Supplementals stressing me out!!

[rosemma]

Hey everyone!!

I am now on to the supplemental apps! With that said, I was wondering what the overall opinion is on the essay portion. For my PS for VMCAS I spent a very long time making sure each sentence was perfect and rewriting, editing and re-editing. Should I invest this much effort for the supplemental app essays? Are they just as important? I was hoping to just sit down and commit a few hours to each one over the next few weeks. Someone please let me know how important the supplemental app essays are! They are stressing me out. I am so sick of writing why I want to be a veterinarian.

Thanks!

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[philomycus]

I think everything is very important! This is your future you're talking about here. TAke every element seriously and invest the proper time.

 

[rosemma]

Of course I don't want to turn in anything bad and I DO take this seriously, believe me. But in reference to your reply - that is what I am trying to figure out - what the PROPER amount of time is.

 

[pressmom]

I wrote them. Took a day off, re-read and edited. Sent them to my mom. She edited. Sat on them for another day. Re-read and sent them off.

 

[hankeroo]

I'm in the same boat. It's so great to know there are so many of us out there!

I'm doing the UGA supp tonight. Did you all put every Extracurricular on the VMCAS app onto the UGA supp? Including high school?

It's painful!

 

[hoodle]

I agree. this sucks. It drains the life out of you and leaves you limp and miserable.

 

[rosemma]

n

 

[sofficat]

i feel for all of you having to do the uga sup app. i actually took uga off my list because the sup app was SO extensive and a big pain in the butt.

i know it is very stressful now but everything is worth it when you are actually in vet school! (i can't believe it has been a year since i did all that application crap)
yeah for vets!

 

[AuburnPreVet]

Take it serious & do a good job -- but try not to stress. I know this is easier said then done... I'm a "stresser" for sure... I was stressed in undergrad, doing the application crap, interview etc... try not to stress, because you'll only be more stressed once you get in... the stress/anxiety is only going to get worse. (Disclaimer, this is true unless you're Sofficat... sigh... I want whatever is in her drinking water.)

 

[sofficat]

auburnprevet you are so sweet! poo on stress!!

 

[Angelo84]

It may be too late for some of you but if you had written out all the vmcas experiences sections in word or something or haven't sent off your vmcas it will make filling out the supplementals a lot easier. Most of the stuff that is asked you have already filled out once!

As far as the essays I would do a good job on them but don't work on them for weeks. I wrote down all the supplemental essay questions for my various school and took about a week to write them all.

 

[philomycus]

Of course I don't want to turn in anything bad and I DO take this seriously, believe me. But in reference to your reply - that is what I am trying to figure out - what the PROPER amount of time is.

Whew! I was hoping you'd say that. Just spend as much as you can stand without going crazy!

And then there's always the pain of making it different enough from the personal statement and to 'cater' to each school for what they want.... I feel for ya.

 

[ShelterGirl]

Definitely put some thought into it, because the questions on the supplemental applications are very similar to the types of things they ask you at interviews.

What makes you unique? Why do you want to be a veterinarian vs. an MD? Think about it as extra chances to market yourself.

Now, having said that - I didn't spend *as much* time on the supplementals. I wrote a draft, had one person look it over and made a couple of revisions. (For the VMCAS personal statement I made 4-5 revisions and had 2 people review it, one with some serious writing skills and a PhD in Tech Comm.)

 

[jfitzpatri8]

I still feel your pain! And I am a second year DVM student!

Hated supplementals so much that my second app cycle, I only applied to schools with minimal or no supplementals... that was 10 schools. There were a few short supplementals- MI was just a reiteration of name, address, education, residency status. Auburn wanted a short essay on why you were choosing their school.

The worst schools for supplementals my first cycle were Cornell and Colorado. And Tufts' separate app was a nightmare. Not sure who does what anymore- seems like y'all have different hoops to jump through than I did even 2 and 3 years ago.

Best of luck to all of you over the next few weeks!

J

 

[Catnapper]

I agree. this sucks. It drains the life out of you and leaves you limp and miserable.

Word.

I just now discovered that Western has ELEVEN additional, 200-word essay questions!!

 

[Catnapper]

Where's the smiley for banging one's head against a wall while crying?

 

[rosemma]

I am SO sorry. That makes me feel much more grateful for not having to fill that out - good luck!!

 

[cattykitty]

I am only applying to michigan, illinois, upenn, and colorado. That said, upenn is the only one withOUT an additional supp. I haven't had MSU contact me yet, leaving just illinois and colorado.

For Illinois I have to write a letter to my parents about why I want to be a vet and not a "real vet" (600 words) and for Colorado I just have to write about my experiences that make me unique (100 words). How I am even supposed to tackle this? My head is going to explode.

As a perfectionist, I'm stressed over these supplemental questions too. But if you see it from another point of view, the schools that do require supplemental questions is kinda give you another chance to prove yourself unique among hundreds of other applicants. It's a time to show off the stuff you couldn't fit into the VMCAS. I would actually worry more about any school that doesn't require supplementals, which would indicate that they rely heavily on numbers instead of evaluating you as an individual.

Good luck to all of us who are applying this year!!!

 

[fargeese]

VA-MD's supp is done, whoo-hoo! I have to start on IL tomorrow. I would like to reiterate what the earlier poster said about her head exploding.

Also, while it is nice that you are getting the opportunity to tell them more about yourself, you are also getting the opportunity to pay them more money. I suppose this is to get you used to actual vet school, where I am guessing you just turn over any of the money you have left after applying to all these schools, as well as the rights to your first born child.

My eyeballs hurt.

 

[rosemma]

Don't forget that you must name the second born after someone on the admiss comm.