91探花

If you鈥檙e applying to college this year, chances are you鈥檙e using the Common App, a single college application that allows you to apply to multiple schools at once. It may be common, but you are not. Here are some pointers for making your application shine. (By the way, most of these are relevant regardless of whether you鈥檙e using the Common App or another method.) 

1. The College Essay: Take the Jellyfish Challenge 

Pick a topic you鈥檙e passionate about. Then, make sure that topic has enough 鈥渢entacles鈥� to convey your key messages, suggests Karen Collins, College Access Specialist at 91探花. A good essay should convey who you are, what you value, and what unique qualities you鈥檒l bring to the school.  

Want to learn more about writing a brilliant essay? Sign up for one of our upcoming workshops or read our blog.  

2. Listing Activities: Pack Smart 

You can list up to 10 extracurricular activities on the Common App. If that鈥檚 not enough room for you, prioritize quality over quantity, Karen advises. Choose the activities you鈥檝e spent the most time on or where you鈥檝e had leadership roles. Don鈥檛 forget that you can also include activities such as watching a younger sibling after school. Also, think about how you can strategically highlight additional activities in other parts of the application, such as your letters of recommendation (more on that next) and the additional information section.  

3. Letters of Recommendation: Select Carefully 

You鈥檒l need two鈥搕o-four letters of recommendation, depending on the schools you鈥檙e applying to. Your teachers and counselors can submit them directly through the Common App portal. Select teachers who know you well, ideally those who teach subjects that connect with your intended major. Be sure to ask them early, and it鈥檚 helpful to create a 鈥渂rag sheet鈥� (available on the ) so they know what you want them to highlight.  

4. Additional Info Section: Not so Fast!   

You鈥檙e tired. You鈥檙e so close to being done. It can be tempting to skip the 鈥淎dditional Info鈥� section of your application. But this section is a great opportunity to list items that didn鈥檛 fit elsewhere in your application or provide context, Karen explains. For example, maybe your transcript is missing a class that would have been useful for your major. Here鈥檚 where you can explain that your school didn鈥檛 offer it.  

Want a more detailed look at the Common App? Check out our or our .   

Caption information: A student works on college applications with school counselor Shanyn Grenier at Merrimack Valley High School’s ApplyNH event in 2024.

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