Best Approach To Completing/Prioritizing Secondaries

[Maneuver]

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Hi,

So I filled out my AMCAS last year, but never submitted it because I couldn't motivate myself to take the MCAT.

This year I will apply broadly, every tier, instate (california) and out of state. I'm planning to apply to 30 schools.

What is the best approach to filling out secondaries. Does everyone just complete the secondary in the order that you receive them. If you receive multiple secondaries how do you prioritize? Schools that screen secondaries first perhaps?

 

[BBender716]

I just did them as they came. I applied to 24 and had no problem cranking them out 1 at a time as they came. Apply early (besides the obvious reasons) because they will then trickle in instead of pile on. It's manageable if you refuse to get behind 🙂

 

[FirefighterDoc]

Hi,

So I filled out my AMCAS last year, but never submitted it because I couldn't motivate myself to take the MCAT.

This year I will apply broadly, every tier, instate (california) and out of state. I'm planning to apply to 30 schools.

What is the best approach to filling out secondaries. Does everyone just complete the secondary in the order that you receive them. If you receive multiple secondaries how do you prioritize? Schools that screen secondaries first perhaps?

It might not seem too appealing having to finish all of them, just keep your eye on the prize though. You never know which one will be the school to offer you an interview

 

[DbDan]

I just did them as they came. I applied to 24 and had no problem cranking them out 1 at a time as they came. Apply early (besides the obvious reasons) because they will then trickle in instead of pile on. It's manageable if you refuse to get behind 🙂

I agree with this, I applied a little late last year and the second I submitted I had a whole bunch of secondaries sent to me within a couple of days by schools that did not screen. It piled up a bit but it became more managable as I went through them.

Realize alot of schools will ask very similar questions. The hardest secondaries will be the first ones you write. After that, you can also tailor essays you have already written to the schools you are using them for.

 

[mmmcdowe]

If you have the ability, I'd fill out those that start interviews and give out acceptances early. You might also want to save your top choices for the middle bunch of essays where you are getting good at crafting one without being utterly numb from doing them. Likewise, do the same for interviews. Early acceptances (Oct 15) first, then top choices, then everything else. If you can snag an Oct 15 acceptance you will save yourself so much money. I halved my interviews based on an Oct 16th acceptance.

 

[klmnop]

No offense but this is a silly question. Its like asking some random person on the street if you should do a load of white laundry, or colors first next week.

I hope you don't honestly need help figuring out when and how to turn in secondary applications, as they are pretty self explanatory. One comes in, you do it ASAP... if 10 come in, you do the ones due earlier first. If some have similar questions, you modify the questions. I know I'm coming off as a dick, but honestly... when in doubt just do the white load first and keep your laundry to yourself.

 

[QofQuimica]

What is the best approach to filling out secondaries.

I prioritized based on a combination of when the secondary was received and how much work completing the secondary would be. Since I applied on the day AMCAS opened for submission, I wound up getting a bunch of secondaries at once. I divided my secondaries into three general groups:

1) A few secondaries do not require essays. You give those schools some more money, and you're done. Do these secondaries immediately as soon as you receive them.

2) Most secondaries require a couple of additional essays. Do these in the order you receive them. As others have said, some of the essays will begin to overlap as you go through the app season. It won't take you as long to write a research essay or an autobiographical essay when you reach your fourth secondary that is asking for one.

3) A few secondaries require half a dozen essays, want you to re-enter your coursework, or otherwise are long and time-consuming. If you know that you will need to spend a lot of time working on a secondary, save it for the end. First, some of the questions on that secondary will already be answered after you do some of the "easier" secondaries. Second, if you have trouble getting all of your secondaries done in time, it's better to sacrifice one tough secondary versus sacrificing half a dozen secondaries that only need one or two essays.

Best of luck with your apps. 🙂

No offense but this is a silly question. Its like asking some random person on the street if you should do a load of white laundry, or colors first next week.

No, the question isn't silly, and your analogy doesn't hold. Whether I do the whites or the colors first, I will finish the laundry at the same time, because the time it takes to complete a load of laundry does not depend on the color of the clothes I put into the machine (assuming I choose the same cycle). However, if I have some clothes that get a regular machine wash and dry, others that must be individually hand-washed and laid flat to dry, and a third set that I can send out for dry-cleaning, the length of time for each load *will* differ, and it makes sense to do them in a certain order.

Following my argument above, if I want to get the maximum amount of clothing clean in the shortest amount of time, I would start by sending out the dry-cleaning because that requires the least amount of work. Next, the clothes that can be machine-washed and dried (the biggest group of clothes) should be done, and finally the few items that I have to hand-wash, as these are the most labor-intensive. Even if some of the hand-washed clothes don't get done in time, the majority of my clothes will be washed quickly this way.

 

[klmnop]

IMO I still think its a silly question. Its not something you can prepare for until you start receiving them, and even then there is no secret formula. Use your brain, its just like having a paper due amidst some daily homework assignments in your other classes if they are all worth the same amount.

Yeah, maybe my analogy was off, but personally I disagree with your approach. Yes do the easy ones first, but if one will take longer, set aside some time to work on it each day. Ex: you don't put a 30page essay on hold because you have daily readings, tests, and shorter papers to do in the meantime. For the best quality I would work on those tough ones simultaneously. Thats just me. IMO if there's no sense in rushing a really tough app at the deadline and likely producing a lesser quality essay, late in the cycle.... should just skip that secondary altogether then.

We all have different methods though, so to each their own.

 

[Maneuver]

I prioritized based on a combination of when the secondary was received and how much work completing the secondary would be. Since I applied on the day AMCAS opened for submission, I wound up getting a bunch of secondaries at once. I divided my secondaries into three general groups:

1) A few secondaries do not require essays. You give those schools some more money, and you're done. Do these secondaries immediately as soon as you receive them.

2) Most secondaries require a couple of additional essays. Do these in the order you receive them. As others have said, some of the essays will begin to overlap as you go through the app season. It won't take you as long to write a research essay or an autobiographical essay when you reach your fourth secondary that is asking for one.

3) A few secondaries require half a dozen essays, want you to re-enter your coursework, or otherwise are long and time-consuming. If you know that you will need to spend a lot of time working on a secondary, save it for the end. First, some of the questions on that secondary will already be answered after you do some of the "easier" secondaries. Second, if you have trouble getting all of your secondaries done in time, it's better to sacrifice one tough secondary versus sacrificing half a dozen secondaries that only need one or two essays.

Best of luck with your apps. 🙂


No, the question isn't silly, and your analogy doesn't hold. Whether I do the whites or the colors first, I will finish the laundry at the same time, because the time it takes to complete a load of laundry does not depend on the color of the clothes I put into the machine (assuming I choose the same cycle). However, if I have some clothes that get a regular machine wash and dry, others that must be individually hand-washed and laid flat to dry, and a third set that I can send out for dry-cleaning, the length of time for each load *will* differ, and it makes sense to do them in a certain order.

Following my argument above, if I want to get the maximum amount of clothing clean in the shortest amount of time, I would start by sending out the dry-cleaning because that requires the least amount of work. Next, the clothes that can be machine-washed and dried (the biggest group of clothes) should be done, and finally the few items that I have to hand-wash, as these are the most labor-intensive. Even if some of the hand-washed clothes don't get done in time, the majority of my clothes will be washed quickly this way.

I like this advice a lot. Two thumbs 👍👍

I had no idea that some secondaries didn't require essays. Cool!!!

 

[mdbound1987]

I like this advice a lot. Two thumbs 👍👍

I had no idea that some secondaries didn't require essays. Cool!!!

I applied to 20 schools and only 1 didn't have any essays, so don't think this will happen often. Also, if you have time, you cant start the essays now because they are on this site for pretty much every school. The essays don't really change from year to year...at least they didn't when i applied from the previous year (i applied last June).

 

[vc7777]

Even though I am done with applying I have this intense urge to do some laundry right now...

 

[z31]

Do them in the order they come in is safe advice, because some secondaries will ask that you have them back X weeks from the date you received them.

BUT, do give them all a look over immediately once you receive them to determine when you should deviate from this strategy. Some schools will want 0 essays (they'll want just your credit card number instead 😛), or just a short essay that you can return in a few hours, with no detriment to your apps to other schools. I'm less sure about what to do with secondaries that have a monstrous amount of monster essays like Duke.