Miss Lady 102 Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Is anyone else as frustrated as I am about supplemental applications? I dont exactly see the point of many of them since most of them ask for the same information that is already on the CASPA application. Aside from wanting to see my skill level in following directions and asking for more nonrefundable money, why do schools insist on having you fill these out just to say no? How does my ability to answer a generic ethical question to the satisfaction of an admissions committee really help to separate me from other applicants who are asked to answer the same question or to decide whether or not to offer me an interview? Just venting and wondering if anyone out there in pre-professional limbo feels the same... :ohnoes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRonSwanson Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I feel the same way. The best are the supplemental applications that aren't applications at all in that there's just a fee and no additional paperwork. I don't think they help separate applicants at all. I had a supplemental application ask me how I would describe what a PA is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsquirrel Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 You would be suprised at how many college grads/professionals can't put together a coherent, grammatically correct paragraph, no matter how simple the topic. But yes, some are just more paperwork. I had several which simply asked me for some demographic information and to re-list my prerequisite courses….and send them $60. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Some people can't do it (either follow the directions or answer the questions). The ones with questions to answer in paragraph form should be used to make yourself look amazing. If you can't do that, you're giving up a spot to someone who did. All the other kinds of sups are just gimmes, IMO. I remember being excited when I saw that one school only wanted a little extra money. I thought it was like a freebie. But then, I didn't apply to 50 schools, so I was happy to spend another $60 to secure my future. I can imagine it's more devastating if you've got to do that a whole bunch of times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted December 20, 2011 Administrator Share Posted December 20, 2011 Research 'em ahead of time, only apply to places with supplementals where you are willing to invest the extra time and money for a shot to attend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I agree with the above...sometimes those supplementals can deter some folks who are not really interested after all in their program. It separates the "I really want in!"from the "I already have my heart set on a different program" Additionally though is supplemental app may be the time you write a kick butt essay tailor designed for that particular program instead of some general essay that Caspa has you pen. This way you get a chance to show that this is the school you have researched and love versus the "one of the 15 I applied to". No wants to be just a face in the crowd....neither applicant nor institution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Agree with Just Steve that you can use the supplemental to stick out. I said that I am currently taking community college Spanish post-grad, which might be a benefit during PA 490, Medical Spanish, at Northwestern. Shows I've looked over their course line-up. I agree that the ones that only ask for your name and address again and moolah are definitely annoying...if it makes you feel any better, I've heard that they do it to get you into their administrative database and ask for money because many programs actually lose money from the manpower required to go through applications and score them. Not sure how true that is though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I have actually had to pay a small fee to apply for a fire department job in the past. Fees for application isn't a foreign concept Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwstw Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Sorry if I am missing something, but do schools use the similar supplemental apps each year, and if so, is there a place on this site that they are listed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 It's just another expensive and seemingly pointless part of the application process. Suck it up and finish them all over a weekend, don't stretch them out over time. Keep all your essays together in one folder or email, and recycle the material as needed. Just think of it as an opportunity to shine, because a lot of people really half *** these things. It's not that bad so just finish 'em up and move on with your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdebord Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I wasn't going to comment on this thread, but as luck would have it, I'm in the middle of moving and looking for distractions! I actually just came across my supplemental application essay for the program I just graduated from. I took the writing of this very seriously, as it was important to me. This was a very personalized essay, and I tried to highlight a) aspects of the program I found particularly attractive and b) reasons I thought I would be a good fit for the program. I had to smile when I realized that, 3 years later, those same aspects held true when measured against my actual experiences. My point, I suppose, is the same that others have made: View this as an opportunity, and really work at it. You may not realize it now, but PA schools are really looking at which candidates they should INVEST time and money into. If you feel that's you, show them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdebord Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 By the way, if you think supplemental applications are a pain, just wait until you have to go through all the steps to obtain your licensure! :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Sorry if I am missing something, but do schools use the similar supplemental apps each year, and if so, is there a place on this site that they are listed? Maybe, and no, because that's cheating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoPA Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I agree with mdebord. Though I was excited to be invited to do the supp apps, I was less than thrilled to write another essay. However, they made me really focus on the individual characteristics of the programs and how I would fit in. An unexpected bonus was that since I'd already put my thoughts in a coherent form, I was easily able to answer the inevitable "Why do you want to come here?" during the interview. The ones where you pay $60 and just send in your basic info are lame. It seems that the schools that asked for that type of sup app weren't on the top of my list, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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