7 Changes And Tips For 2017-2018 College Applications

Will you be a high school senior within a month?  You and your parents may want to take note of some changes in:

The 2017-2018 Common Application (CommonApp.org), accepted by over 700 colleges including University of Michigan, University of Chicago, and Harvard, has some changes that are summarized in this article on Commonapp.org. We share it with you here, with a few additional pointers.

6 Things a Parent Needs to Know About the Common Application

Booklet reading "Member of The Common Application www.commonapp.org"

  1. Create a parent’s Common App practice account for yourself.
    • The Common Application allows you to create a parent account. As a result, you can see what the college application process looks like for your student, without looking over their shoulder. To create a parent account, click here and select “Parent or Other Adult.”
  2. Familiarize yourself with what your teen needs to know for their application.
    • It will be easier to help them with any questions they might have if you already know what to expect. The Common Application website provides this helpful article to get you started.
  3. Get familiar with the Common Application website.
    • Their website has helpful information about applying to schools, paying for college, and even asking a teacher for a letter of recommendation.
  4. Explore the over 700 colleges that use the Common Application.
    • Take the time to explore different types of schools with your student. You might find something new and exciting!
  5. Take your time.
    • No need to finish applications as quickly as possible, because this doesn’t necessarily yield the best product. Guide your student to work methodically, and help them end up with the strongest application possible.
  6. You can always ask for help.

mortarboardREAD MORE: 2017-2018 Common Application Essay Prompts

Tips for the New Michigan State Essay Questions

Stone sign that says "Michigan State University"

Michigan State University has two new questions for the 2017-2018 application cycle. Each are required and only 200 words long. Here are the new prompts followed by some advice on how to tackle them.

Personal Statement

As part of the undergraduate application for admission, each applicant is required to submit a 200-word personal statement on each of the two designated topics. The statements may be considered as a positive factor to enhance admissibility as well as for scholarship consideration. These are the personal statement topics on the 2018 application for admission:

  1. Describe a difficult or challenging situation you have faced. Briefly state the situation, how you responded and why, would you have done anything differently, did you turn to anyone for help, and if so for advice, consultation, assistance, and/or encouragement?
  2. Briefly describe a situation where you or someone close to you was not treated fairly. What did you do at the time and why, would you do anything differently, has it impacted or changed who you are today?

Note From Essay Coaching: How to Approach the MSU prompts:

These questions are “problem and solution” questions. In a “problem” type essay question, you should devote approximately 1/4 of the words to describing the problem. Use the remaining 3/4 of the words to describe the solution to the problem and how you have changed as a result.

Why? Because you’re not the same person who encountered that problem the first time, now that you’ve dealt with it. You’re a person who has additional skills and more confidence. Colleges want to know what skills you’ve gained and how you have changed as a result of solving/dealing with that problem. This is because they’ll be asking the person who came out of solving the problem to come to their college. Tell them what you’ve learned, and show them how you changed.  If you can, show your change by describing how your new skills helped in a recent situation.

Even though these essays are short, don’t let that intimidate you. Ignore the word length in drafts.  Write details in a longer draft, and then delete details that are repetitive or don’t support  your main point.

 

mortarboardREAD MORE: College Application Advice from UM and MSU Admissions Officers

 

Tips 2-6 for the Common Application were derived from this article.

Information about the Michigan State application is from this site.

Need more assistance with writing your college application essay?  Check out the free Essay Coaching quizzes here.  Would you like to work with an award-winning writer who helps businesses, authors and students tell their story in a compelling, meaningful way?  Write Debbie MerionDebbie@EssayCoaching.com

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