One school wants a whole gaggle of secondary essays, and they seem to be geared to, well, teenagers. They want one important research project, but it is listed under “scholarly”. My school research stuff is somewhat unremarkable, as for most students with my major (do they really want to hear about my capacity-planning software program for a lift-truck company???), and my cool research is paid employment. Can I include this research in the scholarly section? (And what’s with 800 words for major paid work experience??) Also, are there any really off-limit topics for these essays - “My best volunteer opportunity was when I was at juvi…”
One thing you need to remember about the secondary essays is that you are trying to sell yourself before you get to meet someone. The essays are the only way for the comittee to start getting into your head and to get interested enough in you that they want to bring you in for an interview.
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One school wants a whole gaggle of secondary essays, and they seem to be geared to, well, teenagers. They want one important research project, but it is listed under “scholarly”. My school research stuff is somewhat unremarkable, as for most students with my major (do they really want to hear about my capacity-planning software program for a lift-truck company???), and my cool research is paid employment. Can I include this research in the scholarly section? (And what’s with 800 words for major paid work experience??) Also, are there any really off-limit topics for these essays - “My best volunteer opportunity was when I was at juvi…”
It’s easy to be at least a little annoyed at these sorts of questions. So, maybe it does sound like it’s written for high schoolers. So what? You still have to answer the questions and the point Gabe is making is that your answers are your opportunity to sell yourself.
Anyway, I recommend that you take these questions and answer them in the way that best promotes your personal cause of getting into medical school. Of course research in an employment venue can count as a “scholarly activity,” it’s all in how you tell the story. As for off-limits, again, what presents you in the best possible light? What best illustrates the progression you’ve made to the present, where you’ve decided that what you’d like to do is practice medicine? If there actually was an experience in juvie that was incredibly formative and maturing, it MIGHT be a good essay topic, but, um, it would take a lot of finesse. You want to be VERY interesting but not scary!
Mary
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One school wants a whole gaggle of secondary essays, and they seem to be geared to, well, teenagers. They want one important research project, but it is listed under “scholarly”. My school research stuff is somewhat unremarkable, as for most students with my major (do they really want to hear about my capacity-planning software program for a lift-truck company???), and my cool research is paid employment. Can I include this research in the scholarly section? (And what’s with 800 words for major paid work experience??) Also, are there any really off-limit topics for these essays - “My best volunteer opportunity was when I was at juvi…”
I would think research is research paid or not paid. As far as Juvi…I personaly would stay away from it unless there is a good reason to mention it (I may missunderstand this were you in Juvi or volunteering some how?). Those records are closed and it won’t come up again. Thank the Lord kids get a second chance! IF you volunteered some where else (Juvi type of community service may not be seen as volunteer) then I’m sure you can put it some prospective and a positive out of it. Also yes talk about the software, anything is positive even if you think it is boring. Ya know I didn’t love disimpacting someone but it needs to be done and done well. There are all kinds of “boring things in Medicine”.
Good Luck.
Whuds’ post reminded me about the software thing. Definitely mention it. Bioinformatics is a field that is growing by leaps and bounds in medicine right now and you could tie your software development into how you might like to work in bioinformatics.
When they look at research they aren’t necessarily looking for medical research. They are looking for whether or not you have experience with how to research, investigate, publish, that kind of thing.