Mastering the Common Application for East Coast Colleges

This episode promises to equip you with a step-by-step approach to mastering the Common Application, a crucial tool for aspiring students targeting East Coast institutions. Featuring practical insights and essential tips, you'll learn how to efficiently set up your Common App account, strategically add schools to your list, and navigate the dashboard like a pro. Whether aiming for the Ivy League, prestigious liberal arts colleges, or renowned research universities, discover how to tailor your application to meet each school's unique requirements.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:07

Welcome back to the East Coast College Admissions podcast, the podcast that helps students and families navigate the competitive world of college admissions in the East Coast. I'm your host, kulopatra, and today's episode is all about navigating the Common Application, or Common App, and other platforms used by East Coast schools. Whether you're applying to the IVs, small liberal arts colleges or major research institutions, chances are you will use the Common App or another popular platform like Coalitionision, or even school-specific portals. But don't worry by the end of this episode, you will feel confident about how to approach and complete these applications step by step. Before we dive into the nuts and bolts, let's clarify what the Common App is and why it's such an important part of the college admissions process. The Common App is a centralized application system that allows you to apply to multiple colleges with a single application. Over 900 schools, many of them on the East Coast, use the platform, including the Ivy League schools, large state universities and selective liberal arts colleges. Using one application means you save time by filling out several others, because you get to fill out your personal information, activity list and essays just once and send them all to the schools on your list. But there is a catch Each school may have additional requirements, so you'll need to tailor parts of your application depending on where you apply.

Speaker 1: 2:41

Let's start by setting up your Common App account. It will surprise you. I've met hundreds of students who do not know how to create a Common App. They have not even tried, because maybe the platform seems overwhelming to them or quite intimidating. I am not sure. But yeah, I'm to walk you through the steps to create a Common App account today. Step one is to visit wwwcommonapporg not com, it's org and click on create an account. Be sure to use an email address you check frequently, since this will be the primary way schools will contact you. Number two is add schools to your list. So once your account is set up, you can start by adding schools to your list by searching them, browsing through the college set tab. As you add the schools, you'll be able to see each one's specific requirements, such as whether they require supplemental essays or additional documents. The next step is to complete the dashboard, which is pretty easy to navigate. It's like a wizard you complete step one and it automatically sends you to step two. The dashboard is where you will see an overview of your progress for each school. It's a great way to stay organized, so check it frequently to make sure you're not missing any deadlines or specific application requirements.

Speaker 1: 4:01

Let's look at the personal information section of the Common App dashboard. This part of the Common App is pretty straightforward, but it's important to take your time and ensure everything is accurate. Here is what you need General information. This includes your name, address, contact details and demographic information. Make sure that all of this is up to date and matches the information on your high school records. Your family information you will need to provide details about your parents or guardians, including their education levels and occupations. Colleges use this information to get a sense of your background and may factor it into their decision-making process, especially if you're a first-generation student. Another portion is your education, all under personal information. This section asks for your high school counselor information and details about your coursework, so double check that your GPA and your class rank, if applicable, are correctly entered.

Speaker 1: 4:59

Moving on to the next session, one of the important sections of the Common App is the activity section. This is where you list your extracurricular activities, work experience and community service. You will have space to list up to 10 activities, but remember it's not about filling up all the spots. Admissions officers would rather see a few activities you are truly passionate about than a laundry list of clubs you've barely participated in. So here's how to approach that Prioritize impact. I covered this in my previous episode, so if you've not listened to it, I'll urge you to do that. Focus on activities where you've had leadership roles or made meaningful contributions. For example, if you are president of the debate club or led a fundraising effort, make sure to highlight that. Be specific. Each activity has a 150 character limit for describing your role, so be concise and direct. Instead of saying helped with community service events, if I were an admission officer, I would say and instead of that say I organized weekly food drive that collected over 500 pounds of donations. Doesn't that sound better? Definitely Use action words. Start each description with an action word like led, organized, designed or initiated, to show your involvement and impact.

Speaker 1: 6:28

We are moving to the next session, the personal statement, which is crucial for your application. For many eSchool schools, this is your chance to stand out from other applicants and share your unique story. You have up to 650 words to work with, so make sure every word count. Here are some tips for writing a compelling essay. Choose the right prompt. The Common App offers several essay prompts, ranging from personal challenges to creative ideas. Pick the one that resonates with you the most. Tell your story. Admissions officers want to learn about you as a person, instead of listing achievements. Use the essay to reflect on experiences that shaped your character or your passion. Be authentic, write in your own voice and avoid trying to impress admissions officers with fancy language. They want to hear your real story, so focus on what matters most to you. Edit, edit, edit. Don't rush this part. Have a teacher or a counselor or a trusted friend or a mentor Read your essay and offer feedback. Be open to revising this multiple times until you are confident with the final product. Let's move on to the next step supplemental essays.

Speaker 1: 7:45

Many eSchool schools require supplemental essays in addition to the Common Apps personal statement. These essays are school-specific and they are your opportunity to demonstrate your new interest in the institution. For example, a college might ask why do you want to attend our school, which is one of the most common questions you could expect from any admission officer or from any school. How will you contribute to our campus community? To write strong supplemental essays, research the school, visit the school's website, take virtual tours and even reach out to current students or alumni. The more you know about the school's unique offerings, the more you can tell your response. Be specific. Admissions officers want to know why their school is the right fit for you. Instead of vague statements like, oh, I love the campus, talk about specific programs, professors or extracurriculars that attract you. So this is where research comes in, because if you do thorough research, you should be able to know about a professor that led a project that made an impact that the news picked up. Things like that Highlight fit. Use these essays to show how your academic and personal goals align with the school's culture and opportunities.

Speaker 1: 9:06

So, while the Common App is the most widely used platform, some e-school also use the Collision application or their own application portal. Like the Common App, the Collision application allows you to apply to multiple schools with one application. However, it is more focused on access and affordability, with tools that help underserved students. If you're applying to schools like the University of Maryland or the University of Florida, you may need to use this platform For school-specific applications. Some schools like MIT and Georgetown have their own application systems. These applications may have different formats and essay prompts, so be sure to read the instructions carefully Before we wrap up, here are some final tips to keep in mind as you navigate the Common App and other application platforms.

Speaker 1: 9:59

Number one stay organized. Use a calendar or spreadsheet to keep track of deadlines, requirements and progress. Some schools have early decision or early action deadlines, so make sure you know when everything is due. Another tip is request recommendations early. Give your teachers and counselors plenty of time to write their recommendation letters, ideally at least a month before the deadline. Prove read everything.

Speaker 1: 10:27

Spelling or grammatical errors can hurt your chances. Read over your entire application carefully and have someone check it for mistakes. There are software now, like Grammarly, that could help detect spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. You could use that. Don't wait until the last minute. Application platforms tend to get overwhelmed close to deadlines, so submit your applications a few days before the due date to avoid any last-minute technical glitches. That's it for today's episode of the East Coast College Admissions Podcast. I hope this step-by-step guide has helped demystify the common app and other platforms you'll be using to apply to college. Remember, the application process may feel stressful, but with careful planning and attention to detail, you'll be setting yourself up for success. Thanks for tuning in and don't forget to subscribe for more tips and insights into the world of eSchools college admissions. Feel free to follow us on social media and reach out with any questions you might have. Until next time, happy applying.