>Online Application Woes Make Students Anxious and Put Colleges Behind Schedule - The New York Times;
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<p>I agree with gibby. (I almost always do.)</p>
<p>And take some comfort in the knowledge that what you’ve made is a minor error. This was a grave error: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/470497-clam-fart-oh-my-god-what-did-i-do.html?highlight=clam+fart[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/470497-clam-fart-oh-my-god-what-did-i-do.html?highlight=clam+fart</a>. And if you read through to the end, you’ll see that even that one turned out fine in the end.</p>
<p>^ That is an absolutely hilarious thread.</p>
<p>my opinion, only contact schools if its like a 10 week HEAVY activity where you did like over 20 hours of work per week. Because if you go from 10-20, it could cause suspicion. however if its not like that, leave it be</p>
<p>Thanks, Sikorsky. I laughed so hard reading that thread!</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I contacted one of my colleges before I saw anyone reply. The activity was 15 hours of work per week, but the difference between 10 and 20 weeks is 150 hours. I hope the college doesn’t take the email too seriously…</p>
<p>I wouldn’t sweat it one way or the other. On review of S3s CA after it had gone to 3 schools I caught an error in weeks/year (should have been 40 to indicate participation the full school year), it was listed as 9?? Don’t ask. These were a couple of minor clubs. I was irritated I hadn’t caught it on first read. I had him update it for the remaining schools and assume the three that got the odd hours will figure it out or won’t place much value. </p>
<p>Btw, the ‘clam fart’ thread is epic. I told my son about it when he was editing saying it could have been worse. :eek:</p>
<p>Depending on the school and its goals in admissions, your email may reflect well on you. Plenty of schools face applications that feature ghostwritten essays, fudged ECs, and exaggerated claims of participation. An admissions officer facing a pile of applications like that might take an extra look at the application of a student who is making the effort to be honest and scrupulous by disclosing a typographical error that could be misleading.</p>
<p>This is not a reply but a question about a mistake in the common app that my S has already submitted to a university under their early action program. In the honors section of the common app S put down Johns Hopkins CTY recognition award and put down “9th” grade. He also put down that the award was a “national” award. JH-CTY talent search is global so we are thinking he should have put down “global” or “international”. Being national or international is not the big worry. The big worry is that he put down “9th” grade but the talent search test was done at the end of 8th grade. The common app only has slots for saying whether the honor was received in 9-11th grade. The confusion about putting down “9th” grade arose because he indeed did participate in JH-CTY programs while in 9th grade. I’m worried about this and would like some suggestions on how to handle this. I want him to send an email to correct this and indicate that the honor/recognition was for 8th grade work. He thinks this is “minor” and should not send email. All other parts of the application support S’s high academic potential, he is a national merit commended student with high GPA and has completed 3 AP classes in junior year and is enrolled in 3 APs senior year, he has other national awards/honors, and depth in extracurricular activities with long-term dedication to one or two of the activities . Overall he is a strong student. He is applying to highly selective college. Any suggestions any one has is highly appreciated and sorry for the long-winded question.</p>