Academic Research Supplement. How exceptional should it be?

Applying to College
1

<p>I have done some research before and it took quite a long time. I feel like my research's methodology was really simple (not the most innovative thing in the world to have a control and 3 other experimental treatments and watch them grow for a couple month and compare results).</p>

<p>I did win some science fair stuff and went to JSHS. I feel like it's up to par but I know it's not at the level of stuff with which people win competitions. </p>

<p>I know this relies a lot of personal judgment, just want some of your input.</p>

<p>By the way I should mention that I have NO intention at all of going toward the field in which my research was conducted (biology, I want to do Econ). But I did, through doing this research, realize that being a scientist/engineer is not my thing. I have put a lot of effort in this and gained some valuable experience. I don't know if I should supplement the supplement paper with some explanation. If someone ask me about it I can definitely show how much personal growth I have accomplished through some repetitive pipetting.</p>

2

<p>I wouldn’t bother. Supplements are for truly outstanding things where you are saying, in essence, “Give this to someone in the X Department, because once he or she sees it, they will insist you accept me.” If that’s not the case, it can sometimes almost be an impediment to acceptance. S was an Intel semi-finalist and HE didn’t send in a supplement because he, too, was not going to major in the sciences, and he’s now had three scientific research papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Good luck.</p>