No, that was not a mistake. We meant to say 20th Century, though we are now a decade and then some into the 21st.

For all of the complaints about Common App's cumbersome and convoluted three step process for submitting the Supplements, then paying, and then -- oooooops! Nearly forgot -- submitting the common portion of the application [Read, So You THINK You Submitted The Common App...], the folks at Common App have apparently caught on.

Indeed, in an email announcement to counselors and member colleges -- entitled CA4: First Look -- several initiatives, to be unveiled in the 2013-14 version of Common App slated to go live on August 1, were highlighted.

Among them, changes to the Application; changes to the Supplements (which will now be submitted after the common application -- as logic and common sense would dictate -- rather than before); changes to the Writing sections (including new essay prompts, as previously discussed on this blog); changes to school forms; and, most notably for purposes of this post, changes to payments.

At long last, Common App has gotten around to incorporating the submission of the common application and payment into one consolidated step. [It only took $8 million dollars and how many missed deadlines?]

As per the gurus of the new Common App:

Some students are confused by the need for three different submission processes, one each for application, supplement, and payment. With this more unified submission process, students will submit everything required of them -- except the member Writing Supplements -- simultaneously.

Glory be to the great and powerful (if certainly not wonderful) purveyor of online college application forms!

Perhaps, some day (if not in this lifetime, then maybe in the next), students will be able to submit everything, including the Writing Supplements -- in one, simple step. Some day. But certainly not in time for the 2013-14 college application season.

Oh well. The wheels of progress may turn slowly. Still, in the evolution of the Common App as a modern and useful tool to ease the burdens of the college application process, at least they're beginning to turn.

Next up -- The Naviance Summer Institute. Now who would want to miss that? :-)

Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer™.

Who knows what peril lurks in the college application and admissions process? The College Whisperer™ knows. . .

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