Daily Debriefing

A newly revamped Common Application will debut Aug. 1, 2013 as part of an $8-million project to accommodate the increasing volume of applications from around the world, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. At the National Association for College Admissions Counseling's annual conference on Friday, Common Application officials said that the essay prompts would likely change each year and would no longer include the "topic of your choice" option. While supporters said that the changes would level the playing field among applicants, critics said that it limits creative opportunities for students. The new Common Application, which will be available exclusively online beginning next summer, will also include more accessible progress checks, a streamlined fee waiver system and features that help counselors monitor their students' progress, and the Common Application will not allow resume attachments, according to The Chronicle.

Timothy White will take over as chancellor of the California State University System at the end of this year, according to Inside Higher Ed. White, who will replace Charles Reed when he retires after 14 years, will have to confront the possibility of a failed California tax increase that voters will consider next month. If the measure fails, the system will have lost $1.2 billion, or 39 percent, of its annual state funding over five years. White would be confronted with cost reduction decisions such as tuition hikes, cuts in administrative costs and negotiations with union leaders over benefits. Cal State's faculty association recently agreed to a new contract, and the union said on Thursday that it was hopeful that White will unify the system, according to Inside Higher Ed.

The Tuck School of Business, previously ranked first internationally for business education, ranked second after the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business on The Economist's "Which MBA?" list. Also in the top five are the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, Harvard Business School and Columbia Business School. While Booth is recognized as a well-rounded school with a strong reputation in finance, the magazine recognized Tuck for its emphasis on general management, teamwork, close student-faculty relations and a small residential program. Three months after graduation, 97 percent of Tuck graduates find jobs, compared to Booth's 93 percent.