Common Application BackTracks; Will Allow Changes

Earlier this summer I reported on a change to the online version of the Common Application that would have prohibited students from making changes to the Common Application in between submissions to different colleges. A small but vocal group of college counselors has been urging the Common Application to return to their old process. This morning, Rob Killian, executive director of the Common Application, informed counselors that the Common Application Board of Directors has decided to backtrack on its decision to not allow changes. According to an email sent by Killian to counselros, in response to the counselor questions, the Common Application has "been discussing some short-term and long-term technology solutions that could address the three or four questions most commonly raised by counselors (for example, allowing an applicant to indicate different majors for different Common App members), without compromising our mission to provide a “Common” Application." Killian added that, effective Friday, October 19, students applying this year will "again be able to create and submit alternate versions of their Common Application, in much the same way they did last year."

The Common Application is compiling a list of FAQs which will be sent to counselors in the next week.

This move is very good news for this year's applicants, and I think it is great that the Common Application responded to the concerns I, and other counselors, raised about the new system.