What are the best methods to prewriting secondaries?

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fghweobd

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As the title says. Should I go down my list most likely to least likely and look up the old prompts on sdn? Any other recommendations? A lot of writing and I don’t want to waste valuable time. Thank you. :)

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As the title says. Should I go down my list most likely to least likely and look up the old prompts on sdn? Any other recommendations? A lot of writing and I don’t want to waste valuable time. Thank you. :)
The great news is that many of the prompts will overlap, so that will make the writing a bit easier!

I’d recommend starting with the most common prompts (ie. adversity essay, challenge essay, diversity essay, etc.). It’s important to be specific in your “Why Us” essays, so make sure to get started on those ASAP.

You can also prioritize by programs you feel are most likely to offer you an interview, or the programs you most prefer, though I think it’s difficult to gauge these unless you have a clear top choice. Best of luck to you!!
 
The great news is that many of the prompts will overlap, so that will make the writing a bit easier!

I’d recommend starting with the most common prompts (ie. adversity essay, challenge essay, diversity essay, etc.). It’s important to be specific in your “Why Us” essays, so make sure to get started on those ASAP.

You can also prioritize by programs you feel are most likely to offer you an interview, or the programs you most prefer, though I think it’s difficult to gauge these unless you have a clear top choice. Best of luck to you!!
Thank you for this amazing advice, cheers!
 
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Putting some links here for future reference by others with the same question:

This article SDN published has a breakdown of typical prompts:

Additionally, check the school-specific threads for the unique ones for your school list:

Good luck!
 
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As the title says. Should I go down my list most likely to least likely and look up the old prompts on sdn? Any other recommendations? A lot of writing and I don’t want to waste valuable time. Thank you. :)
I recommend starting with your in-state schools Then write the essays based on last year's prompts. Yes it's possible some will change, but then you'll have an essay that you can adapt to another secondary application. Then prioritize different programs either by fit, geography, personal preference, or competitiveness, whatever makes the most sense to you. And go school by school and secondary by secondary as you pre-write and then write the essays.

Throughout the process, whether pre-writing or writing after you're received the secondary, you want the secondary essays to complement the primary and complement each other. There should be minimal overlap.

I'm not a big fan of writing challenge essays and diversity essays and leadership essays. I recommend you go school by school. As you advance through the process, yes, you'll have essays that you can adapt to a new school's prompt, but make sure that every piece of writing is adding value to your candidacy and giving the reader more reason to admit you.
 
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