CEP CEP College Planning Process & Timeline 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the Common App Early Decision deadline that CEPs most commonly advise students to target?
- October 1
- November 1 (Correct answer)
- December 1
- January 1
Correct answer: November 1
November 1 is the standard Early Decision I deadline for most Common App member schools, with decisions typically released in mid-December.
Question 2: A CEP working with a student applying to highly selective schools should advise that demonstrated interest can impact admission at schools that:
- Are test-optional only
- Track and consider interest as a factor in their holistic review (Correct answer)
- Exclusively admit by GPA cutoffs
- Require interviews for all applicants
Correct answer: Track and consider interest as a factor in their holistic review
Some selective schools track demonstrated interest (campus visits, emails, event attendance) and factor it into holistic admission decisions.
Question 3: Which document should a CEP review to understand a high school's curriculum rigor when evaluating a student's transcript?
- Student's personal statement
- School profile submitted to colleges (Correct answer)
- SAT score report
- Teacher recommendation letter
Correct answer: School profile submitted to colleges
The school profile provides context about course offerings, grading scales, and class rank policies, helping colleges and CEPs fairly assess transcript rigor.
Question 4: When advising on extracurricular activities, what principle do CEPs emphasize over breadth of involvement?
- Joining only school-sponsored clubs
- Depth, leadership, and sustained commitment in fewer activities (Correct answer)
- Completing 200+ hours of community service
- Focusing on activities related to intended major only
Correct answer: Depth, leadership, and sustained commitment in fewer activities
Colleges value depth and demonstrated leadership in a few meaningful activities over a long list of superficial involvements.
Question 5: A CEP should advise students applying to test-optional schools to submit scores if their scores fall:
- Below the school's 25th percentile
- At or above the school's 50th percentile (median) (Correct answer)
- Only if they are athletic recruits
- Exclusively if they are applying for merit aid
Correct answer: At or above the school's 50th percentile (median)
Submitting scores at or above the school's median strengthens an application; submitting below the 25th percentile typically weakens it at test-optional schools.
Question 6: What is a 'gap year' and how should a CEP advise a student who is considering one?
- A year off with no structured plan, discouraged by CEPs
- A structured year of travel, work, or service deferred with college's approval (Correct answer)
- An automatic deferral granted by all colleges
- A year to retake standardized tests exclusively
Correct answer: A structured year of travel, work, or service deferred with college's approval
A gap year should be purposeful and structured; students should secure college admission first, then request a deferral and plan meaningful activities.
CEP CEP College Planning Process & Timeline 2
What is the Common App Early Decision deadline that CEPs most commonly advise students to target?