Do secondaries even matter?

[Punisher]

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I am sitting here, trying to write some secondary essays and I came to wonder... Do these things even matter? I mean, the schools already know everything about us... they have our names, address, social sec. #s, family background, academic background, transcripts, ECs, etc. What could a little 1000 char. essay about personal hardships do for admissions? I don't think they could put any weight on such a small essay since not much can be expained at length. Am I just tired of writing these stupid essays or am I right?

 

[JayQuah]

I am sitting here, trying to write some secondary essays and I came to wonder... Do these things even matter? I mean, the schools already know everything about us... they have our names, address, social sec. #s, family background, academic background, transcripts, ECs, etc. What could a little 1000 char. essay about personal hardships do for admissions? I don't think they could put any weight on such a small essay since not much can be expained at length. Am I just tired of writing these stupid essays or am I right?

As cliche as it is, I really think the essays are there to test us...not only to see if we can write and express ourselves, but to make us come to terms with a really hard process that we have to work hard at, and that we can be proud of when we're done. While it doesn't compare to saving a life, or even cramming for an anatomy test, the application to medical school is one of the hardest tasks that I've faced. I've doubted myself so many times, and just as many times, I've gained encouragement and excitement, all because of these applications, these essays...they may know everything about us, but that's not the point. Do we really know everything about ourselves? You say we're burdened and that its unfair... you're right, it is unfair. It is unfair that no one else gets to go through the purifying fire of Secondaries that we do. Take heart, dear knights of the SDN table! Eternity! Take it, its yours! *viking cry*

 

[themadchemist]

Talk about optimism, JayQuah! Oh well, I can't say I disagree with you entirely. This is a great chance to get to know ourselves. The process has helped me realize that I have had something of a quirky and interesting that might make a good story. And that's what this process is about, making good stories.

 

[SailCrazy]

I think the essays will help more for students who don't fall out of the "cookie cutter" that many do. As a non-traditional student, for example, I often find myself thinking "no one else will be writing an essay like this." I just hope they take the time to look at them!

My guess: If you don't have much to say that is different from the masses, then the essays probably don't matter much. If you're able to distinguish yourself a bit, then they might - depending on the school.

 

[Shredder]

I am sitting here, trying to write some secondary essays and I came to wonder... Do these things even matter? I mean, the schools already know everything about us... they have our names, address, social sec. #s, family background, academic background, transcripts, ECs, etc. What could a little 1000 char. essay about personal hardships do for admissions? I don't think they could put any weight on such a small essay since not much can be expained at length. Am I just tired of writing these stupid essays or am I right?

good question. maybe its to force you to learn a thing or two about the schools you apply to, and to give them some material to talk about in interviews

oh yeah and lets not forget about the $

 

[SailCrazy]

Here's a related thread for you: Crappy secondary essay prompts.

(It even has a poll!) 😀

 

[fantasty]

good question. maybe its to force you to learn a thing or two about the schools you apply to, and to give them some material to talk about in interviews

oh yeah and lets not forget about the $

I agree. I don't think they use it as a screening tool to decide who gets interviews, but typically the interviewers will have read over your application and may use your essays as topics for discussion. So, you don't want to start with a bad impression because your essay is mundane or meaningless.

 

[QofQuimica]

As cliche as it is, I really think the essays are there to test us...not only to see if we can write and express ourselves, but to make us come to terms with a really hard process that we have to work hard at, and that we can be proud of when we're done. While it doesn't compare to saving a life, or even cramming for an anatomy test, the application to medical school is one of the hardest tasks that I've faced. I've doubted myself so many times, and just as many times, I've gained encouragement and excitement, all because of these applications, these essays...they may know everything about us, but that's not the point. Do we really know everything about ourselves? You say we're burdened and that its unfair... you're right, it is unfair. It is unfair that no one else gets to go through the purifying fire of Secondaries that we do. Take heart, dear knights of the SDN table! Eternity! Take it, its yours! *viking cry*

This is a great post. And I think you are right.

 

[diosa428]

I also think for some schools it's a way to screen out applicants - this is most likely the reason for duke's many essays and northwestern's 2 week deadline.

 

[Shredder]

I also think for some schools it's a way to screen out applicants - this is most likely the reason for duke's many essays and northwestern's 2 week deadline.

the latter was a little nerveracking to get through, but im thinking the former's tactics are going to be successful with me. sigh, what a cheap way to filter candidates. or maybe its not--i suppose if you really want to go there you will plod through it.

 

[JDWflash44]

A guy I work with in my lab here @ the NIH was on the admissions committee at U of Washington, he's now between 2nd and 3rd years takin a year here. He said that at UWash a secondary essay could only hurt you. He told me that if you write a bad one or show a character flaw, misspellings, bad grammer, etc. it could really hurt your application. But, a great essay wouldnt do anything more for your application than a good-enough essay. I'm sure it's different at all the schools, but that was his experience. BTW, he said they just had a why UWash? essay. Hope this helps

Jim

 

[Shredder]

A guy I work with in my lab here @ the NIH was on the admissions committee at U of Washington, he's now between 2nd and 3rd years takin a year here. He said that at UWash a secondary essay could only hurt you. He told me that if you write a bad one or show a character flaw, misspellings, bad grammer, etc. it could really hurt your application. But, a great essay wouldnt do anything more for your application than a good-enough essay. I'm sure it's different at all the schools, but that was his experience. BTW, he said they just had a why UWash? essay. Hope this helps

Jim

i have heard that the PS is also somewhat like this. so nothing counts in our favor, and in the end its a game of seeing who comes out least negative! gotta love those glass half empty adcoms

 

[Indryd]

I agree. I don't think they use it as a screening tool to decide who gets interviews, but typically the interviewers will have read over your application and may use your essays as topics for discussion. So, you don't want to start with a bad impression because your essay is mundane or meaningless.

OMFG dante201 your sig is f00kin awwwwwesome!

Did you make that up? err...

 

[wowzer]

i personally think the secondaries are just as impotant as every other aspect of your app. for me, i had a weaker verbal score than my other sections, and secondaries, along with LORs, is the only way to make up for it. Since my Committee Packet/LORs were delayed until today, I have been spending time similar to that spent on my Personal Statement on each one.

And this is the last time we can make a positive impression on each medical school.

 

[wowzer]

i personally think the secondaries are just as impotant as every other aspect of your app. for me, i had a weaker verbal score than my other sections, and secondaries, along with LORs, is the only way to make up for it. Since my Committee Packet/LORs were delayed until today, I have been spending time similar to that spent on my Personal Statement on each one.

And this is the last time we can make a positive impression on each medical school.

as an addendum, i do agree that bad (grammar/spelling/not well thought out) essays can hurt your app. in addition, many of the midwest schools, esp. chicago, spend a great amount of time reading the essays.

 

[Law2Doc]

as an addendum, i do agree that bad (grammar/spelling/not well thought out) essays can hurt your app. in addition, many of the midwest schools, esp. chicago, spend a great amount of time reading the essays.

Schools definitely read them. A bad secondary can kill you, an incredibly interesting and unique set of essays can help you. Thus you want to take it seriously, try and do a great one, to get some boost out of this frustrating exercise; and by all means do not do a half a$$ed bad one rife with bad grammar, spelling mistakes etc. However I suspect the vast majority of secondary essays are interchangeably similar -- cover the same basic couple of themes, that have been done to death blah blah blah etc, etc. Thus most secondaries won't really change the overall applicant standings. But it wouldn't mean you shouldn't take your best shot.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

Secondaries can only help you if you bring up new information that wasn't in your AMCAS. If you rehash the same garbage that was in your PS, the secondary isn't going to make or break anything. Also, for schools that ask you to describe your interest in their programs, Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, etc., they most likely use these essays as a screening tool to see who would be a good fit.