The Common Application Mrs. Caroline H. Rubio School Counselor Biomedical Science Academy
Common Application Basics • More than 800 post-secondary schools use the Common Application • The CA allows for a comprehensive review of the student • Convenient way to apply to multiple schools from one venue • You can track when you submitted your application, when you invited your counselor and other recommenders, when they submitted their recommendations, when the college/university downloaded your application and associated CA materials • Use this venue over single school applications • Excellent way to track your submission and those of your counselor/recommender(s)
What you need to get started • Professional e-mail address • Password (1 uppercase, 1 lowercase, 1 special character) – write it down! • Social Security number • Copy of your transcript • Copy of your schedule • All test scores, both past and planned through December • Information about your parents/guardians
Additional information needed • List of activities and honors in high school (including work experience). List any positions of responsibility (Captain, President, etc.) • List of Common Application schools that you are applying to • Possible: resume or other writing you wish to submit or other portfolio information (additional supplements, usually arts-related) • Accurate e-mail addresses of your recommenders and their titles
Important Aspects to the Common Application • The more important aspect is to accurately represent yourself to the schools where you are applying • They are trying to “create a class” of diverse, interesting people • Be authentic in what you write in the writing sections, allowing them to get to know you • Pick a prompt that is “easy” for you to address – one that attracts you. Ones that you may find “harder” are not weighted any differently. • Do not attempt a new style of writing • Resist having lots of people edit on a Google doc – have them make general suggestions so that your writing is yours and is consistent
Letters of Recommendation and the Secondary School Report • Counselors fill out the Secondary School Report and Mid-Year Report We upload your transcript on these documents. YOU will send your final transcript via Parchment.com. We also do a written evaluation and fill out a check sheet about personal characteristics about you. • We are asked about disciplinary violations (resulting in probation, suspension, removal, expulsion), academic misconduct, misdemeanors and felonies • Your number of recommenders will vary, depending on where you apply. • You have to “assign” your recommenders to each school • You’ll need to give a packet to each person recommending you, at least two weeks in advance . Each recommendation is written specifically about you and is not “canned”. Recommenders do not do letters over breaks – so be mindful of your deadlines!!!
Other considerations • Change of schedule in senior from what was originally reported • Change of performance in senior year • D/F grades in senior year – including in “elective” courses • You are responsible to contact ACT and/or SAT to send your scores. They are not on your transcript and are property of ACT or College Board. • Counselors upload your transcripts for CA schools or SendEdu schools only. You will need to arrange for your transcripts to be sent to other schools via parchment.com, an online provider. Check to see when they want them. For instance, UC and CSU will not want transcripts at the time of application. Other schools very likely will want them when you apply - every school is different.
Deadlines!!!! Deadlines are incredibly important this year! Failure to meet them can result in an offer of admission being revoked.
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