<p>I recently heard from someone that top schools like Ivies have better chances of admission if you send in photos of yourself (doing EC activities, with significant people) and photocopies of your awards and things? Is this a good idea? I also heard from others that adcoms look negatively on this since it is just more stuff to put in your folder and is a hassle? What is your opinion? Do most people do this?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>any pic of yourself: no, prejudicial
copy of your awards: just rubbing it in after you put it in a resume.</p>
<p>a copy of a work you are proud of (award-winning essay, paper, art, etc.): a good idea.</p>
<p>I agree with IBFootballer.
If you truly believe it will add more to the application instead of being superfluous, go for it. Also, very impressive supplementary materials should be added to your preference.</p>
<p>If you want to send in a pic of yourself, apply to Brown, their application asks for you to fill a box with an image, hinting at youtself :P</p>
<p>Photocopies of awards? Copies of papers or essays? Ummm no way. If you have something published, add a synopsis. </p>
<p>The slippery slope with demiitasse and ibfootballer’s advice is that EVERYONE thinks they have some wonderful work. It’s just not the case. </p>
<p>Know the adage: the thicker the file, the thicker the kid.</p>
<p>Less is more.</p>
<p>Agreed^</p>
<p>It should really only happen in rare cases, when the supplemental material is absolutely necessary and makes or breaks your application.</p>
<p>"The slippery slope with demiitasse and ibfootballer’s advice is that EVERYONE thinks they have some wonderful work. It’s just not the case. "
Slippery slope? Good point!</p>
<p>Tristan101, if you have awards and impressive accomplishments that can be simply written on the application, it should be enough.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the replies! Now I understand - just wanted to make sure. :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Something that wasn’t addressed: colleges ACTIVELY discourage the belief that famous people will in any way help your application. “Famous” recommendations/endorsements mean very little, and will actually probably hurt you.</p>
<p>Depends on the school.</p>
<p>When I applied to colleges last fall, I had over a dozen creative writing awards (four really significant ones). I sent in a BRIEF, supplemental short story to the HYP schools. I got accepted to Harvard and Princeton, rejected at Yale. When I said my name in front of the admissions officer at Harvard on pre-frosh weekend, the first thing she said was “oh ____ I loved reading your creative writing!”. </p>
<p>Make of the story what you will. Keep in mind that this same behavior did get rejected from Yale, and may or may not have played a role in that. </p>
<p>But do NOT send in a picture of yourself or photocopies of any awards, those are just horrendous ideas. They add nothing substantive to the application.</p>
<p>Don’t most colleges have a portfolio option to send in art/creative writing/essays?</p>
<p>@wishy washy
I agree 99% of the time because it will come across as arrogant, desparate etc. But if that person is an intellectual, an alum or both, than it can potentially help. Of course I say that with only anecdotal evidence so I am not even entirely confident that it is even potentially helpful.</p>