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But if I'm asking to be looked at "in the best light", one of the things I consider is the way to make it easiest for my reviewer
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Well, sometimes the key to getting in is getting noticed, and sometimes a student gets noticed by doing something different. </p>
<p>I don't think students should be different just for the point of being gimmicky, and I definitely don't think it would be helpful if the student opts for paper just to pile on added bulk -- but at the same time I do think that a lot can get lost with the online format, especially when a student feels constrained by the forms to abbreviate or eliminate important information. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, our experience was that the Common App online was the worst of all online options in terms of its limitations -- there were also online apps that my daughter loved. For example, she felt the Fordham online application was very user friendly and a breeze to fill out -- in fact, Fordham was a last-minute addition to her list, and I think that the ease of completing their online application was one reason she added the school. </p>
<p>I think it is important that the application process allow the student to present themselves in whatever they feel is their best light. For one thing, that is going to give the ad committee what they need to know. But more important, I think that the student should be able to feel good about what they submitted -- if they feel that they had to hold back in some way because of the format, then they are going to feel frustrated in the end if they are not accepted. </p>
<p>I realize that part of the sentiment being expressed here is that logically, chances should be better if you give them what they want in the way that they want it. I am not directly arguing with that point -- but my kids tend to be stand-outs and not rule-followers, they very often do things in a somewhat different way than others around them (its what happens when two trial lawyers marry & procreate -- you get a double dose of the "argumentative" gene). Those do-it-my-way habits are also characteristic of leadership and/or creativity, which of course is something that the most selective colleges say that they want. </p>
<p>The irony is that it is very hard to stand out in a setting where thousands of applicants are using an online format with limited space and drop-down options. There's no point in deviating if the format is not constraining -- you won't grab attention by typing out the same list that could have been selected from the pre-formatted options -- but if the student has something different to say, then I think they should say it in whatever mode is best suited for conveying the message.</p>