<p>Save the Uncommon Application</p>
<p>Yep, I joined the Save the Uncommon Application group today. =)</p>
<p>I actually don't like the Common App. I feel like I'm not really paying enough attention to each school, and plus you have to write more essays, what with all the supplements.</p>
<p>Exactly. And its so cold and boring and impersonal. Ew. </p>
<p>Plus it might not draw all that many more serious applicants anyhow...more like, oh i can add one more uni to my list, shall i add u chicago? haha...</p>
<p>I don't know how much it would bring in "non-serious" applicants... UChicago would probably put their crazy questions in the supplement, which would turn off any "one more school"-ers.</p>
<p>Here's an idea: have BOTH applications available for use.</p>
<p>Oh man, imagine how that would sound. "You can either choose between the Common Application or the Uncommon Application". Hah.</p>
<p>hahaha, both applications. interesting, i'm thinking that would just cause <em>more</em> administrative headaches, though. two sets of applicatoins, kids filling out different things. the horror!</p>
<p>i can just imagine this discussion board next year:</p>
<p>"do you think it'll hurt my chances if i use the common app vs. not common..."</p>
<p>Yeah a lot of students here are REALLY annoyed at this Common App. business... dare I even say... heartbroken? Nevertheless, I've been told that several mailings which will be sent out to prospective applicants next year already talk about the common application being available for students, so the decision has pretty much already been made... the april deadline for the official decision is merely a formality.</p>
<p>THANK THE LORD</p>
<p>I don't understand what the problem is...Uchicago can still ask all the essay questions it wants. The real change is that the application will be housed on Commonapp.org. This makes it MUCH more easy to organize everything. Trust me, I'm going through that process right now. It's so confusing juggling 5 different college websites, trying to find college addresses, deadlines, information, and different application forms. Please, make it easier for us logistically! There is no need to change the actual substance of the application.</p>
<p>I guess the arguments being made for the switch are reasonable, but no less heartbreaking. I didn't apply to U Chicago just because I thought the Uncommon App was cool, but that was one of the major factors that influenced me to read more about the school. After all, part of what makes U Chicago so amazing and so different from everywhere else is its individuality. Part of that is lost, I think, when you dilute one of the most unique characteristics. On the other hand, having a Common App/Uncommon Supplement pair doesn't mean that the school itself will diminish in quality.</p>
<p>(Also, I wish the Common App website got a bit more organized... seriously, the only reason why I haven't finished filling mine out [three months later!!!] is because the boxes are so cluttered and ugly. Hah. Oh, and regarding ease-- I firmly disagree that the Common App makes the process easier. It depends on what schools you're applying to, but I think juggling supplements is a lot more frustrating than filling out one application at a time. Especially when some schools have supplements that are suspiciously similar to the actual applications.)</p>
<p>I guess when all's said and done, it wouldn't be the end of the world if the University made the switch... but it would really, really suck.</p>
<p>I just hope the retain all three Chicago essay types, and package them well.</p>
<p>Definitely. It would be terrible if Chicago does not keep its essays, for which it is notorious. As long as the three essays are there in lieu of the common app prompts, I'm happy.</p>
<p>The three essays would still keep the self selection thing, probably.</p>
<p>I mean, I have a friend who only had to write two and was applying to 4 or 5 schools. I've written 5 so far, and still have a few to go, I think.</p>
<p>You guys can sign the petition against getting rid of the Uncommon Application at: <a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Uncommon%5B/url%5D">http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Uncommon</a></p>
<p>The Facebook group is still growing.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, how much will embracing the Common Application influence admissions rates (in terms of selectivity, etc.)? I imagine Chicago would be harder to get in, but hopefully not substantially more difficult.... :(</p>
<p>I'd like to thank whoever posted the link to the article originally. I'm too lazy to check. But it was a nice conversation topic at my interview today. I asked my alum if he knew about this, and asked what he thought about it. It led into a nice discussion about Chicago's uniqueness and self-selection and such. He didn't like the idea of the switch, by the way.</p>
<p>daenerys,</p>
<p>The selectivity question is a little bit tough. On the one hand, it is pretty much obvious that the admission percentage will obviously fall, but I don't suspect that the switch to the Common App will change how selective the university is. Though it will force the university to accept proportionally less applicants, this drop will only be due to the fact that several students will now apply since it is just a lot more convenient, but many have no interest in attending/won't get in. I suspect that we will have more cross-admits with other top-caliber schools, as well as more "hail-mary pass" students applying, so I think that the admission % will radically drop, the waitlist will grow longer (greater uncertainty due to more cross-admits), but the overall chances of someone getting in shouldn't change all that much.</p>
<p>Felipecocco,</p>
<p>Thanks for the response! I am also wondering whether, should Chicago switch to the Common App (God forbid), will it still keep a supplement with the same three essay prompts as offered in the Uncommon App?</p>
<p>Of course. I don't know of any college without a supplement. I know of a few without essays on the supplement (Wash U is one) but just about every other top college asks 1 or more extra essays questions on the Common App supplement. To me the change is good because it does not have to be a content/substantive change...it's just a change in where the app is housed, which makes a big difference logistics-wise but which doesn't have to impact the actual app very much at all.</p>