Boston Secondary Question: Educational Narrative?

[narc]

Can someone explain what BU is looking for in this question:

"Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be part of particular interest to us: (2000 character limit, approximately 400 words"

I have no idea what this question even means.

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[-Lexi-]

Sounds like they're looking for 'features of your educational history that you think may be part of particular interest to them...'

hehe kidding

Maybe a particular point where you got a lot out of a class. Learned (or learned to do) something exceptional?

 

[narc]

So you think we are talking about something you learned during 4 years of college course. Something you learned from those course, not something outside of your institution like research experience etc?

 

[ADeadLois]

So you think we are talking about something you learned during 4 years of college course. Something you learned from those course, not something outside of your institution like research experience etc?

The "narrative" or "timeline" part of the question makes me think they want you to write about a very specific event in almost a stream of consiciousness kind of way. Sort of like taking a big test or giving a big presentation. Interesting question.

 

[sentrosi]

I don't remember the topic from last year, but it was also somewhat funky.

Sounds like they want to know what kind of things that you learned that pertains to your interest to medicine or would make you a doctor candidate that they might want. Like say if you took a class related to medicine, etc.

 

[narc]

I don't remember the topic from last year, but it was also somewhat funky.

Sounds like they want to know what kind of things that you learned that pertains to your interest to medicine or would make you a doctor candidate that they might want. Like say if you took a class related to medicine, etc.

I am tempted to tell them what I learned outside of class, through sports perhaps. But maybe not so much in a narrative form.

Perhaps the typical "problem --> what did you learn from dealing with this problem" would work here?

 

[-Lexi-]

The way they worded it, I'm not sure if they're looking for sports or extracurricular experiences

 

[jackieMD2007]

When I was in second grade, I made this turkey for my mom, out of a handprint. Its done in crayon. I wonder if I could mail that into BU?

 

[iceman77_7]

Can someone explain what BU is looking for in this question:

"Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be part of particular interest to us: (2000 character limit, approximately 400 words"

I have no idea what this question even means.

I took it to mean if there's something about your record that's unusual or fishy, here's your chance to explain it.

 

[coralfangs]

not really

i think its just want to see if we've taken anything interesting or anything that might make us better candidates

eg. u've taken these history of medicine courses and u learned about the development of modern medicine, blah blah blah, and what u got outta it, blah blah blah

 

[popbirch]

I left that section blank last year. I didn't really have any major gaps in my record, or anything I felt warranted an explanation. I don't think it is a place to give a second personal statement, but that is just what I thought. I had two blips in my record that I thought about putting in there, one was a 3.2ish gpa my first year, and the second was a semester I only took 9 credits. But I decided to just not worry about, they weren't that big of a deal. If you have something that looks fishy and you want to explain to ease their minds, I think this would be the place.

 

[bhop]

when did you get the boston university secondary...I got a weird email saying there were delayed and haven't heard anything since then

 

[Svidrillion]

I think that section of the BU secondary is redolent of the question common on many secondaries: if you were doing something funky during your undergrad years, tell us about it so we know you weren't just jackin' around.

For me, that means explaining that I went to school for a year, took off two years, went to school for a year, took off a year, went back to school for a year, took off another year, and finally went back and finished.

All my time off was for "academic stuff" like study/work abroad, so it makes sense when you explain the nitty-gritty but not if you just look at the record.

I think that's what they are looking for.

But why mail it in? That's my question.

Schools need to eliminate this paper stuff. It's the aughts, already. Save trees.

 

[narc]

But why mail it in? That's my question.

Schools need to eliminate this paper stuff. It's the aughts, already. Save trees.

What the hell are you talking about

 

[jackieMD2007]

What the hell are you talking about

Haha right? I don't know either.

 

[narc]

Haha right? I don't know either.

Thats about as jumbled as her educational career. What a clusterfock

 

[biowiz15]

weird question, I agree. I wrote about how my parents divorce ironically helped me focus more on my academics and this chill class that helped me learn how to critically think. I dunno, just put something in there that would make you unique or different. Peace.

 

[MiniNMD]

i took it as:

did you study abroad? did you take a year off? did anything interrupt your education? etc.

or you could interpret it as a question similar to the hopkins secondary:
how did you choose your undergraduate institution and major?

 

[kevinp2]

I called them a while back. The question is completly optional.

If you haven't taken time off, don't have a lot of bad grades or anything else that needs to be explained its perfectly safe to leave it blank.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

I could write the best essay for this. I've had a pretty unique educational background, though.

 

[nekrogg]

i think its supposed to be a description, and nothing more. i thought about putting why i wanted to be a doctor, but i figured it would be annoying reading that over and over again. so i strictly described my educational background. i went to college early, so i pretty much just talked about that (i didnt interject anything about why i want to be a doctor, etc.)

 

[as06]

What the hell are you talking about

She means wtf why do we have to print out the application and mail that sucker in AFTER "finalizing" it online. Its the 00s (the aughts) of the 21st century.

not too confusing

 

[Oculus Sinistra]

I took it to mean if there's something about your record that's unusual or fishy, here's your chance to explain it.

I agree.
You could also emphasize non-pre-reqs here.

 

[njmd55]

Can someone explain what BU is looking for in this question:

"Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be part of particular interest to us: (2000 character limit, approximately 400 words"

I have no idea what this question even means.

Would it be appropriate if I explain about my research experience as an answer to this essay since that was part of my education?

 

[DblHelix]

I think we should put this question into context. First off, it's in the educational history section. Second the two questions before it are: 1) Did you go on to college directly after high school? If no, please explain. and 2) Are you expecting to go on to medical school directly after college? If no, please explain.

To me this question wasn't really a chance to talk about something else so much as it is giving you a chance to explain any other unusual aspects of your education (i.e. bad grades, time off during college, transferring).

 

[Dancer77]

I actually called the admissions office to ask them if that is a required essay or if it is just a place for us to explain any odd patterns in our education, and she told me the latter option was correct.... so you are okay leaving it blank, like I did

 

[deleted102545]

I'm just going to write about why I had to take a year off school for family reasons. How indepth do I have to go? I really don't like divulging this kind of stuff to absolute strangers.

 

[BleepTastic]

Is the time off AFTER college of interest to BU? What if it wasn't "educational?" I'm working on this sucker right now.
I can't tell when I'm supposed to go all lyrical prose or just stick to the facts.