New common app

Applying to College Common and Coalition Application
1

<p>anyone else find the essay prompts kind of lame? Many could not even apply to someone and is there really not a free response option this year? Event that markrd transition from childhood to adult? I don't think my 16 year old is an adult yet..lol Challenged a belief?? Experienced Failure?? That leaves describing "a place where you are perfectly content". really? There has to be an option for a free response.</p>

<p>Under activities, band is not listed as an option?..dance, theater/drama, LGBT...but no band? My D's band spends hours practicing for events, parades, ect...plus mandatory band camp during the summer. No respect....and I realize it can be entered under "other"..but jeez</p>

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<p>Instrumental music?</p>

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<p>You’re probably taking them too literally. </p>

<p>Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.</p>

<p>Everyone has an identity shaped by events around them, no? It’s possible I’m interpreting this one too loosely, but I think it’s somewhat “topic of your choice”-ish. </p>

<p>Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?</p>

<p>She hasn’t experienced failure of any kind, ever? Really?</p>

<p>Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?</p>

<p>Yeah, this one really does suck. </p>

<p>Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?</p>

<p>I don’t really like this one. Who wants to read an essay about someone sitting around being perfectly content? I mean, you don’t have to write it that way, but most people will. </p>

<p>Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.</p>

<p>No, she’s not an adult, but surely she’s had experiences that made her grow up a little. This is a decent prompt…it’s just phrased badly.</p>

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<p>The new prompts are lame. Agreed.</p>

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<p>I agree with halcyonheather. I would use the first prompt as my tell anything I want story. </p>

<p>My son did think about writing his essay when he did his essay 2 years ago about a failure. One of the schools had that as their prompt for the supplement so he wrote it there. I don’t envy the new applicants with these prompts.</p>

<p>I think the last prompt is going to have a lot of kids writing about their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.</p>

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<p>failures before age of 17?..sure, but not essay worthy.</p>

<p>…and I’m not reading the first prompt as a catch all. There really needs to be a topic of your choice if you don’t like the prompts. Is there really not a topic of your choice option this year? anyone know? If not, Adcoms are going to be bored to tears this fall.</p>

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<p>Many, many in the admissions field have been frustrated that the topic of choice is gone this year. </p>

<p>The topics are bland. It is a shame. Hopefully, supplemental essays will look a little more exciting as they start appearing on the CA site.</p>

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<p>Yeah, I agree that the prompts are lame. My D’s essay from last year (which was pretty great, and helped her gain admittance to 3 reach schools) could not have been shoehorned into any of those prompts. These prompts feel like they were written by an anthropology professor…</p>