Undergraduate Application | Admission (2024)

FAQs

Should you answer the optional questions on college applications? ›

Most optional prompts are simply additional opportunities for applicants to express themselves, and to add further texture to their applications. Take the opportunity to respond to the ones that allow you to highlight any other important connections, accomplishments, beliefs, or views for your readers.

In general, a great application will have most or all of the following elements: A high GPA (relative to what admitted students have) and a rigorous curriculum. Strong test scores (relative to what admitted students have) A specific, honest, and well-written personal statement and/or essays.

Short Answer Questions

Often, this may be as short as 150 words (a paragraph). This means that your answers must be clear and concise without being so bare bones that you don't seem to have a personality. In fact, it's okay if you answer the question in less than the allotted space.

There is no magic number, but five to eight applications are usually enough to ensure that a student is accepted into a suitable institution (depending, of course, on the individual student's record and circ*mstances). This number should be made up of a combination of “safety,” “match,” and “reach” colleges.

The only questions that a student is required to answer on the Common App have a red '*' next to them. All others are not required.

According to CollegeVine's data on applying test-optional, students who submit scores at or above the 25th percentile are accepted at roughly two times the rate of students who don't submit scores. Even students below the 25th percentile are more likely to be accepted if they submit their scores.

A good college application should showcase strong grades, high test scores, volunteer or relevant work experience, compelling letters of recommendation and an honest and thoughtful personal essay. It's also good to show improvement and a willingness to challenge yourself.

For example, a student with a spike in scientific research might have won prestigious awards at national or international science competitions, or a student with a spike in music might be a talented and accomplished musician in a regional or national orchestra.

For example, you might use a word like "kind," "patient," "determined" or "resilient." Consider using your third selection to explain some of your unique qualities. For example, you can use a word like "adventurous," "generous," "resourceful," "outgoing" or "thoughtful."

The Common App essay word count range is 250-650 words. But just how long should your statement be? Admissions Blog advises aiming for around 500 words.

What is considered a short answer response? ›

Short answers are brief but complete—they can answer "yes or no" questions or more complicated queries. Conventionally, the verb in a short answer is in the same tense as the verb in the question asked.

How Many Colleges Does the Average Student Apply to? In general, most students apply to between 8 and 12 colleges. This is a good range to aim for, provided that the applications you submit represent a broad variety of colleges. Ideally, you want to apply to at least two safety, four target, and two reach schools.

While most students spend time trying to decide where to apply to college, they should also be considering how many applications to send out. Applying to too many schools can lead to a heavier workload, added stress, and tougher decisions.

Some secondary essay questions are optional, but experts recommend answering them even though they're extra work.

Submitting an optional essay can be beneficial because it gives you an opportunity to showcase more about your personality, experiences, or achievements that may not be covered in other areas of your application. It can also demonstrate your interest in the college and your dedication to putting in the extra effort.

Most experts recommended that applicants only use optional essays to inform the admissions committee of extenuating circ*mstances, anomalies in their backgrounds, or in some rare cases, an extraordinary accomplishment not covered by the required prompts.

Letters of Recommendation

Like the resume, admissions officers are known not to read extra letters of recommendation. Especially at a large public university, the likelihood that an optional letter of recommendation will get read is very low.