With the helpful advances of Common App Rollover many of you have begun to complete the Common Application. Here are a few additional tips to help you work efficiently and thoughtfully within the application environment.
- Streamline your work efforts by compiling required information before you begin to enter responses on the application form itself. You will need a prioritized list of (at most) ten extracurricular involvements and (at most) five honors and awards. You will need to know where your parents went to college and the specific dates of the standardized tests you wish to self-report.
- Remember to craft your Common Application essay and supplements outside of the Common Application environment. This will allow you to edit and revise comprehensively using the writing tools you are most comfortable with. Once your Common Application essays are complete, copy and paste the content in the appropriate field of the Writing tab within your Common Application.
- When reporting your current coursework, remember to leave all course level bubbles blank. The level options listed (i.e. accelerated, Advanced Placement, Honors, International Baccalaureate and Regents) do not apply to Norfolk Academy courses so your course titles will speak for themselves.
- When self-reporting standardized test information on the Common Application, remember that what you share should reflect the official score reports you intend to send via the College Board, and ACT site. See your counselor if you would like assistance as you determine which scores to share.
- Please be aware that although most college specific supplements are found on the Writing tab of the Common Application, some will not populate until you have completed another step of a college’s application process. For instance, the supplemental questions for the University of Virginia will not appear until a student has elected the college to which he or she intends to apply. Once a student has elected “The College of Arts and Sciences” or another college of choice, the supplemental questions will appear. It is for this reason that we encourage students to be familiar with all supplemental requirements of the colleges where they will apply before beginning to complete the applications themselves. You can find all supplement requirements on your colleges’ admission office websites.
- Lastly, please remember to read and sign the FERPA waiver within the Recommenders and FERPA section of the Common Application, as well as match your Common Application to Naviance on your Family Connection page. You will find an instructional video which takes you step by step through this process on the College Counseling Resource Board. Please See Mrs. Ott if you have any questions.
As always, please see your counselor with any specific questions you may have! Use of the Common Application streamlines the application process and in so doing, allow you more time to be thoughtful during your preparatory efforts. It is one tool, of many, in the telling of YOUR STORY. We are eager to lend a hand, when and if you find you’ve hit a road block or seek clarification regarding how to move forward.
Cheers to a great application season ahead!
Jennifer K. S. Scott, Director of College Counseling
Norfolk Academy
Fall, 2016