Please help me understand how the common app is submitted to schools. For example, my daughter submits her app to School A. Then, my daughter wants to apply to School B, but with a different essay. So she changes the essay and submits to School B. Then, she switches back to the first essay and applies to School C.
Will each school truly see the essay that was there at the time of submission? Or do they simply have access to her Common App and will, therefore, see any changes she makes after submission?
It’s my understanding that they will see the application that is filled out for submission at that particular time. when the application is ready to submit, click the preview button and you will see exactly what admissions will see. I do not think there are any hidden windows that you can’t see (that admissions could see).
Yeah, admissions officers receive a document with what you submitted. They cannot access your common app. In your case, School B would see Essay 2 and Schools A and C would see Essay 1.
I’m curious - I thought that was the beauty of the common app - you submit one essay answering one of the common app prompts for ALL schools, and you submit, as needed, supplemental essays for individual schools. Why would you want to change the common app prompt essay for different schools?
Why would you change the common app essay for different colleges? Each college has its own supplemental essays that are different. But the whole idea of the common app is to write one 650 word essay and use it for all colleges.
Thanks! That’s what we were hoping. She wrote an essay and submitted several applications. Then, a different school required a supplemental essay. The one she wrote for that was so much better! So, she decided to make that her regular essay for other schools going forward. She has written so many essays at this point (common app, supplementals, scholarships), and sometimes one works better for a certain college than others. So, she wants to switch them out. We just want to make sure that the schools actually receive them that way.
The single essay idea is long gone. I had four apply over last several years and watched the common app evolve. Use to be one essay and that was it. There was a back door way to submit a different essay, but super stressful. Then it went to a system where you could make up to 5 edits within the essay after you submitted the first time; that was still stressful. Now, you have unlimited editing and can submit a different essay to every school you apply to. Last year, D changed the essay a few times because she was applying to very different majors at different schools. Allowed her to emphasize aspects of her life and things learned that applied to each major better.
Yes, the school gets the essay you have saved in the essay area of the common app at the time you submit. If you download the pdf of the completed file when you submit it for each school, you will see (and verify) the exact essay you submitted each time.
I cannot stress enough how you have to commit to 100% proofing just before you submit if you are using different essay versions. She always printed it out before submitting. Don’t submit at 2am! Be rested and aware when you hit that button.
Great advice @CADREAMIN ! She always has me do a review as well before submitting, just in case she missed anything. I like the idea of printing them out.
Thanks @ChristiGabi. One last suggestion - cause I proof a lot of things besides apps - after the 100th proof of the same essay, or close cousin of same essay, it can help to read it out loud to catch things your eyes might gloss over because of familiarity. I would tell my D to take a break and I would take the print out and read it aloud by myself. Painstakingly slow, but it does catch things the eye will miss. Good luck to your D - hang in there, acceptances are right around the corner.
Thanks! She’s heard back from one so far - accepted. But she says it’s her least favorite option. It’s the university 10 minutes from our house, so it’s not very exciting.
