From application stress to test score worries, high school students and parents have a lot on their minds these days, and that's just the start of the college admissions process. As do Admissions offices, of course, in their quest to do ever better for their institutions.
There's a lot of stress out there for high schools, from applications to tests to just plain having a social life. As parents of a highly competitive high school junior ourselves, we've compiled a list of questions that was on our minds and researched them. Here's a look at some of the current concerns and trends, as well as a glimpse at what college administrators and parents should really focus on in the coming year.
-Why can't there be only one application covering all colleges?
Well, for parents, you can breathe a sigh of relief. An increasing number of colleges are accepting the Common Application, a nonprofit that offers the same basic application format. However, many of these colleges offer supplements that are uniquely created to add to the Common Application. Some colleges, such as the University of Chicago (known for its uncommon application), don't even offer the Common Application as an offer. Nonetheless, it's reassuring to not have to fill each college application repeatedly.
If you do have to fill out supplements, remember that most are simply data-oriented, asking the basic types of information for those applying, including most commonly extra family and school data, demographic and financial background, and others. A select amount of colleges actually add one or more essays.
However, even if you have a fair amount of essays to write, make sure to follow a procedure known as recycling, which is to say, using the same essay on almost all topics. Modify and mend those topics to bend to the essay's question, and that's acceptable because most colleges allow their questions to be quite broad. As for late July, almost 300 colleges have signed on to be part of the Common Application group.
-What's the difference between paper and electronic applications, and does it matter which I submit?
There's a lot of stress out there for high schools, from applications to tests to just plain having a social life. As parents of a highly competitive high school junior ourselves, we've compiled a list of questions that was on our minds and researched them. Here's a look at some of the current concerns and trends, as well as a glimpse at what college administrators and parents should really focus on in the coming year.
-Why can't there be only one application covering all colleges?
Well, for parents, you can breathe a sigh of relief. An increasing number of colleges are accepting the Common Application, a nonprofit that offers the same basic application format. However, many of these colleges offer supplements that are uniquely created to add to the Common Application. Some colleges, such as the University of Chicago (known for its uncommon application), don't even offer the Common Application as an offer. Nonetheless, it's reassuring to not have to fill each college application repeatedly.
If you do have to fill out supplements, remember that most are simply data-oriented, asking the basic types of information for those applying, including most commonly extra family and school data, demographic and financial background, and others. A select amount of colleges actually add one or more essays.
However, even if you have a fair amount of essays to write, make sure to follow a procedure known as recycling, which is to say, using the same essay on almost all topics. Modify and mend those topics to bend to the essay's question, and that's acceptable because most colleges allow their questions to be quite broad. As for late July, almost 300 colleges have signed on to be part of the Common Application group.
-What's the difference between paper and electronic applications, and does it matter which I submit?
- www.commonapp.org is the official website for the Common Application.
Comments
Great info!. Also, Princeton and Harvard give students who are eligible for financial aid grants that do NOT have to be paid back (the tuition is paid by donations by alumni).
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