Which Applications Do I Use?
Applying for college is daunting enough, but for many students they end up finding that they need to apply using three or four different applications. The Common Application has over 900 schools, then you have the Coalition Application which is now using a new system called Scoir for its 160 schools, some of which also use the Common Application. In addition, you need another for the University of California Schools and there are a few colleges out there that make you use their own applications. Confusing, mystifying, just down right a pain in the butt ! What should one do?
You won’t have much choice on which application you use. It really depends on which schools you apply to. Is there an advantage to different applications? No, not really, there are pros and cons to each but if the school you are applying to accepts both then really one isn’t advantageous over the other. So don’t worry about which application you use. The most important thing is to make sure you are collecting and updating your information each semester of high school. Tracking everything you do will give you enough information and showcase your abilities no matter what application you use.
So what do you need to track? Well, obviously your grades. However, your school will do a good job of keeping track of your academic progress. I think what most students miss is the extracurricular activities and their talents. So how do you keep track of these?
Start your resume at the end of your 8th grade year. Your resume can be updated each semester, or even weekly. You just need to get the information down so that you remember it. The information you want to collect should be your work experience (Asian students should work a bit more) , extracurricular activities, volunteer work, educational honors and awards, sports inside and outside of school, as well as your skills - things you do better than others or have been certified to do. Keeping track of all these will make senior year much easier and producing a great resume very achievable.
Keep a Google Document of Your Activities. The UC applications will allow you to write 20 activities each with 350 characters. The Common Application allows only 10 activities with a limit of 150 characters. Many students struggle when toggling between their applications. To avoid this frustration, start early and keep a Google Document that keeps track of all your activities inside and outside of school. Write as much as you can, and when time allows, create a sentence by sentence structure that prioritizes the most important points first followed by the next important and so on. This way when it comes to putting activities into your application you are able to cut and paste without much manipulation of the content. You also have a really good record of your accomplishments and what you did the past four years.
Post your creative works on social media. One of the most cited benefits of the coalition application is that it is more convenient to upload your multimedia work. Easier yes, but does that mean you can’t do it on your common application? No, you can use your resume and social media links to showcase your work and even your passions. Students should start early and post often. Many counselors will warn you about social media. I am all for posting but do be careful and think about what you do post. When it comes to application time you will be able to show work and creativity through these links.
You are not going to be able to really choose the application you want. So just organize yourself early and update often as you move through High School.
Famous Alumni
Ronald Takaki, is an American historian and an important advocate for understanding Asian American’s influence and importance in America’s heritage. Dr. Takaki studied history at the College of Wooster, a small liberal arts college in Wooster, Ohio. He later went on to obtain his PhD in American history from the University of California, Berkeley.
