"Is there anything else you'd like to add/not previously mentioned that will help us....?" Common Secondary Prompt -- How to respond?

[deleted928969]

Many of my schools have a secondary prompt along the lines of "Is there anything else we should know about you, not in your primary application?"
How am I meant to answer this? Is this the space in which I provide updates on my activities since submission? Should I reflect on a challenge/accomplishment/my diversity if not already asked by the school? What am I overlooking or overthinking? I appreciate your guidance!

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[deleted972488]

It’s optional. If you don’t have anything else to say, leave it blank.

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

Whatever you want to add that you think will benefit your application. If you want to update them on what you've been doing since you submitted, cool. You can use it for diversity/challenge. Just make sure it's concise and not choppy [i.e. I wouldn't talk about 5 different things here]. If you have nothing else to say, don't answer it.

 

[907914]

Many of my schools have a secondary prompt along the lines of "Is there anything else we should know about you, not in your primary application?"
How am I meant to answer this? Is this the space in which I provide updates on my activities since submission? Should I reflect on a challenge/accomplishment/my diversity if not already asked by the school? What am I overlooking or overthinking? I appreciate your guidance!

I know for me it is the story of being from a non-college educated household with no direction so I joined the military seeking a purpose before going on to be a first generation college student. Basically, be honest and try to throw in as many positives about yourself as you can while still being humble.

Basically, choose something that highlights you in a positive light that is nowhere in you primary application and is not related to the other secondary questions! Unless your entire life fits into the 20 pages of a primary application, you can come up with something. Tell the story of winning the 7th grade crock-pot cook-off. That is interesting.

 

[Goro]

Many of my schools have a secondary prompt along the lines of "Is there anything else we should know about you, not in your primary application?"
How am I meant to answer this? Is this the space in which I provide updates on my activities since submission? Should I reflect on a challenge/accomplishment/my diversity if not already asked by the school? What am I overlooking or overthinking? I appreciate your guidance!

1) stop thinking of it as a trick question
2) don't tell them something that can be found elsewhere in your app
3) activities since submission is fine.
4) yes, you are overthinking this

 

[DokterMom]

Starting from an imaginary mental clean slate, and not being afraid to brag -- What would you want a med school to know about you? Write down everything you can think of until it starts getting ridiculous.

Then go through that list and see what items are already covered in your PS, your secondaries, your LORs.

If there's something you want them to know that isn't already covered, here's your chance. Remember to show, not tell.