I wrote about how I helped write a science research paper over the summer in my essay, but this may not be credible if they do not see the actual paper. It is currently under publication by a journal but will not be published in time. I think I need to send the college the paper (with a letter from my mentor?). Some colleges have a spot on the Common App to upload the paper but the max is .500kb and my paper is 1MB (with pictures), so it doesn’t fit. Should I just send the paper in an envelope to all the colleges?
No one is going to read the paper. Ideally you’d ask the mentor to be an outside recommendation and he will mention the paper.
Don’t send it. Admissions officers have tons of reading to do for applications. There is no way they are going to read a science research paper and there is no way they are looking for more paper on their desk. If you referenced where/when it will be published in your essay that is enough. If you did not have that information when you wrote the essay you can send a quick email to your admissions officer saying that the paper you co-authored on XYZ topic will be published in ABC Journal in month/issue. If you do write such an email you can say that a copy of the paper can be sent to admissions upon request. But do not assume that they will want it.
Submit a one page abstract in your “additional information” section and emphasize your role in the writing of the paper. Of course, if your role was minimal, then don’t submit anything
I have the journal name but not the exact date of publication.
You should find that out. It de-legitimizes your work otherwise
Some admissions offices literally say they do not want to receive anything beyond what they ask for and see extra papers as an inability to follow the instructions (although thats usually more in reference to things like too many letters of recommendation). If they don’t allow a spot for it, that probably means they don’t want it. If they do have a spot for it, then I would take it as they allow you to send it and go ahead if you’re absolutely sure.
Also, some colleges allow for 1 extra letter of recommendation from someone who is not your teacher or high school counselor. And to be honest, they would most likely prefer to hear from your mentor what you did more so than see the paper.
If they want verification that you indeed did write a paper, they will contact your high school, you, or your mentor. Unlikely that they will bother doing this, but not unheard of either.
Not true, actually. A lot of journals accept papers while there’s a publication backlog, and so don’t give a recently accepted paper a publication date until later in the process—and most college staff on the admissions review committee (and pretty much all faculty, if any of them are on the committee) will know this.
I’m going to agree with the suggestion to have it mentioned in a support letter from your research mentor, and to include a single line about it in any sort of “other pertinent information” section on the application.
(Oh—and congrats on the paper. It’s a pretty intense process, I know.)
So my best bet would be to just have my mentor send a letter/ add them on Common App?