Uncommon Questions about the Common App

Applying to College Common and Coalition Application
1

<p>This thread is devoted to those poor souls confounded by the treacherous paramour that is the Common Application. </p>

<pre><code> On a more serious note, while the Common Application is meant to be a useful tool for applying to all the Colleges you want without going to the trouble of filling out, writing essays for, and dealing with the general craziness of College Admissions dun dun dunnn!, sometimes the Common App can get a bit confusing itself.

This brings us to the purpose of this thread; this thread is meant to serve as a forum for all those with questions about the Common App that they can't quite get a satisfying answer to from the average Google search. If your question is insanely specific, overarchingly broad, or derived from a severe bout of college admissions-induced neurosis, we at College Confidential WANT to hear it. Why? Because we're just as neurotic about getting into our dream schools as you are and can't bear the idea that there's an angle to the Common Application we hadn't thought of yet.

So, if you have a question about the Common Application that you can't get a completely satisfying, 100%, or maybe even a truly perfect, OCD-stoppering answer just post it below and the wonderfully magical community here at the College Confidential will take care of it!
</code></pre>

2

<p>I’ll kick things off.
On the Common App, one field reads “Parent is employed by or retired from a college or university” with the options Yes or No. However, what do I do if my parent is an adjunct professor? Meaning my parent is a part-time, non-salaried, non-tenure track faculty member.
According to Wikipedia: This position tends to involve professionals employed elsewhere full-time or retired professionals, and does not always require a completed PhD.
So I feel I should clarify to give a better picture of what I’m asking; my dad is a 'full-time professional and does have a PhD. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!</p>

3

<p>The purpose of this question is primarily to determine if the applicant is eligible for an institutional advantage at any school such free tuition for all staff immediate family members. If this position is merely a class or two your dad teaches now and then, I would not bother mentioning it as it will not impact your admissions decision.</p>