The Possibly Official Common App Q&A Thread

[idk11]

A few questions regarding extracurriculars:

1. I know they tell you to list your ECs in order of importance to you. However, my second-most important EC only took up an hour every week of the school year. Does this seem "too weak" of an EC to place in second? I wrote about it in my short answer; would that compensate for how quantitatively weak it appears?

2. How do I record hours for ECs that have pretty much occupied my life? For example, I typically work on newspaper outside of school for 24 hours per week, but am currently working about two to three hours a day during the summer.

[teenage_cliche]

idk: 1) I wouldn't worry about it, especially if you're writing about it.
2) I averaged it out, and put 52 weeks/year.

[aperthetic]

I have a question about the EC's. I've participated in track and field all throughout high school and have lettered all three years, and I will most definitely letter this coming year, but it is not "official," of course, until May. Two questions: 1) Should I mark the 12th grade box as well, since I plan on participating again in the spring of my senior year? and 2) Should I say earned letter all four years, or would that be inappropriate?

Thanks!

[teenage_cliche]

aperthetic: If you know you'll do it and be lettered, put that down.

[idk11]

Do colleges look down on applicants adding activities beyond the allotted seven? In my additional information document, I want to add two more activities: personal tutoring with an elementary student and recreational running (I placed first in my age group at a 5K last summer, run 10 miles a week, etc.) Is this okay?

[Iwantcollegehelp]

Question:If you have a once month program you go to for 3 hours,etc and there are other small preparations during the year reading and such and a project that go along with the programo you average it out 1 hour per week on the EC list or is that misleading?

[Iwantcollegehelp]

that smilie face was supposed to be a d lol

[crazygirltrac]

Question: How am I supposed to attach a resume if I submit the application online?

[zeinX]

You make it as a document and then upload it. : )

[idk11]

Does the Common App accept .pdf files?

[PachB]

I plan on taking the SAT again around october..i probably won't have the scores back before I turn in my app, because my score was pretty low for my standards.
How do I let them know this? I dont want them to just see my low score and think im a bad test taker.

[sushi_error]

This is also another question, regarding the EC section on the application:

Where it says something along the lines of 'Please describe your activity' at the end of every box, what happens if your description doesn't fit? I am not sure how to sum up one of my activities as it is most likely my strongest. I'll def. be writing about it where it asks for additional information.

[zeinX]

idk11- Not sure... when you click "upload" in that section, I think it tells you what it will accept.

PachB- The sections should say "test taken/to be taken" so you can leave the score blank for one, and for the date, put the date you'll be taking it. They'll know that they should read it as "to be taken" versus "taken," obviously. Just make sure to send your scores to them.

sushi_error- If it's the most important, you can definitely talk about it in the box that asks you to expand on one EC/work thing in about 150 words. Also, for a less formal approach/more of a list- i.e. extra awards and the like, you can use the big additional info. box which has 2500 characters.

[idk11]

@zeinX

Thanks. I checked and they do accept .pdf.

[idk11]

So, for my newspaper additional information, would it be appropriate to list the changes I instituted as editor-in-chief? I'm always hearing how colleges what to know what exactly you did in your leadership positions.