Princeton App or Common App?

<p>the princeton app seems to be more involved. is it more advantageous to use the princeton app instead of the common app? or does princeton really not care?</p>

<p>I don't think they care -- neither is more involved because the Princeton supplement takes care of any differences between the two apps.</p>

<p>CommonApp is more convenient for a lot of people, but it has these stupid character limit things on all of their form fields. Princeton's doesn't. Ex: If my parent works at Petersen Automotive Museum, I'd have to shorten it to "Pete. Auto. Mus." to make it fit. Ridiculous.</p>

<p>Yup. I think they're actually not supposed to discriminate between apps.</p>

<p>CommonApp is slightly more convenient (minus character limits) in terms of 1) essay choices: you get to choose 2 of 5 Princeton topics for the supplement (and 1 long commonapp essay), instead of 3 of 5 for the Princeton app, and 2) teacher / counselor recommentations: easier for you and for them.</p>

<p>It really doesn't matter, but I would go with the common app so you don't have to keep track of an extra application. It's much more convenient to use the common app.</p>

<p>I used common app. you can use it for H and Y too</p>

<p>thanks for everyone's replies :)</p>

<p>My d found that the Princeton app offered more opportunities to convey what she was about than did the common app. I have heard this from other students as well. This may have changed, but it's worth considering which app will "showcase" you better.</p>

<p>Direct from Dean Janet Rapelye (6/2/06 P Reunion program on "Navigating the College Admission Process)":</p>

<ul>
<li>P does not favor either form of application, they are treated the same, as they contain identical info (in different layouts, see below).</li>
<li>The Common Appl has allowed P to reach more students, and she views it favorably.</li>
<li>the P Supplment captures the <em>entire</em> P-specific questions used on the P application form.
So Dean Rapelye reiterated that either application (Common, P appl)
are exactly identical for all intents & purposes.</li>
</ul>

<p>Despite the public comments, they like their own app. It's been in place for much longer than the Common app, providing a format designed by Princeton, one they're used to. If they didn't prefer it, why would they continue to bother with it? Why incur the cost of maintaining it? Bottom line, it would have been phased out, wouldn't it, if the school truly thought it superfluous?</p>

<p>Helpful hint: If you use the Princeton app, do not try to submit it the day it's due. On this last due date, the server crashed. Many then had to scramble to transfer all the info to the Common app. before the deadline.</p>