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CarolynLawrence
Administrator
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 3216 |
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Posted: Thu Mar 20th, 2008 11:25 pm |
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Those who had kids go through the process this year may recall the brewhaha that errupted when the "new" version of the Common App eliminated the ability to send different versions of the CA to different schools, or make corrections after you'd submitted it to one school. Though they set up an alternate process for this year (which caused some problems for my students, by the way), they recently sent an announcement to counselors about their plans for next year (this coming admissions year).
It looks like they are going to allow some questions to be changed in between submissions. They will also allow COLLEGES to decide whether they want to receive applicant test scores and social security numbers. Does that strike anyone else as taking away the entire purpose of "test optional?"
Anyhow, for those interested, here's a link to a copy of the letter sent to counselors:
https://www.commonapp.org/Commonapp/docs/cao_alternate.pdf
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DesperateDad
Member
| Joined: | Tue Mar 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 832 |
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Posted: Fri Mar 21st, 2008 02:29 pm |
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carolyn:
Perhaps the test scores will now be moved to the Supplement for those test-optional schools. I was reviewing one such school (for a high gpa, but test-challenged kid), and noticed that their supplement included a question: Do you wish to submit test scores? If the applicant marked Yes, the scores were added to the outside of the applicant folder. If the student checked No, the scores were (supposedly) redacted/covered up.
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unbelievablem
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: Wed Apr 2nd, 2008 02:59 pm |
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i read the memo -- so it still looks like a student will not be able to customize his/her essays for specific schools even though they can identify different academic interests.
so they can tell School A that they want to study X and School B that they want to study Y, but they can't write essays explaining those different interests!
and i can think of other legitimate reasons why a student might want to customize essays -- highlighting different aspects of themselves to emphasize what would best show "fit" at a given school. we talk all the time about fit -- a student may well perfectly fit at different types of places -- why shouldn't they be able to demonstrate that fact as they choose?
my d is a senior this year, so we are done with the process. she ended up using the same essay at all her schools. but quite honestly, if she had to do it again under the new common app rules, i'd tell her the same thing i told her this past year -- NOT to use the on-line common app for her earlier submissions and only to do so if and when she was 100% sure that the same thing could be sent to all the remaining schools.
i also have to say i find it somewhat annoying that they present this as if this was the intent all along and it was just a matter of their software catching up to that intent.
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Mrs. Aardvark
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| Joined: | Thu Jan 31st, 2008 |
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| Posts: | 69 |
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Posted: Thu Apr 3rd, 2008 03:25 pm |
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Carolyn, what is your view on the incremental benefit to customizing essays for each school?
If colleges accept the Common Application, surely they understand that it is designed (and now even more so) to send the same application everywhere.
If they are concerned about fit of an applicant for their particular school, won't they ask about it in a supplement?
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CardinalFang
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| Joined: | Mon Mar 17th, 2008 |
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| Posts: | 142 |
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Posted: Wed Apr 30th, 2008 11:22 pm |
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I was told today, by an admissions officer, of another new thing in the Common App that will be rolled out this summer, that I hadn't heard about: recommendations will now be able to be submitted electronically.
My son plans to ask for recommendations at the end of spring quarter, the end of June. By the time the teachers have the recommendations prepared, they will be able to submit them electronically. Better for the student, better for the teacher. The admission officer emphasized that paper recommendations will still be welcome at her college.
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