Secondary Applications
What are Secondary Applications?
Secondary (or supplemental) applications are school-specific applications that allow admissions committees to learn more about you beyond the information included in your primary application. In contrast to the primary application, where programs learn about your academic coursework and preparation, experiences, personal statement, letters of recommendation, and other core application materials, secondary applications allow schools to better assess your fit with their specific mission and values.
Secondary applications often include several short essay questions, but the number and length vary by program. Common questions include why you chose to apply to the specific school, school-specific questions to better assess your fit (e.g., questions focused on their mission, opportunities provided by the school, etc.), how you have contributed to or interacted with diversity, challenges you have overcome, questions assessing ethical decision-making, and opportunities to share something more about yourself and experiences that you have not shared elsewhere in your applications.
Timeline for Secondary Applications
Some professional health programs include secondary essay questions directly within the centralized application service, while others require applicants to complete a separate secondary application after submitting the primary application. For example, applicants using AMCAS, AACOMAS, or AADSAS often receive secondary applications directly from individual schools. Some programs may not require supplemental materials at all. Be sure to review requirements carefully for the specific programs and schools you are applying to.
- Timeline for receiving secondary applications, (if separate from the primary application): Some schools send secondary applications to applicants before primary applications are verified, others wait until after verification is complete; most schools send secondary applications to every student who applied to their program, while some will screen primary applications and only invite select students to complete a secondary application. Because of these and other factors, the timeline for receiving your secondary applications can vary; you may receive secondary applications within days or weeks of submitting your primary.
- Timeline for submitting secondary applications: It’s generally recommended to submit your secondary applications within about 1-2 weeks of receiving them (if separate from the primary application), if possible. Schools will typically not consider your application complete until both your primary and secondary applications have been submitted. For schools with rolling admissions, applications are reviewed as they become complete, so submitting materials earlier in the cycle may increase the likelihood of earlier review and interview consideration.
Secondary Application Tips
- Think about it as an extension of your primary application. Your primary and secondary application, taken together, should provide one cohesive narrative about who you are as an applicant. If there are themes or qualities you have emphasized in your primary application, they will likely show up in your secondary application as well; make sure you are talking about any repeated experiences from a different angle.
- Know yourself and know the programs you are applying to. When completing secondary applications, it’s imperative that you know both yourself and the programs you are applying to really well. Do your research on the program’s mission and values, unique opportunities, services provided, etc. How do these align with your own interests, values, and goals as a future healthcare professional? The more you can identify and articulate your alignment with the program’s mission and values, the more likely you’ll stand out as an applicant.
- Prewrite. While there can be minor changes, many professional schools generally use a very similar—if not the same—set of secondary essay questions from year to year. You can search online for secondary essay questions from previous years and “prewrite” your responses before receiving your secondary application from the school. However, never submit them before receiving an invitation; be sure to compare any prewritten responses to the current year's prompts and update them as needed before submitting.
- Don’t recycle essays without revising. While many secondary essay prompts are similar across schools, avoid copying and pasting the same response for every school; this is a common mistake made by applicants. Demonstrate that you've researched the program by connecting your experiences and goals to that school's mission, curriculum, clinical opportunities, or unique strengths (and don’t mention the wrong school in your responses!).
- Find a way to stay organized. Most applicants submit applications to multiple programs, each with different deadlines, essay prompts, and supplemental requirements. Make sure you have a way of staying organized so that you don’t miss any important items or deadlines.
- Don’t submit without editing. Make sure you proofread your work to make sure that it’s free from grammatical and syntax errors and that it meets any character/word counts specified by the school. Double-check that you've addressed the specific prompt being asked and that you've correctly identified the school throughout your responses. Don’t let these small mistakes be the reason why you’re not considered for a program!
- Plan ahead financially. Many programs charge a secondary application fee, and fees typically range anywhere from $30-$175+ per program; this can quickly add up when applying to multiple schools. This is not something that many student think of, but is important to be aware of and plan for so that it doesn't come as a surprise. Some programs do offer fee waivers for eligible applicants.