Application questions — there for a reason

Though I was content to be the office slacker for a week, I finally put together the time and concentration needed to read a bunch of applications for January enrollment.  My limited sample included experienced professionals and compelling personal stories — exactly what makes reading applications so interesting.

Because the vast majority of our 2015-16 applicants have not submitted applications yet, I want to take a minute to share a tip.  More than a tip, it’s an annual plea.  Is it regarding some obscure aspect of the application?  Ummm, no.  Actually, my tip concerns just about the most fundamental aspect of applying.  And here it is: please answer the questions in the application form.

I know that the application form can seem tedious or repetitive, but the questions are there for a reason.  When you don’t answer them, you can leave us wondering about holes in your background narrative.  We might find ourselves asking: What accounts for this long gap in time?  At what level are your foreign language skills?  In what years did you live in the country of your birth before you emigrated?  What is/was your parents’ work, and what led them to move the family for part of your childhood?

Beyond the fact that Admissions Committee readers are left with questions, by not completing the application thoroughly, you are giving up an opportunity to tell us the maximum amount about yourself.  I do understand that there may be questions that strike applicants as excessively nosy — and skipping those questions remains an option — but we ask for a reason and we do appreciate it when the application is complete.

So there it is, my annual plea.  Take the time to complete the application as thoroughly as possible.  The Admissions Committee members who read your story will appreciate it.