More than 500 colleges accept the Common App, yet it feels like the schools you want to apply to do not accept it.
The Common App is an online, universal application that students can use to apply to multiple schools at one time. There are five essay prompts to choose from, all pretty generic, and places to stick all the other hoopla you want a school to know about you. When you are done, you select what schools you want to see this application and call it a day.
We were under the impression that basically every school besides Oxford and Harvard were on the Common App. We were so wrong. Barely any schools we are interested in were on the Common App, and if they were, they had their own portion to the application.
But it would be a random group of schools. For example, University of Virginia and the College of William and Mary are on it, but Virginia Tech is not, and neither is James Madison University. You would think that these big name universities would hop on to the Common App. Guess again. Personally, we didn’t expect the prestigious universities to be on it. We definitely did not think the second oldest university would participate in it either.
Ever since we were freshmen, we’ve heard all about how the Common App is the best thing ever and it makes your life so much easier. That was a complete lie. You have to answer a bunch of awkward questions about your parents, like what your mother’s maiden name is and where she grew up, and it takes absolutely forever. It really does not help the application process. Every school seems to have their own application that you can do instead and they have more creative essay prompts. For example, Tulane University in New Orleans has their own application but they still accept the Common App.We think if you are going to use the Common App, you shouldn’t have an alternate application option.
A lot of seniors are considering not even using the Common App. If you are only applying to one school using it, why bother? We were completely deceived as to how useful it really is.
The essay prompts don’t make it any easier. They are basically all “What is something interesting about you,” or “What is your special talent.” Thus, speaking to a very specific type of person. What are the average Joes supposed to write about? You cannot get to know someone in only 500 words.
It looks like the Common App isn’t so common, after all.