Secondary application "optional" questions.

[jakeyb93]

I'm currently filling out secondaries, and I know it is in the best interest to fill out the optional questions so the committees can learn more about you. But for example with Loyolas secondary, there are optional questions like, "Have you applied to any medical school prior to this year’s application? If so, please list the years of your previous application submissions to AMCAS. Please also tell us how your application has improved since your previous application." Another example would be, "Have you applied to Loyola Stritch School of Medicine prior to this application? If so, please list the years of your previous application submissions to Loyola SSOM."

Do you guys think it'd be a good idea to fill these out? I don't want to fill them out (Not because of laziness but because I don't feel like what I will write will necessarily benefit my application. Do you guys think that not filling out these questions would negatively impact my application?

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[Paris1000]

Wouldn’t you rather just cover all of your bases then leave the chance for ADCOMS to question (possibly make assumptions) why you skipped the question if you are a reapplicant.

 

[Seihai]

I'm currently filling out secondaries, and I know it is in the best interest to fill out the optional questions so the committees can learn more about you. But for example with Loyolas secondary, there are optional questions like, "Have you applied to any medical school prior to this year’s application? If so, please list the years of your previous application submissions to AMCAS. Please also tell us how your application has improved since your previous application." Another example would be, "Have you applied to Loyola Stritch School of Medicine prior to this application? If so, please list the years of your previous application submissions to Loyola SSOM."

Do you guys think it'd be a good idea to fill these out? I don't want to fill them out (Not because of laziness but because I don't feel like what I will write will necessarily benefit my application. Do you guys think that not filling out these questions would negatively impact my application?

Uh, if the questions don't apply to you, then what exactly would you fill them out with?

If the questions do apply to you, then it's kind of implicitly stated that you need to respond to the questions, as they say "If so, please list the years of your previous application submissions to AMCAS. Please also tell us how your application has improved since your previous application." They're not asking. They're telling you to do so if the qualifier applies to you.

If you don't, an adcom/reviewer might take it as you not being able to follow instructions or trying to conceal something for some unknown reason.

 

[Moko]

There isn't any ambiguity here. They are telling (and not asking) you to provide this information if applicable. So if you are a reapplicant, this is not an optional question.

Most truly optional questions (eg open ended 'anything else' questions) are usually best left empty imo. Very few people have something truly impactful to say.

 

[CoitusInterruptus]

There isn't any ambiguity here. They are telling (and not asking) you to provide this information if applicable. So if you are a reapplicant, this is not an optional question.

Most truly optional questions (eg open ended 'anything else' questions) are usually best left empty imo. Very few people have something truly impactful to say.

Damn for prompts like "Optional: Is there anything else you would like us to know?" I've been using that space as a catch-all for my best writing that didn't neatly fit into the scope of the mandatory questions...

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[Moko]

Damn I've been using that space as a catch-all for my best writing that didn't neatly fit into the scope of the mandatory questions...

That awkward moment. Hopefully the writing is good enough to offset the extra effort required to read the paragraph

 

[Engrailed]

Damn for prompts like "Optional: Is there anything else you would like us to know?" I've been using that space as a catch-all for my best writing that didn't neatly fit into the scope of the mandatory questions...

edit is italicized

I feel you. Along that vein, I had an essay that I would have REALLY liked to use but the prompt that it was used for was so specific that it would have been odd to use it.