Do they even read the primary app?

[BlackSails]

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I just starting filling out Columbia, and 4 of the 6 questions are ENTIRELY DUPLICATED by the primary application.

Yale does this too.

Is this just a test to see how we are at filling out redundant paperwork, or do many schools just throw your primary app in the garbage?

 

[LizzyM]

It could be that they want the readers (a subset of adcom members) to evaluate your application on those six factors without other information that could introduce bias.

 

[caniac]

It could be that they want the readers (a subset of adcom members) to evaluate your application on those six factors without other information that could introduce bias.

does that mean that the adcom members who read your primary app are not the same readers who read the secondary? Is that done to ensure as wide a range of opinions as possible?

That'd be interesting...I'd been working under the assumption that those schools that didn't screen (yale, etc) read your application as a complete package, so I'd provided answers that didn't repeat what I'd said on my primary (specifically thinking about the UMich questions here). Might have to revise 🙂

 

[LizzyM]

does that mean that the adcom members who read your primary app are not the same readers who read the secondary? Is that done to ensure as wide a range of opinions as possible?

That'd be interesting...I'd been working under the assumption that those schools that didn't screen (yale, etc) read your application as a complete package, so I'd provided answers that didn't repeat what I'd said on my primary (specifically thinking about the UMich questions here). Might have to revise 🙂

I'd bet there are more than a hundred ways to skin this cat. One school might have a couple adcom members read your entire application. Another school may choose to have some readers (or perhaps the interviewers) see only the supplemental to remove information that might bias the interviewer (your age, race, home address, place of birth, etc). In some cases, the redundant supplemental may just be a time saving technique for the reviewers so that you've placed your activities and pre-reqs in specific boxes so that the application can be reviewed far more quickly to see that you've had x or y experience and to quickly determine your grades in organic chem or English.

Don't cut & paste from essays; assume that the reader sees everything. At the same time, make sure that the primary & secondary stand on their own to sell you as an applicant.

 

[w8ting2exhale]

I'd bet there are more than a hundred ways to skin this cat. One school might have a couple adcom members read your entire application. Another school may choose to have some readers (or perhaps the interviewers) see only the supplemental to remove information that might bias the interviewer (your age, race, home address, place of birth, etc). In some cases, the redundant supplemental may just be a time saving technique for the reviewers so that you've placed your activities and pre-reqs in specific boxes so that the application can be reviewed far more quickly to see that you've had x or y experience and to quickly determine your grades in organic chem or English.

Don't cut & paste from essays; assume that the reader sees everything. At the same time, make sure that the primary & secondary stand on their own to sell you as an applicant.

That is very good advice 👍

 

[caniac]

I'd bet there are more than a hundred ways to skin this cat. One school might have a couple adcom members read your entire application. Another school may choose to have some readers (or perhaps the interviewers) see only the supplemental to remove information that might bias the interviewer (your age, race, home address, place of birth, etc). In some cases, the redundant supplemental may just be a time saving technique for the reviewers so that you've placed your activities and pre-reqs in specific boxes so that the application can be reviewed far more quickly to see that you've had x or y experience and to quickly determine your grades in organic chem or English.

Don't cut & paste from essays; assume that the reader sees everything. At the same time, make sure that the primary & secondary stand on their own to sell you as an applicant.

awesome! thanks for the advice!