Q&A
Should your main essay be the Common App essay or the college essay?
The main essay that is read by all colleges you apply to through the Common Application is your Common App essay, so be sure to make this very strong and broadly applicable. The Common App essay is typically something that talks about your personal experiences, something that has happened in the past that has influenced you, for example. Earlier this year, The Admissions Blog gave some advice about where to start with the new Common App essay.
The college essay, on the other hand, is your chance to personalize your statement of interest to a particular college. The college essay is meant for the college to understand more about you, and specifically how you would fit into their school. The college essay is also a way for the college to ask you a specific question they want to hear about from you. So, although the common app essay is the broader one that everyone reads, it's still important to write a strong college-specific essay.
I will be visiting college campuses soon. Do I need to have on-campus interviews?
On-campus interviews are not required. In fact, there are a great deal of schools that do not offer them. Even those that do have on-campus interviews often do not have them year-round. In general, schools will contact you for alumni interviews in your area. Below is a list of some schools, broken down by whether or not they offer on-campus interviews:
YES: Harvard (offered from September to November), Yale (offered from mid-June to mid-August and mid-September to mid-November. Note: Yale cannot accommodate all requests for on-campus interviews)
NO: Princeton, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth, Stanford
Q&A: The Creative Supplement, Mental Health, and More
What do Ivy League schools look for in an applicant other than grades or test scores?
While grades and test scores are important, colleges take many other factors into account. Essays, awards, arts supplements, positive teacher recommendations, extracurriculars, work experience, and summer activities are all important parts of your college essays that should not be overlooked. Qualities that admissions officers look for include intellectual curiosity, initiative, thoughtfulness, and leadership. When applying to top-tier schools, a stellar transcript is by no means a guarantee of admission. But by the same token, this "holistic" admissions process also ensures that a few academic slip-ups don't bar the way for an otherwise superbly qualified student.
Q&A: Sending Scores, Organizing Essays, and More
When should I start working on my essays?
While there is no “right time” to start working on essays, it does make sense to start at least thinking about the topic you want to talk about well before December. Writing good essays takes time, and typically, you want to leave time for revisions. Having multiple people look at your essay can be a great idea, too, so you can get feedback on how best to revise your essay. So while there is no right time to start working on your essays, starting earlier, not necessarily in the writing process but just in the thinking process, is hugely valuable.
Q&A: A Breakdown of Financial Aid
I'm from Ghana and I want to know whether receiving a scholarship at a competitive school is easy or difficult.
Most high-ranking schools also have top-notch financial aid programs. But though many of these colleges pledge to meet 100 percent of demonstrated need, that term can mean very different things to different schools.