Hey guys, quick question. I've been working on my Common App in bits and pieces, and I'm always paranoid I'll lose my work. How can I ensure that my progress is saved, especially when dealing with longer essay responses?
Hello! I completely understand the worry about losing your hard work—it's a common concern among students. Here's a small tip: the Common App typically autosaves your progress every 90 seconds, so make sure you're giving the system time to save as you work.
However, for long essay responses, I always suggest students draft their essays in a separate word processing program like Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Not only does this give you an extra layer of security with their own autosave features, but it also offers more robust spell-checking and editing tools.
After you're satisfied with your work, you can copy and paste it into the Common App text box. This also makes it easier to share drafts with others for feedback. Just be sure to double-check formatting when pasting your text as sometimes extra spaces or different fonts can sneak in. Backup your work frequently, too—either with a cloud service or with an external drive, just to be double safe. Best of luck with your application!
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