Understanding and Preparing for Secondary Applications

Sep 30, 2025 |

Written by: Cordelia Kraus, Pre-Health Peer Advisor

When you're applying to medical, dental, pharmacy, or other professional health program, the application process usually has two major steps:

1. The primary application (the first, centralized one that is sent to every school you are applying to), and
2. The secondary application (a school-specific follow-up that requires more essays and fees).

Knowing which programs send secondaries, and how to prepare for them early, can save you time, stress, and money. 💸

📦 What Goes Into Secondaries?

Secondaries usually include:

School-specific essay prompts (often short-answer or personal statement)
Additional questions about your fit, values, or background
Headshots
- Make sure you have a professional photo ready to upload!
Additional fees
- Each secondary often costs $30–$200
- You may receive multiple a week, so budget both time and money wisely

✍️ Common Secondary Essay Prompts:

“Please share with the admissions committee why you are specifically interested in [school name].”
“Describe a significant personal challenge you’ve faced. If you sought guidance, support, or resources, describe how it helped you.”
“Share an experience that demonstrates how you have collaborated with others.”
“Which of your experiences or activities align with [school]’s mission? Please discuss how they align.”
“What skills or personal qualities have you developed that you believe will support your success in medical school and as a future physician?”

🧠 What is the Purpose of Secondaries?

Secondaries may seem like just extra hoops to jump through, but they serve several important purposes:

Allow for self-reflection and motivation check
- Schools want to see how well you know yourself and why you’re pursuing this path
- They also want to gauge who’s truly committed and has a genuine interest in their specific program
Efficient applicant screening
- Some schools send secondaries to everyone; others send them only to select applicants
- Schools don’t want to read thousands of full essays right away. Many schools use secondary submission timing as a measure of applicant interest. Returning your essays within 7–14 days can make a difference
School-specific customization
- Secondaries let schools ask about what they value most (e.g. rural health, diversity, research, community service, or primary care.)
- This is your chance to show how your goals and experiences align with their mission