Is it normal to feel like your secondaries suck?

[zimzamzoop]

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As I'm writing these, I think I'm answering the prompt to the best of my ability. But when I go back to read them (to maybe adapt some stuff for a different essay), I can't help but think that they are inadequate, or that there is no way that my answers can really make my application stand out. Now, I have been proud of some of them, but not having the luxury of meticulously combing through each and every sentence and getting everything proofread (like what I did with my primary), is really making me lose confidence in these

 

[Lucca]

It's probably a pretty normal feeling. I felt this way about maybe 50% of the secondaries I sent out.

FWIW, my approach to secondaries is to write the answer down in 1 sitting, don't think or look at the thing for 24 hours, and then spend another day just editing each answer over and over until it's ready. Then submit 1 day after that after giving it a once over.

Still can't fight the feeling that I made poor choices in picking topics or wrote something poorly.

 

[medappnervousomg]

I feel the exact same! Even if they are polished I feel like maybe I didn't make them interesting enough. But realistically, due to the nature of this process we can't sit on these things forever. I personally just had a couple of (very kind) people read each of mine over, and as long as they felt that the essay was clear and answered the question I went ahead and submitted. I do feel like some of these questions lend themselves to more interesting essays than others, as well, so don't beat yourself up!

 

[initialize]

Yep I feel the same way. Some of mine don’t sound too interesting, but I answered the prompts as honestly as I could. If they don’t like my answers then too bad for them (even though it’s really too bad for me lol)


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Unlimited Apps]

Yep, but I do think that its a upside down U-curve in terms of quality and efficiency. I have found that after writing 10 or so, you start getting good at writing secondaries but I am sure I'll hit the wall soon enough and the last 5-6 will be crap.