Advice on a supplemental essay/cover letter. Anyone else do this??

Parents Forum
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<p>UPenn does not ask for a personal statement, but I have such a good one, and it explains a unique circumstance in my life I had (family illness). I'm sending it with a short cover letter that so far basically says:</p>

<p>Dear Office of Undergraduate Admissions (?? uh, is this right?)</p>

<p>Because I care tremendously about my application to the University of Pennsylvania, I am submitting this supplemental essay to offer an added dimension to my application. This essay showcases a fundamental part of what I value in life – people – and how one specific person has drastically changed my perspective. I believe it offers something not seen in any other part of my application and provides my personal insight into a unique circumstance of my life. </p>

<p>Thank you for considering me as a candidate for admission to the University of Pennsylvania. </p>

<p>Is this good? Bad? What should I be saying/not saying?</p>

<p>Thanks!!
Anyone else sending a supplemental essay?</p>

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<p>GetOutta,
Did you read the link to the Christian Science Monitor article on the Penn website that describes what the admissions process is like? I'd suggest you read it, think about it, then decide if you really need or want to send the supplemental essay. Here's the link in case you haven't read it already:
<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/1998/12/15/fp11s1-csm.shtml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/1998/12/15/fp11s1-csm.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I have not seen your essay, of course, but if it is mainly about another person's effect on your life, ("how one specific person has drastically changed my perspective") not YOU and what you can add to Penn, then I would use caution. While sending a supplemental essay won't, in and of itself, get you rejected, if you only have limited time in front of the admissions committee, make sure the extra essay is worth distracting them from the information they really want to focus on. Only you can judge that. Best of luck!</p>

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<p>^ AWESOME link. Loved it.</p>

<p>Thanks a bunch.
Still going to submit it though. It is quite good and got me into UNC OOS.</p>

<p>Any advice on the letter?</p>

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<p>GetOutta, please don't be lulled into thinking that your one essay "got me into" UNC. Frankly, essays will NOT get a student into a school unless they have the other qualifications. Clearly you had the qualifications to get into UNC. If you noted the article, the ONLY essay that got mentioned was the "Why I Love Penn" essay. Indeed, this appears to be the most import to Penn. I'm not telling you NOT to submit your personal statement. But make SURE your "Why I Love Penn" essay is topnotch!</p>

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<p>^ Very true. Thanks for that perspective. I am working very hard on the Why Penn essay? Any tips? Can you give me a read over of what I have so far/what I'm thinking?</p>

<p>Thanks a bunch!</p>