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You are here: Home / Physician Assistant Stories / How to Write the Perfect PA School Supplemental Essay

How to Write the Perfect PA School Supplemental Essay

September 7, 2020 By Deanna Matzen (Pre-PA Advisor) and Stephen Pasquini PA-C Leave a Comment

How to Write the Perfect Physiciant Assistant PA School Supplemental Essay

So you finished writing your amazingly perfect PA school personal statement that shows Admissions Committees your passion for patient care and interest in the PA profession.

Now you are faced with a slew of supplemental essay prompts that must be addressed concisely and specifically.

What is a Pre-PA Applicant to do?

First, take a deep breath.

Second, remember the purpose of the supplemental essay: to speak specifically about why this school is the right fit for you and why you are a good fit for them.

The best supplemental essays require careful preparation and attention to detail. While your personal statement was not school-specific but rather answers the broader question of why do you want to be a PA? The supplemental essay is used by schools to find applicants who will best fit into their program’s goals and mission.

Those who do not put in effort into their supplemental essays will be weeded out quickly. The best applications are those that align with a school’s specific goals with the appropriate experience to back it up.

For your top choice schools, this is where a little effort can go a long way.

PA School Personal Statement Help

Single Edit One-on-one service Supplemental Essays

5 Tips to Write the Perfect PA School Supplemental Essay

1. Look for redundant questions

Some prompts are generic and will show up for multiple programs such as addressing any gaps and deficiencies in your application, the COVID essay, or your autobiography.

Write one version of this essay and use it for all schools where this question applies. Be careful that the narrative in the longer version does not contradict the simplified version that you may have included in your personal statement.

2. Do your research

Many schools will ask you why you want to attend their program. This question requires you to reflect on how you fulfill or align with their vision, mission statement, and goals. Locate the mission statement for each school you are applying to on our PASchoolFinder website. Copy and paste the program's mission statement into your favorite document editor. Pay careful attention to every word and highlight the key phrases. When writing your response, resist the urge to parrot or repeat back their own wording. This is your chance to provide specific examples from your work or volunteer experience that demonstrate how you align with their mission/goals—show, don’t tell.

3. Don’t repeat your personal statement

The supplemental essay also provides you an opportunity to highlight work, volunteer, and academic experiences that you were unable to discuss in your personal statement. Focus on adding new stories and anecdotes that make your application more well-rounded.

4. Read and then reread

One of the biggest mistakes that applicants make in their supplemental essays is not answering the question being asked. After you have written your response(s), set it aside for a couple of days while you work on something else. Starting over with a fresh mind, reread the prompt, focusing on determining precisely what the question or questions are asking. As you read your response, look back to the original question and make sure that you have adequately answered it using specific details or examples and have avoided repeating the question verbatim. You should be able to map your answer to the prompt or to each component if there is more than one.

5. Start and end strong

Begin each paragraph with a clear topic sentence. It should not repeat the question being asked, but it should introduce the aspect of the question you want to answer. For example, if you have three reasons for applying to a specific program, each paragraph should focus on one reason that you introduce in the first sentence. Provide examples of how you have lived that reason out in your career. Then tie those examples together with the missional purpose to end the paragraph. Repeat until you have demonstrated each reason. End your essay with a summary conclusion that restates all the points made and ties it back to the beginning question.

A Little Effort Goes a Long Way

You may feel that you already put your best work into your personal statement to make it unique, enjoyable, etc. Even still, Admission Committees are sorting through thousands of applications, and they start to sound the same after a while.

The supplemental essay is your chance to stand out from the crowd, to address new aspects of your experiences, and to show that you align with your chosen program's goals and values, not just in words but with actions.

Be sure to put in the time and effort now to create a thoughtful and well-crafted supplemental essay. The supplemental essay may seem like an afterthought, but it could very well be the deciding factor between receiving an interview invite or facing yet another year of CASPA applications.

Need help crafting your perfect PA school supplemental essay?

We have helped hundreds of pre-PAs with their supplemental essays through our PA school personal statement collaborative. Prices start at just $49 for a supplemental essay revision and we can get started right away.

Recommended reading:

PA School Supplemental Essay Strategies (Webinar Replay)
How to Write the Perfect Physician Assistant School Application Essay
 
 

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  • Webinar Replay: The Ultimate Guide to PA School Supplemental EssaysWebinar Replay: The Ultimate Guide to PA School Supplemental EssaysIn this webinar replay, you will discover how to write PA school supplemental essays that will make you stand out from the crowd. Learn what topics to avoid, how to research each program, and how to tailor your answers to their mission and goals.
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About Deanna Matzen (Pre-PA Advisor) and Stephen Pasquini PA-C

Deanna Matzen is a gifted interviewer, editor, coach, and listener. Her passion for the PA profession has drawn her to The PA Life with years of experience as a university professor, Pre-PA advisor, scientist, and professional writer. She has helped hundreds of pre-PAs find their unique story and tell it with confidence and heart. Deanna strives to be a voice that helps others articulate what they want in life while also challenging them to grow into who they are meant to be.

Stephen has been a family practice PA since 2004 and is the creator of The PA Life and Smarty PANCE Board Review websites. A National Health Service Corps Scholar and a graduate of The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (Rutgers) PA Program and the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Stephen's goal is to provide one-of-a-kind online resources for those interested in or practicing in the PA profession, to promote better access to healthcare for all, and foster universal recognition/awareness of the PA profession. Read more about Stephen.

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Carly was excellent! She was very quick to provide edits and did a thorough job. She really helped me with the flow of my essay. I will be sure to let you know if I receive any interview invitations. Well worth the money! I feel confident in my essay.
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Deanna was amazing! She was able to help me put into professional language my desire to help people. I deeply appreciate and value all of her feedback, edits to my essay, and guidance. She was very attentive, capable, and helpful. She explained things I didn’t understand in a way that allowed me to comprehend. She’s a wonderful writer! I am so grateful for her help! I was stressed out about my essay, and her guidance really helped me stay on track (and calm me down) and portray my interest in becoming a PA clearly and precisely in my essay.
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I truly appreciate the ideas and comments Deanna provided for my personal statement. Without her expertise in having an understanding of what PA programs are looking for in a personal statement, I would have gone in a completely different and possibly wrong direction. I highly recommend this service!
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This is my second time using this editing service and I am highly satisfied with the results! Sarah Schultz worked with me on both my personal statement and a supplemental essay, both times providing excellent advice and editing on my papers. It was a pleasure working with her, and I look forward to hearing back from programs soon to see if I receive an invitation for an interview.
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My editor knew exactly what kind of edits I was looking for and addressed all of my questions/concerns I had about my essay. I will definitely be recommending this service to my club members and friends.
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Carly took the time to listen to my concerns about my personal statement and apply them to what I had already written. I was so appreciative as I wasn’t sure where my personal statement stood before submitting it. I now feel more confident in my statement!
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I’m emailing you to let you know that I received an acceptance call yesterday! It’s my first cycle applying so I’m still in shock. This may sound weird to say, but you have been a part of my journey since the beginning when I was trying to figure out how to write my personal statement, to practicing for the interview that led to my acceptance. I genuinely believe that I would not have been accepted into the program if it weren’t for you.
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