What is appropriate for "additional information"?

[drownsoda]

I am really divided on what to include here, if anything at all. I am applying to Master's programs in English and have come across these "additional info" sections in my applications and cannot decide if I should take advantage of them. Is it a place to acknowledge possible weaknesses in your application, or should you avoid discussing any and all weaknesses?

 

I have a 3.75 GPA and a 3.9 major GPA. My GRE scores were alright in writing and verbal (5.0 on writing, 159 on verbal), although my quantitative score was horrendous (143). Should I use this additional form to explain my awful math skills, or no? I've heard most humanities programs don't weigh your quantitative scores very heavily, if it all, but I'm torn about it. I also don't have any publications under my belt, but I don't want to bring that up in the additional information section because it seems pointless.

 

One thing that I did include in an "additional information" section on one of my applications was an acknowledgment of a year-long gap in my transcript, but I only did so on that specific application because I didn't have enough room in my SOP to address it (word limit was 500). On my other applications, I had less word limitations on my SOPs, so I was able to briefly address the gap on my transcript there.

 

Would bringing any of this up be pointless and/or ineffective or potentially hurtful toward my overall application?

[hreaðemus]

Although I'm not an expert, I would say that in general it is not appropriate to highlight or discuss your weaknesses in your application, except to say "these happened, and this is why they won't happen again." Honestly I think the "additional materials" section is really for special cases, like if you're a a published poet and want to include some of your work, or if your paper refers to PDF charts or something.

 

I do think it can hurt our applications to dwell on scores or grades we feel less than happy with. My sense is that a hyperawareness of our weaknesses looks, to adcomms, like a weakness itself - even though of course we're all second-guessing ourselves on the inside. Grad school is harder than grad apps, and faculty are looking for people who will hold up well under pressure. It's strange, but false confidence is apparently better than no confidence!

[drownsoda]

Although I'm not an expert, I would say that in general it is not appropriate to highlight or discuss your weaknesses in your application, except to say "these happened, and this is why they won't happen again." Honestly I think the "additional materials" section is really for special cases, like if you're a a published poet and want to include some of your work, or if your paper refers to PDF charts or something.

 

I do think it can hurt our applications to dwell on scores or grades we feel less than happy with. My sense is that a hyperawareness of our weaknesses looks, to adcomms, like a weakness itself - even though of course we're all second-guessing ourselves on the inside. Grad school is harder than grad apps, and faculty are looking for people who will hold up well under pressure. It's strange, but false confidence is apparently better than no confidence!

 

This is exactly what I assumed, but I was kind of second guessing myself because I've heard of people highlighting their bad GRE scores or GPA or whatever in these sections, as an opportunity to sort of "explain themselves," which seems weird to me. It made me question what they were for and what exactly was appropriate. I'll just leave it blank on this application.

 

Like I said, I used the opportunity on one of my applications so that I could acknowledge why there was a year long gap in my transcript, but that was only because I didn't have enough word space to touch on it in my SOP for that particular application. I hope having done that won't hurt me in the long run(?), especially since it was for my dream school. I just wanted to make sure they knew that there was a valid reason for my postponing my education for a year, and that it wasn't because I was indecisive or uncommitted or something. I had cancer at the time, although I didn't use the "c" word in my applications; just said I had "serious illness" that "required surgeries and hospital treatments."

Edited January 8, 2015 by drownsoda

[Guest]

Meh. This is a tricky one. Here was one of my essay prompts (something like it) for Tufts University (MA program, somewhat prestigious school but not Ivy League):

 

Please provide an additional information or anything concerning that you would like to bring up to the Admissions Committee...blah,blah...This may include your undergraduate record, plans to re-take the GRE/GMAT, TOEFL, etc.

 

My concern was super low GRE scores, minus the writing section. I'm sure that an applicant with a 3.7 GPA and super-low scores might cause a wave of concern.So, I used that section to address that. I avoided the downfall of addressing my scores in my SOP, which is a huge no to most people. That should be totally positive. I kept my response to the prompt above short and simple (450 words), made sure to not sound overly dramatic or have a theme of excuses throughout the 'entire' letter, and listed many advantages in contrast to my scores (ie: having good quantative skills due to receiving high marks in Trignonmetry and Statics courses despite my GRE score). I've always been a crappy 'timed-test' taker and felt that the GRE test does not reflect my true abilities.

 

To me, if a school includes a section/opportunity to address something that they might be concerned about then 'I' should make use of it. It's also better than them assuming that I am careless or whatever. I am sure that it is risky if you don't answer or if you do answer questions like this regardless. I took the risk of answering it.If the school does not offer me an opportunity to address something of concern on my application, then I just leave it and let them assume whatever.

 

This is not my top school by the way and there were no minumum GRE scores based on the program's requirements. So, addressing them should not be a downfall in my case.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Guest

[hreaðemus]

Like I said, I used the opportunity on one of my applications so that I could acknowledge why there was a year long gap in my transcript, but that was only because I didn't have enough word space to touch on it in my SOP for that particular application. I hope having done that won't hurt me in the long run(?), especially since it was for my dream school. I just wanted to make sure they knew that there was a valid reason for my postponing my education for a year

 

I think that's totally reasonable! A lot of schools have "diversity statements" now where you can talk about overcoming personal difficulty and stuff like that, but if such a space isn't provided and you have a big life event to discuss, like a serious illness, I'm sure "additional information" is a fine place to do it. I was referring more to things like GRE scores or grades, which can usually only be explained away if a person HAS experienced that type of big life event, and otherwise (in my opinion) ought to just stand as they are, for better or for worse. I've heard people say things like, "Should I explain I had the flu when I took the GRE?" And I honestly think those sort of explanations are silly, because part of being ready for grad school is managing when things go wrong on a small, normal level. But you've obviously had a more serious experience, and I didn't mean to dismiss that in any way.