I don’t usually post threads, but I’m curious about this question.
What’s the real purpose of supplementary materials?
I see it on multiple portals and I’m confused on whether I should submit something or not. Do supplementary materials really help the applicant or is it something that the colleges do to make the admissions process more personalized? How do colleges view the supplements? Also, by supplements, do they mean background stories, creative writing, or other things?
It’s kind of self-explanatory- it supports the “main idea” of your app by helping to inform the college about what kind of person you are. I think colleges appreciate them given that they’re of high quality and well organised/presented. Like all things college app, though, quality > quantity and you don’t need to send them your entire life story. Don’t bother sending anything you’re not 100% proud of, and don’t aggravate them by making it ~gimmicky~. Whether or not it benefits the applicant depends on the quality of the supplement and how it relates to the rest of your application. I doubt it’s going to automatically get anyone accepted or denied, though.
There are various types of supplements and purposes for each: if it’s a piece of writing (I don’t think background stories count- there’s a different part of the app for that), it could be like an addition to the essay, revealing aspects your character. If it’s art or a recording, it demonstrates the applicant’s skill in that area (however, for art it’s more subjective). Sometimes people send in the first page of their research papers as proof of their accomplishments.
Supplementary materials are common for students who are majoring in art or music and want to share their work. These materials are usually sent to the relevant department to be evaluated by an expert. Very few other students can or should submit supplementary work even when directly related to their major. If you are doing research, the title(s) of whatever you have published is usually sufficient rather than sending in the paper (which won’t be read by anyone least of all the admissions officer with a huge stack of applications on his/her desk). A glowing letter of rec re your work is usually more than enough.