Texas Common Application
Common Application for all Texas Public Colleges and Universities
Students need to complete this application only once when applying to any Texas public university.
Texas Common Application Tips http://www.applytexas.org/
First, you will, "Create Profile", write down your user name , password , and application ID# and keep the information in a safe place. You will need this information again! 
Each time you log in:
User Name: Password:
Go To: "Apply"
At the bottom of each page, when you click, "Continue" it will save the page for you.
Before you submit the application, you may come back to the application at different times to add more information:
Select: Saved Application >Edit
To submit the application to an additional college:
Select: Submitted Application >Copy >Select the New Target University.
Each time you submit the application to a different college, you will be required to pay the college's application fee.
Page 1- Biographical Information
Target University: Example: Texas Tech
First Choice School/Major: Example: College of Liberal Arts/Psychology
Second Choice School/Major: Example: College of Mass Communications/Advertising
Each university groups their majors differently. Look on the university's web site. You will need to know if your major is in the College of Liberal Arts, College of Communication, College of Natural Sciences, College of Education, etc. It asks for a first choice major and a second choice major. If you are applying to a selective school, you might want to list both.
Page 2 - Educational Information
List exact titles of courses/credits you will complete your senior year. Government and Economics receive .5 credit each.
Page 3 - Test and Residency Information
List your address or addresses for the last three years. If you have always lived at the same address: From: the day you were born, To: today's date
List employers - full-time work only. Fill this out ONLY if you have been employed full time (40 hours per week) during the last two years. You may list your work history in the "Activities" section.
Page 4 - Optional Information
This is optional information. You can skip some or all of the questions. Ex: Parent's income.
Page 5 - Activities
Please list, in priority order , the organizations/activities that indicate special contributions, honors, and abilities in the areas of extracurricular activities, community service, employment. Quality is more important than quantity.
Page 6- Employment Information and Essay
You do not need to submit your essay the same day that you submit your application. You may do it a few days later, or a few weeks later, but remember that the Admissions Office will not process your application until they have all the required materials. 
Instructions for submitting your essay(s) via e-mail. Use this e-mail address ONLY for the essay. If more than one essay has to be submitted, use a separate e-mail. Use a word processing software to write your essay. When you are ready to submit your essay, use
"copy and paste" to copy your essay; to the text area of your e-mail body. The e-mailed essay must be text embedded in the body of the letter. No attachments should be sent! The subject line of the e-mail must be your Application ID and type of essay, separated by a space.
For example:
to submit Topic A , the subject of your email must be 284480 A
to submit Topic B , the subject of your email must be 284480 B
to submit Topic C , the subject of your email must be 284480 C
Page 7 - University and Major-Specific Information
After you answer each question, Click: "Acknowledge & Save"
Page 8 - Certification and Payment InformationMail check - include student's name, social security #, and application D# on the check Or pay with a credit card
Common Application http://www.commonapp.org/
Students need only to complete this application once when applying to any of the participating independent colleges and universities who utilize this form. Some of the private schools who use the Common Application include Rice, TCU, Tulane, Trinity, and Vanderbilt University.
Transcripts
Students may request a copy of their transcript in the Counselors' Office. The student may pick up the transcript or it can be mailed to the college for them. Please include the College Admission Office address when requesting a transcript.
A final transcript will be mailed to every senior in mid-June. Be sure and keep this copy for your records.
In case you or your college do not receive your final transcript before your orientation, be sure and take a copy of your most recent transcript with you.
Accepted! Now What?
Think you're done once they offer you admission into your dream college? Nope - you still have work to do before you celebrate. Before the end of your senior year, you will have to:
Withdraw your applications from other colleges to which you applied. Provide a tuition deposit Request a housing application Send in your room and board deposit Register for freshman orientation Make sure your immunizations are current Request information for your major's required courses Check out the college's web site for available student clubs and activities Ask how to get college credit for your AP classes Pay for a FINAL transcript to be sent to the college
Recommendation Letters
It is important that you give teachers and/or counselors 2-3 weeks notice if you want them to write a letter of recommendation. Please fill out an "Information Sheet" about yourself to help them write a more personal recommendation. You can pick up an "Information Sheet" in the Counselor's Office if you do not have one.
Essays
Essays help colleges and universities determine the quality of your writing and they help admissions officials learn more about you other than your grades, test scores, and recommendation letters reveal.
Writing a Great Essay
Top 10 Tips for a Winning College Essay
1. Don't "recycle" essays
2. Don't overextend
3. Be yourself
4. Accentuate the Positive
5. Write in the Active Voice
6. Captivate your Audience
7. Ask People for Input
8. Leave Time for Rewriting
9. Revise, Reword
10. Have your English teacher look it over
Tips of the Trade
Consider what each question is designed to find out about you as you draft a response.
Keep these in mind:
Topic: Avoid generic, formulaic five-paragraph essays. The best essays are specific, often incorporating stories with reflection and analysis. It's not enough to say that Grandma inspired you because her life was hard. Why was it hard? What did she go through, what did she accomplish, and what have you learned as a result?
Tone: The essay should be persuasive, showcasing your desirable qualities without seeming arrogant or boastful.
Attention to Detail: Answer the question and follow instructions. If there a word limit, stay within it. If asked to explain how you will contribute to the school, don't write about how much you love the school. And details count, so be careful to proofread and revise your drafts.
Finish drafting your essay and solicit feedback from teachers and peers in order to create a polished final piece.
More Tips Start with a solid idea and then draft, revise, and refine. Check for typos! Be as original as possible. Admissions officials are busy and they read essays quickly, so make sure your essay can appeal
to them immediately. Remember: There are no right or wrong answers to essay questions!
Common Essay Errors Submit the correct number of essays. If it says "choose one", select only one of the suggested topics If an essay question has more than one section, provide an answer for every part. Make sure that your
responses answer the questions. If your essays are on separate sheets of paper, make sure to include them in the application packet. Use the Spellchecker on both the application and the essays. Don't count on Spellchecker alone. Something may be spelled correctly but still make no sense
(e.g.). "I no a lot about applying two college." If you're going to use some of your responses for more than one school, make sure you've used the right
college name.
Resources
http://www.wordsmyth.net/ | http://www.thesaurus.com/
http://www.theslot.com/ | http://www.bartleby.com/ | http://www.myessay.com/
