Need opinions, please help

[JennyL867]

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Specifically for these "additional information" essays for WashU and Columbia:

(optional) Do you have unique experiences or obstacles that you have overcome that were not covered in
your application about which you would like to inform our Admissions Committee? (maximum 3000 characters)

If you have additional information that you would like to include with your application, compose a document offline in a word processor and upload it here. Use this uploaded document to record any information that does not fit into the application form, including additional majors or colleges. The only exception is courses that do not fit into the course history pages. For courses that do not fit into the course history pages, upload a document at the bottom of the Additional Course History section.

They both seem to stress not to repeat info already on your AMCAS. I already listed everything on my AMCAS, but I hate to leave these blank. Do you think it would be ok to highlight my unique qualities which are already included in my AMCAS, but in more detail by describing what I've learned from my experiences and how they will help me as a med student/physician?

 

[pcarlson05]

No. I wouldn't do that.

 

[superdevil]

Specifically for these "additional information" essays for WashU and Columbia:


They both seem to stress not to repeat info already on your AMCAS. I already listed everything on my AMCAS, but I hate to leave these blank. Do you think it would be ok to highlight my unique qualities which are already included in my AMCAS, but in more detail by describing what I've learned from my experiences and how they will help me as a med student/physician?

do whatever you want. i didn't apply to columbia, but i know i didn't write anything for washu's optional essay and i'll be starting there next week. don't stress about it. i think it sucks when they say on secondaries (or worse yet, in interviews) to "tell us something that you neglected to mention in your AMCAS, which you probably spent weeks on to make sure that you included anything of any possible value to your application." just do what feels right. the optional essay isn't a license to BS, so if you write something, keep it to the point. just as a general rule of laziness/bitterness, i tend to leave anything "optional" blank unless i've got the story of the century.

 

[Reimat]

do whatever you want. i didn't apply to columbia, but i know i didn't write anything for washu's optional essay and i'll be starting there next week. don't stress about it. i think it sucks when they say on secondaries (or worse yet, in interviews) to "tell us something that you neglected to mention in your AMCAS, which you probably spent weeks on to make sure that you included anything of any possible value to your application." just do what feels right.

It's nice to know you got in without doing that essay. Out of curiosity Superdevil, were your stats above average for WashU, ~avg, or below avg?

 

[superdevil]

It's nice to know you got in without doing that essay. Out of curiosity Superdevil, were your stats above average for WashU, ~avg, or below avg?

GPA was a little above (3.97), MCAT was a little below (35). i guess overall i was pretty "average". feel free to PM me if you have any more specific questions.

sd

 

[JennyL867]

Well, do you think explaining a few of my best experiences in more detail can hurt? It's an optional essay and I really like what I have to say about these experiences, so why not include it?

 

[JennyL867]

I ended up calling the admissions office, and the person I talked to said it would be fine to elaborate more on something already listed on your AMCAS. So...I think I'm just gonna go for it. I figure it can only help more than hurt.