US University Admissions Seminar – French International School (Hong Kong)

Topic: The Common App to Top US Universities: Uncommon Approach for Success

The Common App (Common Application) is an undergraduate college admission application for applying to most of the US colleges and universities, including big names such as Yale, Stanford, Princeton, and Harvard.

The Common App contains the most important information of a student to help admission officers to make acceptance decisions. Students have to put in their personal data, school and standardized test results, extra-curricular activities, and answer a few writing prompts.
Completing the Common App is more than filling in bubbles and checking boxes. If students do it right, they will be able to present their strengths, uniqueness and personality very effectively, thus getting a better chance of winning the college admission game.
This seminar aims at helping students and parents to understand what the admission officers look for from the Common App and learn how to organize and present information strategically.

Topics include:
• A closer look at the Common Application
• Why admission officers want this information and what they look for
• What should be done before filling out the Common App
• Does the summer activity in Grade 8 (Year 9 or Form 2 equivalent) matter?
• What to say about the “Level(s) of Recognition” of the honors received and achievements in
Grade 9 (Year 10 or Form 3 equivalent)?
• Personal Statement DOs and DON’Ts
• How to manage the writing supplements
• The last step before pressing the “submit” button
• Q&A

Language: English