The Common App seeks Comments on Essay Changes

It’s no secret that the Common Application will be implementing new software for students applying for admission in the fall of 2013.   

While many in the industry have been anxiously awaiting a new and improved Common Application that is more user-friendly and works well on Apple products, the process by which the new essay requirements have been vetted is coming under scrutiny.

When asked if he had supported eliminating the “Topic of Your Choice” option from among the Common Application essay prompts, one admissions dean remarked, “No one asked.”  And at a recent counselor breakfast, deans from Harvard and Princeton indicated their dismay over several of the proposed changes.

In a letter he publicly shared on the NACAC Forum, Scott Anderson, director of outreach for the Common Application, defended the process and suggested that input on application content was provided by a 15-member Outreach Advisory Committee composed of admissions deans and college counselors.

To promote further discussion, I posted the following letter for consideration by NACAC member colleges and counselors:

Scott-

Many thanks for sharing with us some background on the proposed changes for the Common App.  I very much appreciate your willingness to entertain comments and open the discussion further.  As you might imagine, I received quite a bit of feedback from my article all of which supported Cristiana Quinn’s views questioning the rationale and need for some of the changes you are proposing.  I also received similar feedback from postings on the IECA and HECA elists.  

Your letter raises several questions, which I hope you and the Common App might be able to address as you work to develop an application that both serves the needs of your member colleges and reduces stress for student applicants. In absence of a more formal forum for questions and comment, the following is based on feedback I’ve received from some member colleges and counselors—both school-based and independent.

Essay Prompts.  Which of the essay prompts is most frequently used by student applicants?  My understanding is that the “Topic of Your Choice” option is by far and away the most popular.  So why eliminate it?  Colleges seeking more specific answers or writing samples are free to include them in the supplements.  What’s the point of making the options more restrictive?  And why would YOU want to engage in an annual debate over essay prompts?  

Essay Length.  Is there a technical or financial reason you are eliminating the ability to “upload” essays?  The issue of essay length is hotly debated, but most counselors seem to feel that the current model of uploading an essay with a clearly stated guideline makes most sense.  An upload allows for some formatting and flexibility in length, both of which are greatly appreciated by applicants and colleges.  It is my understanding that you can easily control upload length on your end (to avoid a 50-page document) and that colleges can easily decide not to read beyond the recommended limit.  Why not simply emphasize the importance of keeping to the limit while allowing for reasonable flexibility for those needing to exceed it?  And why not keep the upload function?  The Common App is becoming way too “generic” in look and form.  Why not provide for a little individuality?

Additional Information.   Does the Common App intend to eliminate the ability to provide “Additional Information” in the form of an upload?  If so, there is universal agreement that this is a terrible idea.  Students need to have a place to explain important issues affecting the information provided on the application and some need a place to list high school work or extracurricular experiences that go beyond the 10 spaces you currently allow.  I agree that sometimes the information provided in this section is repetitive and unnecessary, but why not leave it to the colleges to decide whether or not to include it in the admissions decision?

Further Enhancements.  While many of the enhancements you are implementing are very welcome improvements, would you be open to considering some additional suggestions?  For example, why not simplify the process for tailoring applications by making it easier to create “alternate” applications?  Why not give counselors the option of tailoring their recommendations for specific colleges?  It can’t be that difficult, as other applications have this option available. Will you be adding an ability to link to online content now that you're doing away with the paper application? And hopefully, the new application will be more browser-friendly, but if it’s not, please consider opening the application to Chrome and making it easier to use on Apple products.  Finally, there are many “interface” issues that have been raised with regard to Naviance.  Are these being addressed in the new application?

Forum for Comment.   Has there been a public forum or means for soliciting input from CA members or other admissions professionals?  I’ve attended presentations and listened to webinars, but in each case, the new application has been presented as a fait accompli.  In your letter, you suggested input was gathered from only 15 board members.  Why not survey ALL member colleges or formally solicit comments (beyond the casual commentary on a message board) before implementing such sweeping change, much of which is based on a philosophy of college admissions that is worthy of some debate?

  
Again, I appreciate that you are opening a door to comment and I welcome a vigorous debate on some of these issues.  And, I encourage others to use the Forum or contact the Common Application directly with your comments.

If you have additional comments, feel free to post them here but make sure you also convey your thoughts known to the Common Application, which suggests emails may be sent to essay@commonapp.org. Or write directly to individual members of the Common App Board, who are listed on the website.

Financial Aid Season Launches with a FREE Webinar on FAFSA Basics

Tomorrow, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) will be conducting a financial aid webinar in conjunction with the folks who bring you the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Cindy Forbes Cameron, who is an outreach specialist for the U.S. Department of Education, will be offering the “nuts and bolts” of federal aid to anyone wanting to learn more about FAFSA eligibility or how to complete and submit the application.

The FREE webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, December 5 at 2:00 p.m. EST11:00 a.m. PST. Among the topics to be discussed will be:

• Steps to take before applying for federal student aid
• Strategies and deadlines in the application process
• Expectations after applying
• An overview of program and application changes for 2012-13
• Resources for counselors, students, and families

According to Ms. Cameron, “A huge focus is going to be on where to find videos, tweets, infographics, simply worded tips, and other user-friendly information about FAFSA and financial aid.” 

You couldn’t pay for a better opportunity to learn more about the federal financial aid program and get answers to your questions. And these folks are NOT trying to sell you something. Really!

To attend the webinar, simply complete a registration form available on the NACAC website. If you’re working, in school, or otherwise cannot attend, note that the webinar will be recorded and made available for download shortly after airing. By registering, you will have the link to access the recording session as soon as it is available.

This is a great opportunity for veterans of the process as well as those new to FAFSA. Don’t miss it.

Steps to Take after You Hit Submit

If you're still waiting to push the “submit” button on the last of your college applications, stop reading. You need to put 100 percent of your effort into completing the job—preferably before the holidays.

But if you’re in the enviable position of having finished all your applications, congratulations!  Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.

Just don’t get too comfortable yet.  In the words of Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over ‘till it’s over.”  You need to keep the ball rolling by taking a few next steps:

1. Check in with teachers who agreed to write letters of recommendation on your behalf to confirm they have been submitted. A hand-written thank- you note might help underscore how much you appreciate the support.
   
   
   
2. Make sure your standardized test scores have been sent from the appropriate testing agency to colleges requiring scores.
   
   
3. If you submitted applications electronically, review your “receipts” and confirm that the application, supplement(s), and payment were all sent. These are separate processes, and you are responsible for their completion.
   
   
4. Check with your guidance counselor and/or the school transcript clerk to make sure that transcripts and secondary school reports have been submitted. Again, a nice thank-you note would certainly be appreciated by all involved.
   
   
5. If you applied early to a school requiring a CSS PROFILE for financial aid consideration, verify that your parents have completed and sent all required information.
   
   
6. Double check that materials necessary for school-based merit scholarships or honors programs have been completed and sent.
   
   
7. Regularly review email and telephone messages. You may get requests for interviews or for follow-up information to which you should promptly respond.
   
   
8. If you have been provided with a special log-in to check the status of your application, do so. And do it frequently. This is the best way to know if all elements of your application have been received.
   
   
9. Consider updating colleges on important information like outstanding senior year grades or any new memberships, awards, and accomplishments occurring after you submitted your application. This is a one-time opening. Don’t abuse the privilege by sending daily updates.
   
   
10. Begin thinking about federal financial aid. If you haven’t already, get your PIN number on the FAFSA website. You won’t be able to apply until after January 1st, but it’s good to have a head start on the process.
    
    
11. While you’re thinking about financial aid, start exploring outside scholarship competitions.  Check in with FastWeb or Cappex to see what’s still out there and how you may qualify. And note that some of those essays you wrote for colleges may be recycled for scholarship applications.
    
    
12. Follow-up with the admissions office if you are concerned about the status of your application or if something seems amiss. Don’t call for a little insider information—you won’t get an admissions decision over the phone.
    
    
13. And most importantly, keep focused on your school work. Declining grades will hurt if you are deferred from early admission or wait listed later in the game. And improved grades may qualify you for additional financial support or at least give you an argument for larger merit-based aid.

If feasible, you might consider revisiting top colleges on your list. See a basketball game, go to an exhibit, attend a performance, have lunch, or even take another tour. Now that the paperwork is complete, a second look may help clarify your thinking and signal to colleges your strong interest.

And stay connected. Colleges are investing heavily in online media and like to think students are benefiting from all the effort. Facebook, Twitter, and staff or student blogs will help you keep in touch as your application wends its way through the process.

For Athletes Who are Winners Off the Field

Georgia Tech

Once again, DoSomething.org is partnering with Foot Locker to honor athletes who spend time off the field helping others by offering 20 incredible scholarships worth $20,000 each to high school athletes demonstrating a commitmentto volunteer service within their communities. 

It’s not about RBI’s or goals scored. It’s about giving back and caring.

“So, we’re celebrating YOU—not just because you scored the winning touchdown or goal—but because you’ve used sports to become a strong leader and volunteer in your community.”

The rules are simple. To be eligible for the Foot Locker Scholar Athletes program, the applicant must

• be currently involved in high school sports, intramural sports, or community based sports;
• have a minimum GPA of 3.0;
• be college-bound for the fall of 2013; and
• be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.

In addition two relatively short essays, student athletes will need one non-family recommendation.

All applications will be reviewed by a panel of scholarship experts and “celebrity” judges. Starting in mid-January, finalists will be interviewed via Skype. Winners will be announced in mid-March.

But you have to act quickly. Nominations are due no later than December 5^th and final applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm EST on December 19, 2012.

For more information and a link to the application, visit the DoSomething.org website.

What you need to know about SAT® Subject Tests

Georgetown University "recommends" 3 SAT Subject Tests

Not every college-bound high school student needs to take SAT Subject Tests or what we used to call SAT II’s.   

But if you’re confused about which colleges require or recommend Subject Tests, you may want to check out a wonderful webpage created and maintained by the Compass Educational Group (Compass Prep) of California.

Similar information may also be found on the College Board, Common Application, or Universal College Application websites, but going any of these routes generally involves clicking through numerous webpages and may be limited to a specific subset of “member” institutions.

The beauty of the Compass Prep table is that all the schools requiring, recommending or considering SAT Subject Tests are contained on one easy-to-understand chart, along with brief “click through” explanations of the requirements.

Subject Tests are hour-long, content-based tests that allow students to “showcase” achievement in specific subject areas.  There are 20 SAT Subject Tests in five subject areas:  English, history, languages, mathematics, and science—you choose up to three tests on any given test date.

Most students take the tests in May or June of junior year.  But in general, you should take tests such as World History, Biology E/M, Chemistry, or Physics as soon as possible after completing a rigorous course in the subject. 

Of the thousands of colleges and universities located across the country, about 100 use SAT Subject Tests in their admissions decisions, although many will “sneak a peek” and consider them if they are submitted.  

And no colleges in the US technically require three. Georgetown and Johns Hopkins “recommend” three, which in admissions-speak usually translates into requires.

In addition to Georgetown and Johns Hopkins, other local schools “strongly” recommending Subject Tests include the University of Virginia and Washington and Lee University.  Again, this usually means that to be competitive, you should submit Subject Test scores—especially if you’re applying from Northern Virginia or other highly competitive school districts.

According to Compass, about thirty colleges and universities require two Subject Tests, but a large portion of those will allow students to substitute the ACT with writing. About seventy other institutions either recommend or simply consider Subject Tests in their admissions processes. 

Be aware that colleges sometimes use the tests for course placement and to advise students about course selection.  And some colleges even specify the tests they require for admission or placement; others allow applicants to choose.

Compass Prep is quick to warn that no list can “replace the nuances of a school’s specific policy.” Students are directed to school websites or admissions offices for the most accurate (and up-to-date) information. 

Used properly, however, this handy reference tool can save students (and counselors) considerable time and aggravation.

Today marks the last SAT test date for 2012. College-bound juniors should be registering for upcoming 2013 tests, typically keeping May and June free for Subject Tests.