extra material for application submission?

[rdjtexas]

Hello,

Id like to thank you for your help so far! As I am planning for my applications, etc. for 09 I have come across the following question. Any light you can shed would be appreciated.

Is it appropriate or advantageous to send any supplemental materials to the adcoms when applying? For example, I write for a website and was curious if it is ok to include some of my articles. I also have some work projects that can be represented in pictures. Would it be appropriate to send these if I was talking about the project in an essay? I know this is probably unconventional, but my opinion is that if Adcoms are not offended by extra material, then this stuff would only help them to get to know me better. Please let me know your thoughts and if this is a no-no in the application process.

thanks!

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear rdjtexas,

You can submit additional materials. However, it is a fine line between helpful and too much. Plus, you will not get back anything you submit. What I would suggest is including the website address on your resume so the admissions committee can view your articles on their own (and many of them will check out your website). With regards to the pictures, if there are not too many and you think they will give impact, then it might something interesting to submit. One last thing: many schools are rigid with regards to page and word limits, so be aware that additional materials might not be viewed and submitting them could reflect poorly on you. Check with the schools first before submitting anything supplemental.

Good luck,
Lisa