S24 is applying to about 12 schools. At least half of them do not require an essay of any sort. If he uses the Common App to apply, can he submit to those schools without the essay component? He has not even started his essay yet, but the non essay schools he could easily apply to August 1 since they are only asking for Test scores (some of them) and grades. I was under the impression that the Common App is not “complete” without the essay, but someone mentioned if the school does not require awn essay you can submit to that school without it. Is this correct?
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Schools do have the choice to not require the common app essay.
But, many common app schools require the common app essay if the applicant uses the common app to apply. Some schools that also offer their own app don’t require the common app essay that way.
Let us know which colleges you are talking about and we can go from there.
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Remember, “Optional” is not really the same thing as “not required.” Why? Because in this hyper competitive world of college applications, some students are missing opportunities to improve their chances by ignoring “optional” information.
IMO, students should always submit an essay that is “optional” because you don’t know who your competition is. Do they choose Johnny, who didn’t submit an essay, but who has the same grades and scores as Jim, who did submit an essay? If they only have room for one of them, they might choose Jim, who at least made an effort.
If he has written the essay already, why not just include it in the app?
It would be helpful to know which schools you refer to. The UC’s, for example, have their own shorter essay prompts called PIQs. Students choose four of them. ASU makes the personal statement optional, but it’s a very popular school for OOS students to apply to. Why not make his app standout a bit?
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Yes, S23 never wrote a common app essay. He just used it for OOS schools (Arizona, ASU and Utah) which didn’t require an essay unless applying for honors (something of no interest to him since he wanted as few courses as possible outside Astronomy/Astrophysics), and had no problem being admitted with merit.
I have no idea why a non-honors student would need to make their application “standout a bit” for somewhere like ASU that has standardized merit based on GPA/SAT scores and automatic admission (and for all intents and purposes no limits on the number admitted).
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Fair point. Overall, I think optional doesn’t always mean “optional”, but in the context you mention, it does. We don’t know what schools are in question so I gave a (bad) example.
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OP shared the following in another thread.
He has a bunch of southern schools (Auburn, Bama, UGA, U of SC, NC State, Kentucky). Is adding Penn State. Also UMD. He knows UGA and NC State are super high reaches, Maryland probably as well.
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The colleges can download the portions that they require from the Common App. You can also preview a .pdf prior to submitting to make sure you are comfortable.
The Common App website says the following;
Common App Personal Essay
Colleges can either make the personal essay optional or required. In the writing section of your Common App tab, you will see a table that lists each college’s requirements.
So you will not have to submit one for the essay optional schools.
I disagree with those who are saying that he needs to submit an essay to have an advantage. CC typically gets absorbed into discussing a subset of colleges where that is true, but it isn’t true for all schools. If his list has schools with rolling admissions where admissions is based primarily on a calculation of quantitative academic factors, by all means submit as early as possible without the essay. There is no reason to complicate the process.
I found the quote above under #6 on this page:
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I agree no reason to send the essay to auto admit schools where it’s not required. IMO there are maybe 250 schools (give or take, again IMO) that care about the essay, where it could make a difference in admissions.
I’m going to comment on PSU, because this is a good example that can be confusing for people. (Caveat that this year’s common app isn’t yet open, so things could change).
If applying thru the common app, the CA personal statement essay for PSU has historically been ‘optional’. But, I know that (1) admission to PSU is competitive (especially for OOS students), and (2) that PSU AOs read every word that an applicant writes (I am fairly certain they say this in admissions sessions too, whether in person or virtual). So, for my students who are applying to PSU I tell them to submit a common app essay.
PSU has also historically had an optional supplemental essay in the CA that is worded similarly worded to the CA essay. Could one skip the common app essay, and just answer the PSU essay? Yes. Should one skip both essays? No, IMO.
Many of my students applying to PSU (all OOS) have written both essays, in this case they treat the PSU supplemental as a why us essay…which again is communicated in admissions sessions AFAIK. Assuming average or better than average essays, an applicant who writes the essays has a stronger app than ones who don’t.
I get that I am far more informed because I work with students applying to college, but again, PSU used to say these things in their admissions sessions. And, if they don’t, this is a perfect reason to reach out to one’s AO and ask questions.
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Specifically Auburn University told us at their visit presentation that they only ask for test scores and transcript and it is “easier” to use their application vs. Common App. But S24’s counselor is very strongly recommending using Common App for all, even the schools which will not even look at an essay, teacher recommendation, etc. If he uses Common App I am wondering if all those “extras” need to be there in order to submit it to a school that does not want them and won’t even look at them.
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OP here- yes so Auburn, Bama, Kentucky…none require essay or even consider them. He has not even started his essay (a while other topic, LOL) but would really like to submit the apps that he can as early as possible. Auburn has EA date of 9/15. No way will his Common App essay be done by then (at least I am not holding my breath).
Yes, if a school specifically lists an “optional” essay, he will do it. But some do not as far as we have seen and if they will not even look at it, I feel like he should get those in as early as possible.
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Note that Auburn is not really test optional if a student took a test…the TO acceptance rate is very low. (Not sure that’s your intent or not, but wanted to mention it)
Did you ask why the counselor recommends the common app over Auburns app?
Auburn has distinct EA rounds and deadlines as you know, best to make the earliest one you can which is Sept 15…make sure the counselors can also make that deadline.
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It shouldn’t take a student from now until mid-September to write the personal statement. If he works diligently on it, he could have it written over a weekend or the course of a week and spend a few more hours doing revisions, etc…
If it’s a college with auto-admit, etc…, he should submit as soon as the app opens.
Definitely worth considering.
My daughter has U of Kentucky on her list and it shows as requiring the essay. Double check that one before submitting it. Maybe it is changing for 2024?
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According to Kentucky’s website, it’s not part of the application:
https://admission.uky.edu/freshman/admission-checklist
Perhaps your daughter’s specific major has additional requirements.
His counselor likes Common App b/c “everything is in one place” and easier to keep track of. And yes, the Auburn AO told S24 that they really aren’t TO unless there are circumstances beyond the applicant’s control preventing him/her from sitting for the tests.
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Interesting. On the Common App, it shows as required. I have the trial parent account set up, but nothing is entered anywhere for a major. I’m not seeing it on your linked site where it mentions the essay either way. I must be missing it!
Perhaps they are changing that with the new cycle? Common app doesn’t update until Aug 1.
ETA: but, I also don’t see where it says no essay required at that link above
It lists the requirements, and doesn’t mention an essay. If you look one step prior, here is what it lists as application requirements:
I guess we will know for sure in August. But, I take the listed requirements to mean those are the separate items needed. The transcript is a separate thing, so is in the list. Same with sending the test scores. However, the essay is within the app itself not sent on its own.