<p>I just rented K. Cohen's book from the library to see if I could get some useful tips. It was pretty ridiculous. For instance, she recommended using the school's application instead of the common app to prove your dedication to the school. Frankly, I think schools would prefer the common app b/c it makes their jobs a little easier.</p>
<p>"I think schools would prefer the common app b/c it makes their jobs a little easier."</p>
<p>How do you figure? In either case, they go through the same family, school, and activity info. And, for both the common app and the school's own app, essays must be read. I would think that it would be about the same in terms of work. Or, actually, maybe the common app would be more <em>annoying</em> work because some schools have some interesting prompts. </p>
<p>Regardless, I think that if the school gives you the option for either, doing their app shows that you don't mind putting in <em>specific</em> effort for their school. If you complete their app then they know that you didn't just care enough to use the copy machine, you know? Maybe it isn't always conscious, but I can't say that I wouldn't feel that way even a little, if in their position.</p>
<p>If anything, the Common Application makes the life of the student easier, not the school. You could argue that they don't have to come up with their own app, but it's usually resolved in the supplement.</p>
<p>Honestly, I haven't seen something missing from the Common App (over the school app) that is either:
A) Asked in the Common App supplication or
B) Asked within a required seperate application (Villanova)</p>
<p>I think it's crap to say that the Common App doesn't show your dedication. The reality is, unless you're going to apply to a single school, the Common Application makes the whole process easier and makes you more likely to make a more quality app (since you're not fragmenting your time over a bunch of apps).</p>
<p>If schools didn't want you to use the Common App, they wouldn't be part of it.</p>
<p>Don't common app schools have to sign an agreement that they won't discriminate between the common app and their own?</p>
<p>i dunno but doesn't the common app streamline the process for both the student and the school because so many students use it that it makees it easier to review such a huge volume of apps and students can make better apps because they don't have to dilute their efforts over various apps?</p>
<p>OK. Ask yourselves this question: "If the common app is exactly what a school wants, and if getting a common app makes the process easier, WHY do they even still offer their own app?"</p>
<p>I suggest they may offer their own app because they like their own app, and are using the common one because there's very good marketing reason to do so.</p>
<p>Yes, schools cannot discriminate between those who use the common app and those who use the school's own app. But let's face it, ad. officers are human. They can go to bat for a kid or not go to bat for a kid. When and how they decide to do that is an alchemical process and one never knows how much "liking" a kid has to do with factors such as these.</p>
<p>Will the app used make or break the vast majority of kids? Of course not. Could it make a difference for those on that knife edge between acceptance and rejection? It might. The issue is whether the applicant wants to go through the hassle.</p>
<p>There are a few reasons schools offer their own apps.
A) If you don't do the Common Application online, you still have to write it out each time (do they allow copies?). The school app, which might omit information asked by the CA that is deemed unnecessary, would be easier to fill out.
B) If you get an application by mail, it might pique your interest, and if you go through the trouble of doing it, you're probably not just applying there because it takes you five seconds.</p>
<p>On some level, it can say, "Look, I'm not just a kid who took the 15 seconds to pick your school from the drop down list because, well, the more the merrier!", but they are supposed to take the Common Application with the same level of consideration as their own app.</p>
<p>One of the most common forms of individual school apps that kids fill out are the free ones- the kid has to go through the trouble of filling out an individual app, which weeds out kids (to some degree) that would just apply because they could (vs. actually being interested).</p>
<p>I've noticed more and more schools becoming Common App exclusive - it makes sense, they get used to one app, and then there is no possible way to discriminate against Common App kids.</p>
<p>so what's the bottom line: common app, or not?</p>