So, if I’m applying to a school (Yale) that wants the same QB and common app essay but also to another school (UVa) who likes having different essays and encourages it, what do I do? How do I go about applying with the common app? I know this will be clearer to be once the common app opens but I hope someone knows!
I’m applying to both those schools too! But, by different essays I’m assuming they mean supplements? Personally, my personal statement and my common app personal statements are the same. But, for Yale I’m figuring I don’t need to do any supplements whereas for UVA I need to do additional essays for them. But, I’m not using different essays for my common app and QB personal statements. At least, that’s how I interpreted their instructions (:
Unless it has changed in the last 2 years (my son is Yale 2017), Yale requires a supplemental essay, has short answer questions and a why Yale question that are part of the common app. I believe the supplemental question when my son applied was something like, “tell us something about yourself that you want us to know about you.” Basically, what the Yale AOs are saying is that one of your essays for QB will be able to be used for the common app essay. It does not mean that you won’t have additional essays/questions to answer for Yale on the common app.
No, I’m talking about the personal statement essay (thanks for the supplement question information, though!). My QB essay is nearing the 800 character limit and the CA limit is 650. I also have an idea for the CA essay that I would really want to use. Yale wants you to reuse the essay according to the “App requirements” page on QB. I talked to the UVa booth at a QB conference and the student said she used different essays on different topics for the QB personal statement and CA. The admissions counselor said she encourages different essays because it shows off your writing skills and personality even more.
Ok. This may have changed, but when my son applied to QB, he wrote three essays and ~10 short answers as part of his application. The essays included his personal statement of up to 800 words and two additional essays, either of which could have been used for the Common App essay prompts. I don’t think Yale is talking about your personal statement essay, but about one of the two additional essay prompts that are a requirement of QB.