News and Tips

The Common Application is the online application program that serves more than 500 colleges. It changed dramatically last year and had challenges for all users. Perhaps the change in leadership will not only make the application easier but also its communication with and respect for others.

New Common Application Leadership

February 27, 2014 in Weekly College Application Tips tagged college application / college applications / Common Application / naviance / universal application by Rebecca

College applicants next year will have more application options as the University of Chicago is joining the Universal Application. “We decided to announce we will join the Universal College Application for the next application year now because we want applicants, families, recommenders, and the Higher Education community to know of […]

University of Chicago to Join Universal Application

February 18, 2014 in Weekly College Application Tips tagged NACAC / universal application / university of chicago / WACAC by Rebecca

From the Common Application Website The Common Application will retain the current set of first-year essay prompts for 2014-15, without any edits or additions. The essay length will continue to be capped at 650 words. The feedback received from member colleges and school counselors has been positive. The essay prompts will be reviewed on […]

2014-2015 Common Application Prompts Stay the Same As 2013-2014

February 14, 2014 in Weekly College Application Tips tagged 2014-2015 Common Application Prompts / all college application essays / Common Application / harvard / stanford / Yale by Rebecca

2014 January Extensions. Thanks to Nancy Griesemer and others. Barnard College: Extending deadline (no date provided)* Boston College: Extending deadline (no date provided)* Boston University: RD to January 3 Brandeis University: RD to January 8*

2014 January College Application Deadline Extensions

January 4, 2014 in Weekly College Application Tips tagged barnard / boston / brandeis / brown / colby / colubmia / cornell / dartmouth / Duke / fordham / hamilton college / Johns Hopkins University / lehigh / middlebury college / northwestern university / Swarthmore / syrcuse university / tufts university / university of chicago / university of virgina / vanderbilt / vasar college / wake forest university by Rebecca

Named One of Top College Apps ALL COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAYS was just named of the top college apps for iPhone and iPad. In fact, we are in the top five of the powerful list of apps to help those applying to and in college. To see our app and others […]

Named One of Best College Apps

November 17, 2013 in Weekly College Application Tips by Rebecca

As of November 22, here are early action or early decision extensions. Emerson, Goucher, Hampshire, Princeton, Trinity, Tufts, University of Maine-Machias, and Washington University at St. Louis are also using the Universal Application November 22 Wofford College (Early Action) December 1 SUNY Geneseo (Early Decision) Syracuse University (Early Decision) January 9 […]

November 22: College App Deadline Extensions and Universal App Additions

October 21, 2013 in Weekly College Application Tips tagged Abu Dhabi / beloit / Boston University / brandeis / college of william & mary / columbia / dartmouth / Duke / emerson / fordham / george washington / marist / New York University / northwestern / NYU / purdue / rice / Salve Regina / st. louis / st. louis cardinals / Tufts / university of denver / washington university by Rebecca

By Rebecca Joseph Here is my latest blog from The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-joseph/editing-college-application-essays_b_4105569.html Recently, I saw a private coach inside a Starbucks using a thesaurus to help a high school senior make a college application essay sound “more mature.” Another counselor encouraged one of my students to write about a […]

A Plea to Those Helping Students With College Application Essays: ...

October 18, 2013 in Weekly College Application Tips tagged all college application essays / college / college application / college counselors / college essays / essays / high school seniors / rebecca joseph / The Common Application by Rebecca

Barnard, GW, Tufts, SUNY Geneseo Also Extend Deadlines

October 17, 2013 in Weekly College Application Tips tagged banr / Tufts by Rebecca

Minnesota Colleges Develop New Part Ones In these stormy times, many colleges cannot yet access the submitted Common Applications, so they have developed independent part ones, so they can at least learn about applicants. Several private colleges in Minnesota are clever and each has developed a new part one: Macalaster, […]