I look forward to this Counselor Webinar every year for a few reasons. One, I want to see if there are ANY changes that affect my students (especially any writing, including activity lists & essays). Also, I love to hear about any trends or news that affect the college application landscape.
Thank you to the Common App for hosting “What’s new with Common App: 2023-24” and for sharing important information that I can share with you! Ok, I’ll cut right to the biggest news regarding writing:
- Main Essay prompts are official for the Class of 2024. I reported more detail on that here, since those were previously confirmed.
- Activity List – the SAME! So start drafting those Wow Factor® lists!! Organization name (100 characters); Position/Leadership (50 characters); Description (150 characters). Is that a tight space? YES! Do you need to make EVERY character count? YES! For my private coaching students, we’ll make that happen! If we’re not working together, I’m leading a class on this subject in June – sign up here.
- Applicant integrity – There will be TWO opportunities to promise that you’re being honest. So…No AI-written essays, please! The last thing we want is for an applicant to submit an AI-written essay, have it detected, and have admissions offers withdrawn. AI-generated writing is not honest, not authentic, not personal, and it’s not allowed. I’ll be covering this subject separately since it’s HUGE.
- Can colleges consider race & ethnicity in college applications? As you may have heard, this is being considered by the Supreme Court. Here’s what the Common App said about it:
- Account Rollover – IF (optional) you set up your Common App account BEFORE the launch date of 8/1, some info will roll over; much won’t. See notes on that in this article, and make sure you download any information BEFORE it goes offline in late July and edit/verify anything previously entered after 8/1.
- Supplements – confirmed on 8/1 launch date. The questions you see NOW in the Common App are for the Class of 2023, so they absolutely can change. Don’t write supplements until you know for sure, unless you enjoy writing a lot! Some colleges will announce prompts BEFORE 8/1, but you want to double-check that you’re writing the correct response for your application cycle, as they can and do change!
- Other facts & figures: More applications were submitted this year (+13%); more colleges joined the Common App (+29 and counting). If you’re a data person, here are more facts & figures.
- LGBTQ+ student safety is a big priority, and the Common App has added many ways to indicate another gender, select which name Common App uses in communication, and more.
- Increased visibility for “suppressed information“ – in other words, if a college does not look at something, it will be more clear.
- Who answered which prompt this year? I’m frequently asked this question and believe it doesn’t matter which prompt you choose as long as it fits what follows. If you’re curious, here’s a breakdown of who answered what in this current cycle:
- Financial Aid Resources Tab – some enhancements and a reminder that the 2024-25 FAFSA is undergoing updates and will launch in December, not October.
The Common App has some great resources online for students, including its YouTube channel, and a host of resources for applicants.
In addition to all of this information, there was something BIG discussed that I’ll write about separately. Will videos replace written essays? Not anytime soon…More to follow on that!
