Can I change my Common App essay for different colleges?
The toughest choice that a student needs to make is to select the college to which they want to go. Visiting various online portals of each college takes a lot of effort and time. Now think what if you can do everything, from checking their regulations to sending them the application can be done on a single platform? Yes, you can do it through an online platform known as Common App.
Quick Takeaways
- Common app is an online non-profit platform where you can send an online application to multiple colleges with a single application.
- Once you’ve submitted your application, you can make as many changes as you like to your Common App essay.
- You must remember that the changes you have made will only be reflected in the applications which you have sent to the colleges after.
However, you must read till the end so that you get a better understanding of if you can change the essay on the common app for different colleges.
What is the common app?
It is one of the online non-profit platforms where you can send an online application to multiple colleges with a single application. You can send your same application to more than 950 colleges from a single platform. Almost 1 million students register on this application every year. This platform is also helpful for students who need financial help. As they can find various financial aid services to help them.
Also, you will get colleges that do not ask for any application fees. A key point to remember here is that common apps do not charge any kind of fee from you. You only need to give the admission application fee if applicable. You need to complete your application by creating your account, by following the steps on your screen. When you create the account, you can choose the colleges where you want to go.
Can I change my Common App essay for different colleges?
Once you’ve submitted your application, you can make as many changes as you like to your Common App essay. However, these modifications will only be shown in applications that will be sent in the future. This means that they won’t be reflected in applications that have already been submitted. You must contact the admissions office of the colleges and the universities where you want to make modifications. You must only do this if there is a serious issue with your essay.
Can you use the same essay for multiple applications?
The main motive of the common app is to help save time for sending the same application to multiple colleges. So of course you can use the same essay for various colleges in most colleges. Though for some colleges the answer may not be the same. This is because they may have different policies, and you may need to add a new essay depending on the requirement.
How important is the common app essay?
Many colleges stress the essays submitted by the student for their selection. According to various studies, almost 55% of colleges select applications based on the essays submitted by the students. You must agree that this number is big. This means that almost half of the universities use essays for selecting students for their colleges. Therefore, you must take care while writing an essay. Also if you have low grades, you can compensate by giving them the best essay.
Tips for writing the common app essay
Here are some tips that you must follow while writing the common app essay:
1. Choosing the topic
One common mistake that all students make is selecting the topic while writing. Most of the students choose tough and rare topics on which rarely students have written. Although selecting the topic could be a hard choice, you should only choose which one you relate to the most.
Now suppose you want to become an economist, then you must write an essay related to the economy. There is nothing wrong with repeating the topics on which the students have already written. Don’t write on topics that do not go on with you.
2. Take time
You must take the time while writing your common app essay. Take time to research more. This is your chance to get selected. You do not want to miss your chance of getting selected just because of some silly mistakes. Take your time when you are writing.
3. Stay away from distractions
Distractions are the main reason for losing your focus. Staying away from them helps you to stay focused on writing. It will not only save you time but will help in getting a better essay.
4. Adding up related information
You must add all the related facts in your essay. Start with the introduction, give a brief history, add the relevant information and conclude it. You must add up subheadings in your essay and keep each paragraph short. This will look more engaging to the admission head. Also, remember that you are sending this for academic purposes. So you must set your tone in that manner only.
5. Proofreading
In the last step, you must proofread it. Colleges do not want students who do not take care of silly mistakes. Having mistakes in your essay will reduce your chances of getting selected. Therefore, remember that there are no mistakes from your end.
FAQs
Is there any limit to changing the essay?
As mentioned you can edit your application once you have submitted it. But the question arises how many times can you edit it? As of now, there are no specific rules for editing your application. You can change it at any and multiple times you want. To edit it you need to go back to the Common App and start changing the information you want. Make sure to save the things when you are done.
What is a common app due date?
Every year common apps update the new regulations of each college and add all the new colleges on the 1st of August. You can start reviewing and selecting the schools to which you want to go. The last date for regular submission is on 1st January and for early submission date is 1st November. Although, you should take care of the regulations of each school, as some colleges may have different submission dates.
Conclusion
The common app is a platform that is almost used by 1 million students every year. This is an online nonprofit platform that is designed for helping students with their application process. You can create an account on it and send the same application to multiple colleges. Also, you can edit your application and your essay whenever after submitting your application. However, the changes will only reflect on the applications that you will send after changing your application.
