<p>My D just received a postcard fropm Oberlin saying "We are pleased you are considering Oberlin...Although the Common Application is the primary part of your application,* we prefer that you submit the supplement as soon as possible*." (Italics THEIRS)</p>
<p>Of course she will call them to ask just how soon they mean. But I'm wondering if anyone else has seen this? Is it common?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>PRJ, how do they know that she will be applying? Just curious; is there something we should be doing to let D's chosen schools know that she'll be applying?</p>
<p>Is she applying ED? Early schools will say that just because they have such a reduced time frame to make decisions than RD. They want to encourage people to send it in early so they're not faced with a rush of applications they haven't seen before and only a month or so to decide. I'd say a few weeks early would be seen as nice, but I don't think they can penalize you if you don't send it early.</p>
<p>ChiSquare: Some schools have pre-applications. My d filled one out for Wash U and U of Tulsa (Tulsa waives the app fee if you apply before mid-Sept. - I'd have to look for the exact date); those schools have started a file on my d and she is on a mailing list that keeps her up-to-date on things she needs to know. I would either request an application from schools that your d knows she will apply to or at the least look on the school's website to see if any first steps need to be taken - like the pre-app.</p>
<p>When my D applied to Connecticut College, she missed the deadline for the supplement (didn't realize it was due before the common app). I think she was 3-4 days late (accepted, but I was worried about it until the acceptance came).</p>
<p>ChiSquare: Good question. She visited last February and has probably requested information online but that's the extent of her contact with Oberlin.</p>
<p>hellowowrld0987: No, she isn't applying ED. As far as I know. :) No, seriously, she is enjoying a summer working at camp and most likely not thinking about college applications at all.</p>
<p>ReneeV: That's helpful - I had no idea some supplements were due before the Common App. Obviously I/we haven't put our master spreadsheet of deadlines etc. together yet....</p>
<p>We got the same postcard - I believe it is just a request to get the application process going - not a requirement to do it early- maybe even an encouragement to make you feel like they want you to apply. Not like Bard where you can't interview until you submit their supplemental app.</p>
<p>Darthmouth has a pre-app supplement too. If Oberlin's is a pretty simple pre-app, I'd just fill it out like they asked and send it in.</p>
<p>Middlebury has a pre-application supplement as well. There are so many differences that it can be daunting.</p>
<p>It's a pretty straightforward supplement with a brief essay, essentially "Why Oberlin?" </p>
<p>Actually, I think this will be a relatively painless way for my D to get her application process started :)</p>
<p>I believe that colleges request the early supplement because it provides the information necessary to start a database record for the application and, therefore, a tracking mechanism as the various parts of an application (test scores, recormmendations) start filtering in.</p>
<p>BTW, I would recommend taking the "Why xxxxx college?" essay question seriously. I'm sure it varies from school to school, but some colleges put signficant weight on this question. </p>
<p>In an ideal world, this question serves as a way to focus a student on learning what, if anything, makes a school a specific good fit.</p>
<p>re: colleges wanting to start a record before parts of the app come in - that makes perfect sense.</p>
<p>and I completely agree with your advice on the "Why xxx?" question. being able to articulate "why I want to go to a particular school?" is very important.</p>