Do you have to submit the same Common App essay to every college?

Yes! It's perfectly okay to use the same essay for both the Common App and Coalition Application. In fact, you can use the same essay for any application that requires a lengthy personal statement—like ApplyTexas—since the prompts are broad.

Do you have to use the same Common App essay for all colleges?

It's totally up to you. You can use the same essay for all colleges or you can change your essay to tailor it to a specific college or even choose a different prompt for a completely new essay. It's your application - do whatever you want.

Can you send different Common App essays to different colleges?

Yes. It's your essay, you are the author, so you can use it for any college you want.

Do you submit all colleges at once on Common App?

In general, the Common Application is designed to be completed one time and submitted to all of the colleges at once, or over a period of time.

Can you use the same college essay twice for the same college?

Sending the same essay twice to the same college is generally not recommended. Colleges prefer to see new and unique content from applicants. Submitting the same essay twice may give the impression that you are not putting in the effort to tailor your application to each colleges specific requirements and values.

Submitting your first-year application | Common App

Is it OK to use the same essay for different colleges?

When it comes to using the same essay for multiple college applications, it's generally okay to do so, as long as the essay prompt is similar or the same. Keep in mind, though, that some colleges may have specific and unique essay prompts that you'll need to cater your response to.

Can colleges see if you submit the same essay?

Do colleges know if you use the same essay? Colleges do not have a way to determine whether you submit the same essay to multiple colleges. This is because admissions officers are too busy reading their own schools' applications to compare the essays with other schools.

Why can I only apply to 20 colleges on Common App?

Has anyone been in this spot before? How do you manage or get around this limit if you're looking at more than 20 places? The Common Application does indeed have a limit of 20 colleges, and that's intentional to encourage students to focus on applying to schools they're truly interested in attending.

What is the disadvantage of the Common Application?

Con: It's Easy to Overdo It

While over 700 institutions accept the Common App, it doesn't mean you should apply to all of them. It's easy to forget this though and get caught up in the ease of applying to several schools at once.

Is it better to apply through Common App or directly?

Some colleges may accept all of these forms of applications and some schools may only accept one form. However, the Common Application is generally the best choice, as this application is most widely used across the country.

Can I reuse my Common App essay for transfer?

Yes, it is possible to reuse your Common App essay for transfer applications. The Common App essay prompts remain the same each year, so if your initial essay addresses one of the prompts, you can certainly reuse it for your transfer applications. While you can, you probably shouldn't.

Does the Common App essay really matter?

The Common App college essay is required by most Common App schools. This personal essay plays a critical role in many institutions' admission decisions. Admissions experts' biggest tips include writing how you speak and focusing on details.

Can my Common App essay be unrelated to my major?

Your common application essay does not have to relate to your proposed major. There is no specific requirement to do so. You may or may not look bad if you write about cooking.

Does your Common App essay have to do with your major?

The purpose of the Common App essay is to give the college admissions committees a better idea of who you are as a person and what makes you unique. It should be focused on your life and experiences, without any reference to a specific college or bias towards a specific stream (such as STEM, liberal arts, etc.).

Which college does not use Common App?

Colleges not on the Common App and how to apply to them

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Georgetown University. University of California schools (e.g., Berkeley, UCLA, etc.) California State University schools.

When should I start my Common App essay?

Starting early is key. Regardless of whether you're a slow or fast writer, you should give some thought to the CommonApp Essay during your Junior year, even if that's just reviewing the process and doing some brainstorming.

Is it easier to apply through Common App?

The Common Application can make applying to colleges significantly easier for students, allowing them to compile the information all their schools want to know in one place.

Is 13 colleges too many to apply to?

While there's no cap on the number of schools you can apply to, some students, especially those from affluent backgrounds who want to go to a selective college, can go overboard, applying to more than 20 or 30 colleges. Personally, I would strongly discourage any student from applying to more than 15 colleges.

Is applying to 3 colleges enough?

"Match" Colleges

A good rule of thumb is to have two to four probable colleges under consideration.

Is 12 colleges too many to apply to?

Is applying to 12 colleges too much? No. Applying to 12 schools can be perfectly suitable for many prospective students. However, if you choose to submit many applications, get an early start.

How do colleges know if your essay is plagiarized?

Additionally, many colleges now use plagiarism detection software to ensure the authenticity of application essays. Therefore, even if you think you can get away with plagiarism, the risk of getting caught is high, and the consequences can be severe.

What happens if you submit the wrong essay to a college?

If your mistake is fairly trivial, you have two choices: you can leave your application as is (trusting that admissions won't judge little mishaps harshly!) or you can send in corrections. For example, if you made a copy-paste error in one of your college essays, it should be a relatively simple fix.

Can colleges see what you submitted to other colleges?

For the most part, the answer to this question is: no. College admissions officers don't have secret meetings to gossip about which of the incoming freshmen applied to their schools. They are much too busy reviewing applications for that.

Do college essays make a big difference?

Essays are a critical component to earning a personal score of 2. It's both what you write about and how you write about it. (The personal score also considers your recommendations, additional information, and interview.) Strong essays can move your personal score from 3 to 2, increasing your admissions chances by 10x.

Can you use the same personal statement for multiple colleges?

For many/most applicants, the prompts are similar enough that the same personal statement template can be used with minor adjustments for each school (see Tip #2 on personalization). For some applicants, however, the prompts are different enough that you should write multiple personal statements.