that if I added any links in the additional information, they wouldn’t review it because they view applications in a PDF file; therefore, links would be inactivated. I wanted to post a link to my YouTube, Soundcloud, or etc. in the Additional Information section to have them look at it because I’m most likely going to pass the art supplement deadline (Dec. 1)…
Does anybody know how to make a link in a PDF file “activated” somehow?
Stanford, in particular, is on the record as discouraging additional materials.
They manipulate their downloads from the Common App and scans of submitted material in the manner that suits them. That includes the knowledge that hyperlinks won’t be active. It works well for them and they feel 100% qualified to evaluate every applicant. There’s no work-around solution for you. Frankly, they’re simply not that interested in clicking onto your link – you need to accept that.
You need to ask them how you’re supposed to submit an art supplement. Is this your portfolio as an art major? Is a porfolio submission expected/required?
^^ I agree. Given that Stanford is so open about discouraging supplemental materials, trying to circumvent their preference would likely just work against the applicant.
Even if they can’t click on the links, they may be curious enough to type in the addresses themselves and view your materials—you never know. That definitely happened with my son’s site last year and a couple of the schools he applied to, though I don’t remember whether Stanford was one of them.
@renaissancedad @marvin100 Is additional material considered additional info in the common app? Will Stanford despise me because I added a link and couple of awards in my additional info?
They are not going to “despise” you for using the additional information section in this manner. They will not go, “Let’s reject this kid because he submitted too much extra stuff.” However, whether that “extra stuff” will improve your admission chances or even be read is a different question.
^^ Listing awards in the common app is fine. I’m not sure why that would be an issue.
As for linking to supplementary materials, at the very least they’ll ignore it. At the worse it will irritate them that you don’t follow their instructions. It would be the same if you sent a link to a published paper. They don’t want it, and clearly say so:
http://admission.stanford.edu/application/freshman/
Linking a research paper would just be an obvious attempt to circumvent their stated roles.
Arts supplements are explicitly allowed, but they take a certain format. To try and otherwise link arts materials to circumvent this would not help, and could only hurt. How much is unclear, but it certainly won’t help, so why risk it?
Arts supplements are submitted through Slideroom I believe. That’s how my son put in his dance supplement video.
Why not just make the deadline instead of doing something they told you-- both one on one and in print–was a bad idea?
They don’t have the time or inclination to be curious about any one applicant.
They have a process in place-- it’s apparently the deadline that’s approaching in a few hours. That’s the way they choose to review art-- not through the links they’ve repeatedly said they don’t want.
Follow the process.
I know for a fact that sometimes they are curious enough to look. Yes, they’re extremely busy, but they’re also people, and sometimes their interest is piqued.
@Planner I was thinking, if I was planning to have my music mentor/adult that is really close to my music life write an additional LOR for me, won’t that give the Stanford adcom at least some reason or interest to take a look at my music links in my additional information? If so, should I ask my music LOR writer to ADD my website that have my music links in the LOR as well?
No. You’re asking for a work-around solution. You’ve been told there is none. Let it go.
@ayyyyyyy There’s no way to know whether they’d be interested enough to take a look. In general, additional letters of reference shouldn’t be submitted unless they add something so different and so unique that without them, the “picture” of the applicant wouldn’t be complete. This is especially true for schools that discourage additional recommendations. So I’d think long and hard before going that route, unless yours is a very clear case (as some are). At this point, if you missed the arts supplement deadline, your safest bet would probably be to list the links in the additional information section and hope for the best.
@Planner Yeah, that’s what I’m planning on doing. When you say a “very clear case”, would having my very close music mentor/adult write a additional LOR for me be an exception in order to show at least some verification/credibility to my music ability (since all I would have put down was that I’m first chair in my church district’s band)? Knowing him, I’m pretty sure he would write the best possible LOR for me that would showcase my instrumental skills to an extent that could possibly tip the reader’s interest from “Okay, a kid in his local church’s jazz band… Next” to “Hm, maybe this kid’s playing might be worth hearing…” (Not trying to exaggerate, but you probably get what I mean) and most likely add some distinguishing characteristics that may not be included in my teachers’ LORs. I know that this is highly subjective, so my apologies if I seem a bit bothersome.
@ayyyyyyy No need to apologize. Unfortunately, I don’t think this really qualifies as a “very clear case,” though music isn’t my specialty. A very clear case might be something more like where you were basically a musical prodigy who’d played at a major musical venue or with a major orchestra and were getting a recommendation from the person (presumably well-known) in charge of that, who actually knew you personally and could speak to your unusual talent. Few high school students have that kind of situation in whatever field they’re interested in, but some do. Those are the very clear cases where an additional recommendation would be valuable.