Secondary Editing

[AA|FCB|DOC]

Hi All,

I was just posting to get some ideas as to what you guys are all doing in terms of editing your secondaries. I am sure everyone spent loads of time on their personal statement, but I am wondering how you guys are editing the secondaries for content or at the minimum just grammar mistakes, etc. I want to find someone to look at them for me, but I would imagine anyone would get tired, and annoyed of looking at 25 schools worth of secondaries. Thanks for any insight.

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[hoihaie]

I'm editing everything-content, grammar, length

 

[orderofthescar]

I edit for the whole shabang, but I rarely send them to other people for editing unless I have huge amounts of writer's block for a particular prompt. In contrast, everyone I knew and their mother has seen and edited my PS.

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

I'm editing everything-content, grammar, length

I edit for the whole shabang, but I rarely send them to other people for editing unless I have huge amounts of writer's block for a particular prompt. In contrast, everyone I knew and their mother has seen and edited my PS.

oh so you guys are basically just editing them yourself and sending them in?

 

[kthxbai]

You're not vying for the Pulitzer with secondaries, and no one expects you to. The standard of perfection is a few bars lower than for your PS - so take a breather and pump them out.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

You're not vying for the Pulitzer with secondaries, and no one expects you to. The standard of perfection is a few bars lower than for your PS - so take a breather and pump them out.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Haha I really hope you are correct

 

[Ace Khalifa]

My process was:
1. Read prompt.
2. If entirely new or unique prompt (like why X school?), then write new essay all in one sitting.
3. Check over newly written essay for any technical mistakes.
4. If prompt is similar/essentially the same as old prompt from previous secondaries, open up saved word docs and find old essay(s) that can be reused.
5. Copy and paste old essay. Trim essay until it fits word/character limit of new prompt.
6. Check over trimmed essay for any technical mistakes.
7. Rinse and repeat.

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

My process was:
1. Read prompt.
2. If entirely new or unique prompt (like why X school?), then write new essay all in one sitting.
3. Check over newly written essay for any technical mistakes.
4. If prompt is similar/essentially the same as old prompt from previous secondaries, open up saved word docs and find old essay(s) that can be reused.
5. Copy and paste old essay. Trim essay until it fits word/character limit of new prompt.
6. Check over trimmed essay for any technical mistakes.
7. Rinse and repeat.

thanks for the input. sort of what I am planning on here. Not sure if there is more time to do anything else anyway

 

[blackkrim]

My process was:
1. Read prompt.
2. If entirely new or unique prompt (like why X school?), then write new essay all in one sitting.
3. Check over newly written essay for any technical mistakes.
4. If prompt is similar/essentially the same as old prompt from previous secondaries, open up saved word docs and find old essay(s) that can be reused.
5. Copy and paste old essay. Trim essay until it fits word/character limit of new prompt.
6. Check over trimmed essay for any technical mistakes.
7. Rinse and repeat.

This is my process almost exactly, except that I jump around between schools a lot and tend to complete them in batches of 5 or 6.

I also let it sit for a day or two before going back and editing.

 

[AspiringERMD]

I also let it sit for a day or two before going back and editing.

This last part is the most important aspect of why I think mine are generally coming out well. This is super-underrated. I always think it's fine as it is, but when I go back to read it once more the next day, I find multiple things to change 90+% of the time.

 

[blackkrim]

This last part is the most important aspect of why I think mine are generally coming out well. This is super-underrated. I always think it's fine as it is, but when I go back to read it once more the next day, I find multiple things to change 90+% of the time.

No kidding. I've gone back and looking at some of the stuff I submitted two weeks ago and I'm already finding thing I wish I'd written differently. I can't even fathom writing and submitting on the same day.

 

[AspiringERMD]

No kidding. I've gone back and looking at some of the stuff I submitted two weeks ago and I'm already finding thing I wish I'd written differently. I can't even fathom writing and submitting on the same day.

I wrote and submitted essays on the same day a few times, and in retrospect, I seriously wish I had not. (And I'm a good writer. Magnify the effect several times for those who struggle with writing.) Luckily, for the most part, I waited.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

I wrote and submitted essays on the same day a few times, and in retrospect, I seriously wish I had not. (And I'm a good writer. Magnify the effect several times for those who struggle with writing.) Luckily, for the most part, I waited.

My experiences are very limited. I have basically exhausted all of them in writing these essays. I wouldn't have changed any major content if I did wait a day to edit.

 

[mednerd1234]

You could always find a friends to edit them, or there are sites out there like Student mentor network or accepted where med students can edit them for you.

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

You could always find a friends to edit them, or there are sites out there like Student mentor network or accepted where med students can edit them for you.

Thank you!

 

[Ruby109]

I wrote the 4-5 key essays (diversity, significant achievement, challenging experience, etc.) and had a friend edit them for content. I was then able to adapt these essays at various lengths for most of my secondaries. That way I maximized my editing!

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

any medical school students willing to take a look at a couple of my secondary paragraphs? Content, grammar, anything helps. Thanks

 

[AA|FCB|DOC]

Bump

 

[The_Sunny_Doc]

I'm using a professional editor, to be honest. He helped me edit my personal statement, and I'm so grateful for his help. I used Brian at Gurufi. He was very professional, and I felt like he was invested in my success! We worked together to polish up my PS and make it flow nicely.

 

[Shawds]

I have also been using Brian at Gurufi.com for editing my secondary essays. He received his Bachelors, PhD and law degree from top notch universities, and is incredibly qualified. His rates are fair, and he is great at drastically shortening my essays to fit the schools' character/word limits while still getting my points across effectively. Also, you as the customer can choose the turn around time.

 

[dedicated1989]

I have also been using Brian at Gurufi.com for editing my secondary essays. He received his Bachelors, PhD and law degree from top notch universities, and is incredibly qualified. His rates are fair, and he is great at drastically shortening my essays to fit the schools' character/word limits while still getting my points across effectively. Also, you as the customer can choose the turn around time.

damnnn i just took a quick glance over his rates

$$$$$$$$$

 

[AlphaKY1]

damnnn i just took a quick glance over his rates

$$$$$$$$$

my thoughts exactly... a grand for a personal statement?! Surely, your universities have some resources.

 

[dedicated1989]

must be nice to have money to throw around like that…**** if i had the money I probably would use it too.

 

[baxt1412]

must be nice to have money to throw around like that…**** if i had the money I probably would use it too.

i can't imagine paying someone like that... if you get it into enough free hands, i honestly think it will come out just the same.


like others have said - i don't plan on getting my secondaries into the hands of others unless i know i need help. but thanks for the "wait a day or 2 " advice.

 

[RWynd123]

my thoughts exactly... a grand for a personal statement?! Surely, your universities have some resources.

A grand!? What a rip off! There are plenty of med students out there that are willing to review secondary essays for about the same price as a hair cut at Great Clips.

 

[AlphaKY1]

A grand!? What a rip off! There are plenty of med students out there that are willing to review secondary essays for about the same price as a hair cut at Great Clips.

I got lucky having a friend that is a writing all-star so I just told him everytime he reviews something/every acceptance I get I'll buy him a shot! Win win imo. Cheap and adds to the party when you find out your future

 

[HarringtonGrantham]

I used both EssayEdge and Gurufi. EssayEdge seemed pretty rote and not much help. Brian at Gurufi helped a lot- polished essay, friendly interactions. Some people are saying that he (Brian) cost a grand. Not true. It only cost me $165. I'm not sure what AlphaKY1 saw, but if you look at his rates, you'll only pay $1000 if you have 13 pages of single-spaces text to revise. Nobody has that much to revise.
If you have someone qualified and invested who will do the revisions and advising for you for free, that's a great option. I didn't. My future is a bit more important than a haircut, though, so I'm not sure how much I'm willing to trust someone who charged $25 to review maybe the most important essays of my life.

 

[AlphaKY1]

I used both EssayEdge and Gurufi. EssayEdge seemed pretty rote and not much help. Brian at Gurufi helped a lot- polished essay, friendly interactions. Some people are saying that he (Brian) cost a grand. Not true. It only cost me $165. I'm not sure what AlphaKY1 saw, but if you look at his rates, you'll only pay $1000 if you have 13 pages of single-spaces text to revise. Nobody has that much to revise.
If you have someone qualified and invested who will do the revisions and advising for you for free, that's a great option. I didn't. My future is a bit more important than a haircut, though, so I'm not sure how much I'm willing to trust someone who charged $25 to review maybe the most important essays of my life.

On the left side, I saw it said for 5000-6000 characters for a 1 day turnaround it cost $999?

165 is worth it if it is your best option, I agree.

 

[HarringtonGrantham]

Ah, I see the confusion. The rates are for *words* NOT characters. 5000 characters is about a page. 5000 words is about 9-10 pages, depending on how you write.

 

[AlphaKY1]

Thank you for clearing that up. I guess I was so used to thinking about characters in a personal statement I assumed that's what it was. You win.

 

[HarringtonGrantham]

Anyway, I also have friends who used EssayEdge and they were happy. It's actually much more expensive, but they got a great editor. I don't think I did. My friend's editor was understanding and patient, and she worked with him. My EssayEdge editor was a bum and I want my $400 back. But, I had a positive experience with Gurufi. At the end of the day, I think a lot of it is about being clear with the editor about what you want, and also about getting really lucky that you don't get some clown.

 

[HarringtonGrantham]

One last thought: with pretty much every service I looked at, you'll end up paying a big premium if you want 1-day turnaround. If you get done just that extra day early, you can take a 2-day order and save some good cash. This is true of EssayEdge (which I don't recommend based on my experience) and with Gurufi (which I do recommend based on my experience). In the end, waiting two days was also just good for me because I spent so much time writing that having a weekend where I didn't see or think about (well, I thought about it... I just didn't obsess about it) my essays was good. Sort of saw them with fresh eyes.
Alright, later. Arsenal is on.

 

[Laito]

My two cent on getting professional revision is that you get what you paid for. I first gave my PS to some guy that I found at Craigslist, who charged $60 for an essay revision. He was really nice guy, but his work was not. However, when I gave the same material to Brian at gurufi.com, he brought my essay to life. He really enhanced my PS without losing my ideas. Every dollar that I spent on him was totally worth it =).

 

[ski89]

My two cent on getting professional revision is that you get what you paid for. I first gave my PS to some guy that I found at Craigslist, who charged $60 for an essay revision. He was really nice guy, but his work was not. However, when I gave the same material to Brian at gurufi.com, he brought my essay to life. He really enhanced my PS without losing my ideas. Every dollar that I spent on him was totally worth it =).

Hmm I really hope he/she is not still editing his secondaries in January..


Sent from my iPhone

 

[Orcamate]

Agreed to zincmask. I also used Brian from Gurufi.com. His work is excellent, and makes my essays sound so professional. The price is also good. Highly recommended to everyone who needs essay editing

 

[bellasanders]

I must say, ordinarily, I would not use editing services, but Brian's touch(Gurufi.com) on my personal statement was very much needed. Not only did i get accepted into medical school, but i also got 4 scholarships (to date) using the same essay with few alterations. So, I would say that my money was well spent. If you need the help, get it. Honestly, i have other doctors who could edit my essay, but it all boils down to a matter of time. For an essay that i might need help with last minute, Brian is able to provide fast feedback. As far as pricing, it is reasonable with coupons.

 

[william28612573]

It is great seeing Brian getting so many great reviews. I also utilize his service while applying for medical school. English is my second language, so his help made the process less stressful and allow me to put my thoughts into my ps and secondary. Highly recommended.

 

[Cashews]

Brian is the man! He is an excellent communicator and knows how to make your personal voice shine. I asked him to review a few of my secondary prompts and he returned a more vivid, clear, and powerful version of my thoughts and ideas. 10/10 would recommend.

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

so does Brian from Gurufi just ask someone to bump this thread a few times a year or what

 

[ramareddi]

I highly recommend Brian from Gurufi! He has really helped consolidate or tighten what I want to say given the secondary essay limits

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

I highly recommend Brian from Gurufi! He has really helped consolidate or tighten what I want to say given the secondary essay limits

Does he give you a discount if you necrobump this thread for him

 

[KnightDoc]

Does he give you a discount if you necrobump this thread for him

Either that, or it's one of his alts. I don't think I've seen anyone else receiving the exact same type of praise over and over and over again without registering as an advertiser. I'm actually not sure why SDN even allows this.