When I Was 17: Common App Guide + Runway

It’s the most wonderful time of senior season – Common App Guide Day! On Wednesday, we released the newest edition of our annual guide to filling out the Common Application, a project that I am always incredibly proud to be a part of. This year, I was particularly excited to work on this piece because I knew students were going to have more questions than ever: about how to input their Pass/Fail courses from last spring, how to explain new activities that they picked up during quarantine, and how (or whether) to answer that brand-new COVID-19 question.
 
My favorite thing about working with Collegewise is getting to collaborate with so many smart, thoughtful people. I don’t single-handedly know the answer to every question that has come up in this bizarre application season. So I have really valued getting to hear my colleagues’ perspectives on these topics, eventually coming to a recommendation – or recommendations – for our students and the communities we serve that we can feel confident about.
 
But this is a very special week because, in addition to publishing the latest edition of the Common App Guide, Collegewise also announced its newest offering: Runway. Runway is a collection of free resources for high school students and their parents, breaking down the entire college admissions process. Seniors will find video tutorials and documents showing them exactly how to get from square one to submit, including building and finalizing a college list, making the most of the activity summary, and writing the strongest possible supplemental essays. And underclassmen can get a head start on making a standardized testing timeline in the age of COVID cancellations, preparing for college visits and taking advantage of the new virtual options, and finding their best-fit schools. And did I mention that all of this is free?
 
Whether you’re just starting to think about filling out your college applications or you’ve been working on them diligently all summer, each of these resources will help you maximize the effort you’re putting into this project, ensuring that you get all the pieces in place as fully and effectively as possible. And in the midst of this wild and unpredictable school year, that is definitely something to celebrate.

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