Common App began as a simple application connecting fifteen (15) institutions forty (40) years ago and has grown into a non-profit membership organization connecting over 900 schools. Through the Common App, students can apply for any college, register for financial aid and scholarships, get counseling appointments, etc. In this article we shall see if Occidental College use the Common App?
Occidental College uses the Common App, especially in its application processes. Students are requested by the school authority to submit every application material through the Common App. Also, the students can be evaluated by an academic instructor of their choice on the Common App.
How Occidental College use the Common App?
The Common App makes it easy for students to access the services of colleges, and it also enables them to go about their college applications effectively. Students can figure out which school matches their interests in terms of the management system, educational system, and provision of financial aid among others. Over 900 universities make use of the Common App because of its effectiveness in connecting them together, so they can grow both individually and collectively. Occidental College is one of the colleges that make use of the Common App in the admission processes of its students. There are various steps that the students need to cover before they can complete their registration. These steps include:
- Short Answers Section
- School Report
- Counselor recommendation forms
- $70 application fee or a fee waiver
- Official transcript
- Standardized test scores
- Two letters of recommendation from teachers
Short Answers Section
This is a section of the Occidental Member questions on the Common App, that requires applicants to provide answers to questions. Some of these questions include?
- Why are you applying to Occidental? What are your intellectual curiosities and why do you think Occidental is the right place for you to pursue them? (200 words max)
- Quirks, idiosyncrasies, peculiarities. They help differentiate us. What is one of yours? (134 words max)
Students are required to answer one of the following questions. This is a way for the college to know more about you as a student since you are a potential student of Occidental College.
School Report
This is a summary of the student’s high school records. It contains their transcript, counseling reports, behavioral patterns, how they managed their extracurricular activities, community service, etc. This is very important for Occidental College because it will expose the students’ high school records to them. It is a very good criterion in choosing who should be admitted into the college.
Counselor Recommendation Forms
The counselor’s recommendation is a very critical form that must be submitted to Occidental College through the Common App during application. The counselor’s recommendation goes a long way to help the school manage you, or provide facilities that will promote or advance your academic and social life in the college.
$70 application fee or a fee waiver
This is a non-refundable Occidental College application fee that you pay through the Common Application website, using a credit card or electronic check. A fee waiver permits you not to pay for your application. You can get your fee waived by requesting for the college application fee waiver.
Official Transcript
Unlike the unofficial transcript, the official transcript requires the school official’s signature. It must be ordered according to the instructions on the official transcript page. The school seal must be on it, and it is a document produced by the registrar’s office. To apply for Occidental College, every applicant must submit an official transcript through the Common App.
Standardized Test Scores
The standardized Test accepted by Occidental College is the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT). The average SAT score required from students who are applying to Occidental College is 1310. This means that a SAT score of 1310 and above should be uploaded to the Common Application while applying for Occidental College.
Two Letters Of Recommendation From Teachers
On the Common App, students applying for Occidental College must submit two letters of recommendation. Preferably, these letters should come from teachers taking core subjects. Also, letters from 10th- to 12th-grade classes are preferred. This way, the recommendation is based on a fresh perception of the students, and not really on what the student has done in the distant past.
Note: Application materials must be submitted through the Common Application. After this is done, students receive emails within one to two days of submitting their application material, that is within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. These emails contain the log-in details for the online Application Portal. They are instructed to update their information, review materials that have been submitted, and also upload any other relevant materials.
The Common Application serves as a means through which students can easily apply to any college of their choice from their comfort zone. It grants students access to explore over 900 universities, giving them what makes each unique and which can serve their best interests. It is in the light of these, that many colleges utilize the efficiency of the Common Application.
Conclusion
The Occidental College’s use of Common App in its application is a 21st-century move to make more efficient, the processes of admitting students into the college. Beyond that, it is an app that makes Occidental College connect with other great institutions, and this way, the various institutions can learn and grow together.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) How many years program does Occidental College offer?
Answer
Occidental College offers a four-year program.
2) What does Occidental College use Common Application for?
Answer
Occidental College majorly uses the Common Application for admission applications and processes.
3) What questions are asked in the Short Answer Section of Occidental College Common App during application?
Answer
1) Why are you applying to Occidental? What are your intellectual curiosities and why do you think Occidental is the right place for you to pursue them? (200 words max)
2) Quirks, idiosyncrasies, peculiarities. They help differentiate us. What is one of yours? (134 words max)
4) What does a fee waiver do?
Answer
A fee waiver permits a student not to pay the application fee, which is $70 at Occidental College. It is gotten by requesting a college application fee waiver.
