Writer's Block for Supplemental Essays

[fauna]

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Hey there! Was wondering if anyone had any advice or wisdom they could bestow on me when it comes to these supplemental essays. Fortunately, this is my second cycle, a lot of these prompts are the same as last time but I do have some new ones. However, I am finding that, even when it comes to revising my old essays, the words are just not coming to me. I have such major writer's block and I am just not where I want to be with getting these essays done with less than a month separating us from the due date. I have ideas of what I want to say and the points I want to hit but am struggling with how to say it in a not awkward and clunky or even cheesy way. I can be a really good writer-- I am pretty happy with my main statement. But these supplemental prompts are really difficult for me. At this point, I am going on drives and walks with my voice memo recording me rambling hoping I stumble upon a good way to say things-- maybe this is hurting more than helping. The selling myself thing is not easy-- maybe even harder after being rejected once before.

How are you guys doing when it comes to knocking out these essays? What is your strategy? How is your pace? Let me know!

 

[battie]

Something that worked for me was picking my topic and writing everything down, and then parsing it down from there.

 

[genny]

Does anyone have advice for the "What is your life motto?" supplemental questions??? I don't have anything significant and feel like any answer will come across as cliche or cheesy. How do I (somehow) stand out despite not having an example with a life-altering story??

They don't want a life-altering story, they want to get to know you. What's most important to you? How do you approach life? As long as you're open and honest, and come across as actually having given the topic some thought, that's what they want.

 

[fauna]

Does anyone have advice for the "What is your life motto?" supplemental questions??? I don't have anything significant and feel like any answer will come across as cliche or cheesy. How do I (somehow) stand out despite not having an example with a life-altering story??

Just wanted to reply and say I feel this so hard. It is realllllyyy hard to avoid the cliches. Especially when they say they don't want it to be vet-related. Like yes, there is more to my life than vetmed but in this current moment, it's all I can really think about as I am literally actively applying and worrying about getting in.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

The internet can be your friend. Or a nice randomizer.

Avoid AI generated examples. Here's something:

https://www.ohio.edu/university-college/sites/ohio.edu.university-college/files/2018-02/Seven-Word-Life-Motto.pdf

 

[YellowYolk413]

Really struggling with NC State's "There is one seat remaining in the class. Without referencing veterinary experience, what is something you would share with the committee that would lead them to select you?" question. As someone with literally nothing unique/exciting about them, what do I write??? I have faced mental health struggles in the past but wrote about resilience/overcoming them in my explanation statement and don't want to be redundant 🤐

 

[VeggieTrex]

Really struggling with NC State's "There is one seat remaining in the class. Without referencing veterinary experience, what is something you would share with the committee that would lead them to select you?" question. As someone with literally nothing unique/exciting about them, what do I write??? I have faced mental health struggles in the past but wrote about resilience/overcoming them in my explanation statement and don't want to be redundant 🤐

I understand how you can feel that way, and I do not want to invalidate your feelings. I just don't believe you have nothing else to offer. Do you speak another language, or have a hobby, or do you feel like you work well with groups? I would really encourage you to try and avoid the always/never statements. They are almost certainly not true. You've got something worth highliting! Try asking non vet med friends what they think you have.

 

[pathosinforest]

I understand how you can feel that way, and I do not want to invalidate your feelings. I just don't believe you have nothing else to offer. Do you speak another language, or have a hobby, or do you feel like you work well with groups? I would really encourage you to try and avoid the always/never statements. They are almost certainly not true. You've got something worth highliting! Try asking non vet med friends what they think you have.

I highlighted my budgeting skill since I have too many hobbies that I hop around and do not have a strong hobby. Is that weird to write about? I am ending the answer with saying I am aware of the debt and vet school is not cheap, but my skill would help me get through vet school with little money I will have. Or is the admission looking for something else?

 

[katiemcat]

I highlighted my budgeting skill since I have too many hobbies that I hop around and do not have a strong hobby. Is that weird to write about? I am ending the answer with saying I am aware of the debt and vet school is not cheap, but my skill would help me get through vet school with little money I will have. Or is the admission looking for something else?

Don’t write about what you think admissions is looking for. Answers like this are very clear and unattractive to admissions. We can tell when someone is being authentic, and when they’re saying what they think we want to hear.

Do you truly believe your budgeting skills are something powerful that would set you apart? Do you think you have any specific traits / skills that would help you through rigorous coursework, ethical dilemmas, emotional turmoil, or be a better doctor than another candidate? I have some kids that are truly financially illiterate in my class and they were still accepted. Not saying your topic is wrong / not good enough - this is more for introspection.

I took some big risks being real with my essays - and they paid off.

 

[fauna]

it is pretty serendipitous that this thread i made randomly got picked up again exactly one year after i initially posted it. don't worry, past-self, you made it!

I highlighted my budgeting skill since I have too many hobbies that I hop around and do not have a strong hobby. Is that weird to write about? I am ending the answer with saying I am aware of the debt and vet school is not cheap, but my skill would help me get through vet school with little money I will have. Or is the admission looking for something else?

i remember this NC state prompt and i remember struggling to write it-- so I went and looked back at what i said last year. i basically said hey i am super compassionate and i told a story about how i learned ASL and i used it a lot as a barista and also about how i have been involved in community service through every phase of my life. so the budgeting thing could totally work but maybe take a step back and be like "what trait am I most proud of myself for having?" in and outside of vetmed, i think compassion is mine so i looked for stories on that. maybe your strength is your flexibility in hobbies! maybe your strength is this awesome ability to map things out and think in numbers, hence your budgeting skills! maybe you struggled with money at some point and it gave you empathy about financial stress and then you took that struggle and turned it into a skill. (i would be careful with this angle to not sound too "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" about it, but i am just spit-balling ways you can make things into more of a story)

nowwwww, take this with a grain of salt, NC State did reject me LOL