OFFICIAL Common Application Questions Thread

<p>Hey guys, I was just wondering if I should even bother wasting my $60 to apply to UCLA, since I have basically no extracurriculars? I live in Vegas, so being out of state doesnt help. I have a 3.8 uw, 4.6 weighted GPA. I have pretty bad test scores (1740 SAT, SAT II on Dec 1). I have like zero extracurriculars, I only did Mu Alpha Theta in 9th and 10th grade, no athletics. Our annual income is like $25,000 so I cant even really pay for a decent college, and I doubt I'll get much federal aid or scholarships. I dont want to be drowned in student loans either. Is it really worth it to just settle for UNLV and save money? What do I do guys, I'm at a loss here. I really wanna move back to Los Angeles, since I grew up there and love it. What colleges in the SoCal area do I have a shot at?</p>

<p>Wrong forum.</p>

<p>you guys think writing about my community service involvement in the paragraph sport about an Activity is a good idea? Since my teachers will be touching on my other big things already...</p>

<p>yes, yes, use every opportunity to avoid anything in ur application from being repeated.</p>

<p>huskies: community service, even a school activity i would say is fine. I do a lot of activities in school and picked one that teachers did not mention in their recommendation. I also think its more than ok if it DOES appear on the application...the point of the short answer is to expand on an activity, and the ones u "list" are just listed, not elaborated. So community service involvement or even a school activity, sports is fine. Best if not mentioned or explained elsewhere on your app.</p>

<p>Regarding multiple versions of the common app, is this option for people who want to write different essays for the main common app personal essay?</p>

<p>It's for anyone who wants to tweak the main app for different colleges.</p>

<p>Yeah, it can be for different essays if you want; for example, if one college's supplement asks something and another doesn't (and you want that college to see that part of you), you may want to address that a bit in the main Common App essay.</p>

<p>Is there anything special that should go on the envelope you send you Secondary School Report in? Do I just put in the form, letter, and sealed transcript and mail it?</p>

<p>My GC put my Secondary school report, GC Rec, transcript, and both teacher recs in a 9 x 12 and sent it all in at once.</p>

<p>The school has gotten everything.</p>

<p>How was the trasncript? Mine is sealed in an evelope and stamped. That's alright, right? "Official?" It's okay that I'm mailing it myself? I just put it all in an envelope?</p>

<p>Oh I see.
Thanks blddrake44.</p>

<p>I have some more questions:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>In the academics section under current year courses, what does it mean indicate credit value? How would I indicate that? Also, I'm taking English CP (college preparatory). There are three levels of English offered at our school, including English 12, English 12 CP, and English 12 AP. Do I put English 12 CP down? In addition, I'm taking AP Economics for two semesters. On my transcript, it says AP Economics, but I'm wondering whether I should just list that for both semesters or put AP Macroeconomics for the first semester and AP Microeconomics for the second semester.</p></li>
<li><p>On the school forms like the teacher recommendations, it says to the side on the first page, "Please detach along perforation." What does this mean?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>For number one, that depends. It really doesn't matter since the transcript will show the credit value. My school has semester classes, so when I wrote it down, I put it down as</p>

<p>English 0.5 English 0.5</p>

<p>that way it shows each semester is half a credit. You can put down CP if you want. Your transcript will show them what it stands for. Like, on mine, It says H for honors and P for AP.</p>

<p>For number two, are you using the paper copy?</p>

<p>So that's how you assign credit values.</p>

<p>Yeah, I'm using the paper copy.
I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it though.
Is that for the admissions offices?
I don't understand why I would cut it.</p>

<p>I think it'd be easier to just use the online form... But you have to cut out the teacher recs and school report because you have to give them to your teachers so they can fill them out. It'd be a looong process to pass your booklet around, especially if teachers take a while writting their letter.</p>

<p>I'm confused.
I just printed out copies of the two page teacher evaluation.
Don't I just give them to my teacher?</p>

<p>No, those forms are in the booklet. You don't print out anything if you're using the paper copy. That's for the online people since everyone turns those in via snail mail. If you're using the hard copy, you should have a booklet or something.</p>

<p>Ah, I got mixed up.
I will submit my commonapp online, but my teacher recommendations will be sent by mail. I thought you were asking whether my teacher recommendations would be sent online or by mail.</p>

<p>Well, you said you were using the paper copy... And everyone has to turn in their teacher recs by mail whether they're using the paper copy or the online copy. The school forms you print out are all sent by mail, not done online. What was your question about the form?</p>

<p>If you take a look at the teacher evaluation for instance, on the first page where you have the option of waiving your right to seeing the evaluation, it says in gray, "Please detach along perforation." I was wondering whether I was supposed to actually do that, because it doesn't make much sense to do so.</p>

<p>I don't see where it says that.</p>