A common application essay is a piece of writing that a student can use to fill out the personal statement section of multiple college and university applications. This essay can be submitted through a central application database that includes a large number of colleges and universities that have all agreed to accept a standardized common application. Some schools require students to use a common application system, while others allow students to choose between a school-specific application and the common application system. When students fill out one application to apply to multiple campuses within a state college or university system, they can use the common application essay.
Students must respond to a simple prompt in the common application essay. The essay allows students to demonstrate their writing abilities while also providing insight into their personal histories and experiences. Students are frequently asked to discuss personal matters such as significant events from their past or why they want to pursue higher education in the statement. This data can assist an admissions committee in determining a student’s suitability for a particular educational institution.
Some schools require students to write a supplemental essay in addition to the common application essay. When preparing college applications, it’s critical to go over all of the requirements thoroughly, including all of the deadlines. If the school requires a supplemental essay in addition to the common application essay, the deadline is usually the same as the rest of the application, but the student may need to submit it using a different procedure because she must ensure that it only reaches one college or university.
One of the benefits of using a common application is that students do not have to fill out paperwork over and over again. If a student wants to apply to eight schools and all of them accept a common application, he only has to fill out basic demographic information once, allowing him to focus on polishing the common application essay for use in all of his applications. Information such as letters of recommendation from instructors is also stored in the system. If the student needs to apply or reapply to different schools, she can have that information sent to her again instead of having to request a new letter of recommendation.
Students are typically expected to write the common application essay on their own, and they may be required to submit a statement swearing that they did not receive any assistance. A student’s application may be disqualified if they receive help with their essay. Before sitting down to write their actual admission essays, students who feel their essay writing skills aren’t up to par should write some practice essays and ask for feedback to learn what works and what doesn’t. Some high schools provide workshops to assist students with college application preparation.