College apps--any advice or answering a question like this?

[Musicmom]

Ds is filling out the Common App online, and one of his college supplements says to “List 4 books you have read this year”. The thing is, while most response-slots on the Common App and supplements are terribly restricted, the space allotted for this response is 500 characters (which works out to about 70 words)—way more than you would ever need to list 4 book titles and authors. In fact, Ds could practically list ALL the books he’s read this past year (which is a lot), with room to spare. So… we are wondering if they are really looking for the student to list more, or expound on his 4 choices, or write an essay about them. Or do we just list 4? :confused:

Anyone have any thoughts or worked with an admission coach on a question like this? Or should we ask the school about it directly?

Thanks in advance!

[Kathy in Richmond]

:lurk5:

My dd has the same question concerning one of her supplements!

~Kathy

[Brenda in MA]

We never encountered this type of question, but could you give the admissions office of the college in question a call and ask them what they want?

Personally, I'd be afraid to list more than 4 because then you might be labeled as "doesn't follow directions"....

JM2Cents,
Brenda

[readwithem]

We never encountered this type of question, but could you give the admissions office of the college in question a call and ask them what they want?

Personally, I'd be afraid to list more than 4 because then you might be labeled as "doesn't follow directions"....

JM2Cents,
Brenda

:iagree: Sometimes things get lost in translation between the college and the common app.:001_huh:

[Hillary in KS]

I would do just what the question asked. List 4 titles and authors.

The extra characters are probably allowing for titles of nonfiction books, which are occasionally longer than fiction titles, or books with multiple authors. (Or even first/last names of authors so that the reader can distinguish between, say, "Edgar Poe" and "Edgar Allen Poe.")

[Kathy in Richmond]

I would do just what the question asked. List 4 titles and authors.



This is what my dd has decided to do. She checked the appropriate college forum over at College Confidential, and this seemed to be the consensus. Yay!

~Kathy

[Musicmom]

Thanks everyone! Just listing the four books (with authors) is making more and more sense to me. I'll suggest this to ds... he'll be relieved! One more question down... :tongue_smilie:

[jrodrick4]

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I'm fresher engineer in the field of Computer Science. I want to complete M.S. in Computer Engineering. Please, list the name of the colleges in USA that are good for me.