The Foreign Service Journal, December 2013

58 DECEMBER 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT Their updates were well-intended, but instead of making things simpler and more streamlined, they have actually created a process that is even more com- plicated and frustrating for students, parents, counselors and colleges.” As of this writing, the Help Center on the Common App website and the CA’s Facebook page give updates on the status of repair work. Tips on the New Essay Prompts Although there are revisions through- out the Common App, it’s the Writing sec- tion that showcases the biggest changes— and gives students the best opportunity to control the process. Here are some tips on how to proceed. First, do not compose your essay on the application screen itself—there have been toomany cautionary tales of essays being garbled or lost. If you’ve composed it in Word, some experts suggest pasting it into low-format software such as Notepad (Win- dows) or TextEdit (Mac) and then pasting it onto the online application, as word counts can vary depending on software. Only paste in your essay when it’s completely revised and ready to go, of course. Now, let’s go through the five new essay prompts, one by one: ■ Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story . If you grew up in the Foreign Service, your experiences are likely unusual compared to those of other applicants. You can speak in general about growing up as a “diplomat’s kid,” or you can home The Help Center on the Common App Web site and the CA’s Facebook page give updates on what has been fixed, and what is still being worked on.