As you return from summer vacations, beach days, mountain hikes, and family fun, students will be returning to the classroom in just a few short weeks. After the “what did you do this summer?” exchanges, seniors will be asked (over and over and over again) “where are you applying to college?”
While the question may grow wearisome, it is on point as the Common Application opens for submission August 1, and the University of California application opens for completion on the same date (submission dates are November 1 – November 30, 2021, for Fall 2022). Here are the components of both popular applications so students can get up to speed and be prepared for application deadlines.
Over 900 universities and colleges accept the Common Application. Our students started off their summer break completing much of the application. On August 3rd we hosted another seminar to rollover the application to the 2021-22 admission cycle and guide them step-by-step to completing the remaining sections available only to seniors. The Common Application has a robust tutorial for completing the application which I highly recommend if you’re looking for more guidance. From the Home page menu bar, click on “Apply to college” then select “First-time applicant guide.”
Nine campuses, one application. Separate application fees are charged by each campus to which students apply. Like the Common App, the UC has a thorough set of instructions and guides for completing its application. To get ready for the application, visit the UC admission website where you will find everything you need to know. Our seniors completed their UC applications right after it opened for completion giving them time and space to get their senior year off to fantastic start!
Components of the Application
The main components of college admission applications include the elements below, though requirements vary school to school. Be sure to check the school’s admission requirements page of its website to make sure you send all the required documents.
Official transcript, counselor recommendation, and school report Note: the UCs do not require this information as part of the admission process. Students self-report their classes and grades directly on the application. If your high school uses Naviance, the Common Application links directly to this system housed on your high school’s server. This will make the submission of all documents coming from your high school seamless and speedy. Whatever system your high school uses to send these documents to each of the universities and colleges on your list, you must follow the directions detailed by your school’s college counseling office. This will ensure that your documents arrive prior to the application deadline date.
Teacher letters of recommendation Note: the UCs do not require teacher letters of recommendation Ask early in the semester, and always give teachers a minimum of three weeks to complete and submit before the application deadline. Teachers from the student’s junior year are preferred; however, most universities will accept letters from student’s 10th and 12th grade teachers due to online learning making it more challenging to forge relationships with junior year teachers. Our students have been working on their “Brag Sheets” and their Activities Resumes to give to their teachers when they make the ask. Having detailed brag sheets, accompanied by a resume, helps teachers write a personalized and stand out letter of recommendation.
Official SAT/ACT Test Score Reports Note: the UCs are now test blind which means no test scores will be looked at or used in the admissions review process. Do not send test scores to the UC campuses; they will be not be added to your application file. If you have taken one or both standardized tests and will be submitting your scores, we recommend submitting the scores all at once to each of the universities and colleges to which you will be applying. Both the SAT and the ACT automatically superscore, so if you took the test multiple times, the system would capture your highest individual scores from each test and include it in the superscore. That is the test report you should send.
Essays The UC application requires applicants to respond to four out of eight Personal Insight Questions. The Common Application asks applicants to write a 650-word maximum Personal Essay. In addition, most colleges using the Common Application require additional essays called writing supplements or supplemental essays. The Common App has a feature that let’s you see these by searching for the college name on its website. Royal College Consulting seniors began brainstorming their essays and PIQs the week after their junior year ended. Brainstorming, outlining, drafts, and multiple revisions later, our seniors will begin the school year with just final edits and polishing to work on, as well as writing any required supplemental essays.
If you or a student you know needs help completing their college essays and applications, we offer unique packages to help – please contact us for package specific pricing.
3 Session Package
Common Application Completion Assistance Including Personal Statement
Session 1: 90-minute session to review student’s questions about the Common Application (completed to the best of student’s ability prior to session), recommend and oversee necessary corrections; evaluate and recommend edits to Activities list, and Personal Statement brainstorming.
Session 2: 60-minute session to review and recommend edits for first draft of the Personal Statement.
Session 3: 60-minute session to finalize the Personal Statement.
Additional application and essay support available at the standard hourly rate
5 Session Package
Common Application Completion Assistance Including Personal Statement and 3-Supplemental Essays
Session 1: 90-minute session to review student’s questions about the Common Application (completed to the best of student’s ability prior to session), recommend and oversee necessary corrections; evaluate and recommend edits to Activities list, and Personal Statement brainstorming.
Session 2: 60-minute session to review and recommend edits for first draft of the Personal Statement.
Session 3: 60-minute session to finalize the Personal Statement, and brainstorm three (3) supplemental essays.
Session 4: 60-minute session to review and recommend edits for first drafts of three (3) supplemental essays.
Session 5: 60-minute session to finalize three (3) supplemental essays.
Additional application and essay support available at the standard hourly rate
University of California Package
UC Application Completion Assistance Including Personal Insight Questions
Session 1: 90-minute session to review student’s questions about the UC Application (completed to the best of student’s ability prior to session), evaluate student’s campus selection and 1st and 2nd choice majors, recommend, and oversee necessary corrections.
Session 2: 60-minute session to evaluate and recommend edits to Activities list, and Personal Insight Question brainstorming (brainstorm all 8 prompts and guide student to top 4).
Session 3: 60-minute session to review and recommend edits for first draft of the four (4) Personal Insight Questions.
Session 4: 60-minute session to finalize the four (4) Personal Insight Questions.
Additional application and Personal Insight Question support available at the standard hourly rate
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This blog was written Janice Royal, MA. She is the Founder and CEO of Royal College Consulting.
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Email: janice@royalcollegeconsulting.com
Phone: (714) 319-0399