Common App: career plans question

[Anonymous]

How unique/wordy or detailed should you be?

If you choose “Other” another text box pops up.

[Anonymous]

Be detailed and creative :



You’re answering the typical demographic questions on the Common App and moving on to the next section. As you’re filling out your grades and other educational information, you come across a section labeled “Future Plans.” Wait, colleges already want to know what you plan to do after graduation? It’s hard enough deciding where you want to apply in the first place!

Actually, if done strategically, you can use the “Future Plans” section in your application to show not only your individuality but your maturity and depth of thought. I’ll start with a couple of dos and don’ts of how to choose your major in the Common App, list a few examples that you can adapt for your own experience to make the best out of this seemingly daunting section, and finally, guide you through how to go about making the selection at different schools when the time comes to actually pick your major.

Dos
Do list a career that is as specific as you possibly can in your Future Plans section. Colleges want to know that you have put thought and research into your ideal future job. This can be completely aspirational, don’t be shy to go into details - the sky is truly the limit.
Here’s an example of how to choose a major and future career on the Common App. Say you’re interested in being a biology major. Biology is an enormous field with many subspecialties and numerous career paths. The Future Plans section allows you to show the distinct focus of your interest in biology. Perhaps you want to put your biology background to use as a scientific researcher. Maybe your dream is to go to veterinary school. You might even become a conservationist. All of these unique options will stand out and make your profile much more interesting to an admissions officer than just stating biology.

Do feel free to use the “Other” category to list a more specific career plan. The list of potential careers that the Common App allows you to choose from is in some ways incredibly vague and, in others, bizarrely specific. For example, you could select two different types of Clergy, but you have no options for banking. The “Other” category gives you the freedom to be truly creative. Show that you have given some thought about your career and know about specialized career options in your field. Specifying a unique career path will help you stand out -- you may be the only candidate who chose the career that you listed!
We had a student interested in the music business, who hoped to become the founder of a record label. Instead of listing that she was interested in the more predictable position of “Business Executive,” she took advantage of the “Other” option and then listed “Music Industry Entrepreneur.” This future plan was perfectly aligned with the rest of her application and helped her stand out as a student with a big but clear dream.

Do consider changing this section depending on the major you list at different schools. Just because you’re filling out the Common App, doesn’t mean that you have to use exact same version for every submission. When thinking about how to choose a major on the Common App, know that different universities have varying names for different majors, and this may affect the way that you want to portray your future plans as well.
For instance, you may apply for the Behavioral Decision Sciences concentration at Brown, which is a distinctive program not offered at many schools. For your Future Plans section on the Brown application, consider listing “Other - Management Consultant.” Now, you might also apply to Dartmouth for the related, but distinct “Psychological and Brain Sciences” major. On this application, it might be more appropriate to list your future plans as “Clinical Psychologist.” Be strategic when considering how to choose a major on the Common App!

[Anonymous]

“Colleges want to know that you have put thought and research into your ideal future job”

Absolutely preposterous and beyond ridiculous to expect this from a 17 year old. No answer they give should be taken seriously. It’s in invitation to make things up or to get something generated by a consultant.

[Anonymous]

For example, our DC would have written about wanting a career in the health sciences, not in engineering. She looked like a math/science student. She wanted PT, OT, Denistry or Pharmacy. She didn't know but not engineering. Her OOS schools would have realized she picked them for a good reason. They have an affiliated teaching hospital. DD wasn't going to stay in-state since our in-state tech university produces a lot of engineers but not pre-professional health grads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Colleges want to know that you have put thought and research into your ideal future job”

Absolutely preposterous and beyond ridiculous to expect this from a 17 year old. No answer they give should be taken seriously. It’s in invitation to make things up or to get something generated by a consultant.

Exactly. I feel like forcing all the admissions staffers to reapply to college as their 17-year-old selves.

[Anonymous]

My kid came up with something clever. There’s space in “other”

[Anonymous]

Isn’t this a drop down tab?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this a drop down tab?

You can pick “other” and then a blank box opens. Some college counselors say it’s a good way to frame kid’s narrative

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be detailed and creative :



You’re answering the typical demographic questions on the Common App and moving on to the next section. As you’re filling out your grades and other educational information, you come across a section labeled “Future Plans.” Wait, colleges already want to know what you plan to do after graduation? It’s hard enough deciding where you want to apply in the first place!

Actually, if done strategically, you can use the “Future Plans” section in your application to show not only your individuality but your maturity and depth of thought. I’ll start with a couple of dos and don’ts of how to choose your major in the Common App, list a few examples that you can adapt for your own experience to make the best out of this seemingly daunting section, and finally, guide you through how to go about making the selection at different schools when the time comes to actually pick your major.

Dos
Do list a career that is as specific as you possibly can in your Future Plans section. Colleges want to know that you have put thought and research into your ideal future job. This can be completely aspirational, don’t be shy to go into details - the sky is truly the limit.
Here’s an example of how to choose a major and future career on the Common App. Say you’re interested in being a biology major. Biology is an enormous field with many subspecialties and numerous career paths. The Future Plans section allows you to show the distinct focus of your interest in biology. Perhaps you want to put your biology background to use as a scientific researcher. Maybe your dream is to go to veterinary school. You might even become a conservationist. All of these unique options will stand out and make your profile much more interesting to an admissions officer than just stating biology.

Do feel free to use the “Other” category to list a more specific career plan. The list of potential careers that the Common App allows you to choose from is in some ways incredibly vague and, in others, bizarrely specific. For example, you could select two different types of Clergy, but you have no options for banking. The “Other” category gives you the freedom to be truly creative. Show that you have given some thought about your career and know about specialized career options in your field. Specifying a unique career path will help you stand out -- you may be the only candidate who chose the career that you listed!
We had a student interested in the music business, who hoped to become the founder of a record label. Instead of listing that she was interested in the more predictable position of “Business Executive,” she took advantage of the “Other” option and then listed “Music Industry Entrepreneur.” This future plan was perfectly aligned with the rest of her application and helped her stand out as a student with a big but clear dream.

Do consider changing this section depending on the major you list at different schools. Just because you’re filling out the Common App, doesn’t mean that you have to use exact same version for every submission. When thinking about how to choose a major on the Common App, know that different universities have varying names for different majors, and this may affect the way that you want to portray your future plans as well.
For instance, you may apply for the Behavioral Decision Sciences concentration at Brown, which is a distinctive program not offered at many schools. For your Future Plans section on the Brown application, consider listing “Other - Management Consultant.” Now, you might also apply to Dartmouth for the related, but distinct “Psychological and Brain Sciences” major. On this application, it might be more appropriate to list your future plans as “Clinical Psychologist.” Be strategic when considering how to choose a major on the Common App!

I just spent 10x more time reading this post than the 5 seconds it took my kid to select what they wanted from the drop down tab.

Now at a top 5 and accepted nearly everywhere.

Maybe this is a massive case of dramatically overthinking what is of little significance to an AO.

[Anonymous]

i heard about this on a podcast. I don't think its a "nothing" burger.

Make sure the description isn't generic (doctor) and adds something unique, creative or descriptive to narrative.

[Anonymous]

But the deans of admissions swear that teens can't know their career interest or even major before they attend that amazing college, so shouldn't specialize!

[Anonymous]

My kid is very specifically "undecided." This is what college is for, right? Figuring it out? There are whole fields of study out there he's never even heard of yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is very specifically "undecided." This is what college is for, right? Figuring it out? There are whole fields of study out there he's never even heard of yet.

+1

[Anonymous]

I swear the higher ed industrial complex is in cahoots to make things as opaque as possible.

Everyone benefits excepts the students. It’s really not that difficult, but lending an air of ‘secrecy’ to the process drives families to ridiculous measures. I heard that dumb podcast too and his whole tactic is to shroud it in mystery so people hire him.

[Anonymous]

Sara H discussed this on AppNation too.