2007-2008 Personal Statement Question Thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
pm it to me and i can read it.
Members don't see this ad.
 
I did a search but couldn't find any threads, i found 1 typo in my PS and was wondering what I can do to change it. AACOMAS still hasn't sent it out yet....I wrote "something the the" I wrote "the" twice in a row.
 
ucd said:
I did a search but couldn't find any threads, i found 1 typo in my PS and was wondering what I can do to change it. AACOMAS still hasn't sent it out yet....I wrote "something the the" I wrote "the" twice in a row.
Click to expand...

There isn't anything you can do to change your PS once it's submitted.

I wouldn't sweat it though. A little typo like that will most likely be overlooked, or ignored if noticed... If anyone does bring it up, just laugh it off. "yeah, I was wondering if you'd notice that..."

This isn't a big deal. Don't worry.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
ucd said:
I did a search but couldn't find any threads, i found 1 typo in my PS and was wondering what I can do to change it. AACOMAS still hasn't sent it out yet....I wrote "something the the" I wrote "the" twice in a row.
Click to expand...

I had about two of those on my essay and did fine at the time. That little detail should not break your application. Best wishes!
 
ucd said:
I did a search but couldn't find any threads, i found 1 typo in my PS and was wondering what I can do to change it. AACOMAS still hasn't sent it out yet....I wrote "something the the" I wrote "the" twice in a row.
Click to expand...

Same here. I tried to format my PS after putting it into the website, and I deleted a word...never came up in my interviews
 
Contact AACOMAS ASAP via email. They will go i and fix it for you as long as it hasn't been sent out. They fixed mine twice already. They are fast too. Just make sure you clearly explain to them what you need fixed.

Good Luck :)
 
On AACOMAS when I put in my personal statment I saw that my character count was around 4600. I know the range has to be 100-4500, but when I clicked on the preview, everything I had was still in. Does the preview cut off at the 4500 mark? I'm guessing no, I would think that the preview would show what it will exactly lookl like when sent.

Another thing, I don't think that indenting paragraphs are working so what does everyone else do, just leave a space between paragraphs?

Thanks
 
thanks for all the responses
 
So in a personal statement, what exactly is too personal...? Sometimes a defining moment is also a traumatic experience etc...is this acceptable or too private? Where do we draw the line? What are the boundaries..?

Thanks in advance for any feedback! I'm hoping to get everything submitted this weekend (knock on wood!) :)
 
The boundary is 4300 characters. Beyond that, it's up to you to decide what is too private to share. The more empassioned and honest your personal statement, the better. Good luck!
 
KrisE24 said:
So in a personal statement, what exactly is too personal...? Sometimes a defining moment is also a traumatic experience etc...is this acceptable or too private? Where do we draw the line? What are the boundaries..?
Click to expand...

Well, ultimately, that is up to you to decide. This is your personal statement to medical schools. If you think that it defines you in some way and speaks to your interest and potential for medicine, then it could be beneficial. Be mindful, however, of the main thrust of your statement; try not to get lost in details that don't support your points. I would avoid anything that shows you in a negative light, or anything that might be too controversal. However, there are exceptions to everything, so use your best judgment; get some direct feedback. In my humble and uninformed opinion, you want to be authentic and to put your best foot forward in your statement. If you are unsure about whether something belongs in your statement, get some direct feedback from a trusted source. As a general rule of thumb in writing, I think if it feels inappropriate, it probably is.

Thanks in advance for any feedback! I'm hoping to get everything submitted this weekend (knock on wood!) :)
Click to expand...

Make sure you have some folks take a look at your statement and give you some feedback and definitely check it for grammar before submitting. You want your statement to be professional and as well-written and error-free as possible. Good luck!
 
any answers to my questions above?

thanks again
 
Members don't see this ad :)
imount said:
On AACOMAS when I put in my personal statment I saw that my character count was around 4600. I know the range has to be 100-4500, but when I clicked on the preview, everything I had was still in. Does the preview cut off at the 4500 mark? I'm guessing no, I would think that the preview would show what it will exactly lookl like when sent.

Another thing, I don't think that indenting paragraphs are working so what does everyone else do, just leave a space between paragraphs?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I would be sure to be in at the 4500 mark. I don't know what would happen if you tried to submit 4600 characters... but I'd hate to risk it and trimming 100 characters is really not that hard to do anyway.

To space between paragraphs, just hit enter and leave a line (it only costs 2 characters) and it will give you a nice even division between paragraphs).
 
Hello,
I'm a little shy at asking this b/c I'm not the best at verbalizing/writing...something I need to improve on. Anywho, if anyone is willing to read over my personal statement and make suggestions or comments, I would appreciate it. If you express interest, I'll PM you.

I appreciate any honest feedback you could offer. Thanks.

Punchap
 
I looked at the centeralized online application for the DO schools wanted to know if there is a specific prompt for the personal statement. I clicked on the section and all it said was write you personal statement here... So is it open-ended?

Thanks a bunch! :thumbup:
 
blueyellow said:
I looked at the centeralized online application for the DO schools wanted to know if there is a specific prompt for the personal statement. I clicked on the section and all it said was write you personal statement here... So is it open-ended?

Thanks a bunch! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Yup, the prompt is pretty open ended. It's your opportunity to let the adcoms know what ever it is you want them to know about you and how you came to the decision to apply to medical school.
 
Here's a simple question from an uninformed hopeful- one of those questions I should probably already know the answer to. But, of all the info I have about applying to DO school, this is one thing I'm lacking, and this is a forum for all us "lost in space," no? So here goes. . .

What is the purpose of the AACOMAS Personal Statement?

Is this THE personal statement wherein I should be putting all my eggs, so to speak, or is THE personal statement that schools really look at reserved for the secondary app?

Thanks in advance for all your help and consideration!
 
gilbertjgreen said:
Here's a simple question from an uninformed hopeful- one of those questions I should probably already know the answer to. But, of all the info I have about applying to DO school, this is one thing I'm lacking, and this is a forum for all us "lost in space," no? So here goes. . .

What is the purpose of the AACOMAS Personal Statement?

Is this THE personal statement wherein I should be putting all my eggs, so to speak, or is THE personal statement that schools really look at reserved for the secondary app?

Thanks in advance for all your help and consideration!
Click to expand...


That's a tough question... Can be yes or no depending on the school. Some D.O. schools do not have secondary prompts (DCOM I think), while others have a million different versions of the same question (UNECOM).
 
I'm really sorry to disturb you all with what is probably a stupid question...

I saw my advisor yesterday to read my final PS draft. When I asked her what she thought should be cut out for the shorter PS in the AACOMAS app, she told me that the AACOMAS was actually longer than AMCAS. I said that I didn't think that was right since AMCAS is 5300 characters and AACOMAS is 4500, but she told me she thought that the AACOMAS counted it differently (with no spaces or something - although it indicates that spaces are included on the application) so it came out to be about 1 paragraph > than AMCAS.

Does anyone who has submitted know if this is true?

Thanks for your help.
 
IUgrad said:
I'm really sorry to disturb you all with what is probably a stupid question...

I saw my advisor yesterday to read my final PS draft. When I asked her what she thought should be cut out for the shorter PS in the AACOMAS app, she told me that the AACOMAS was actually longer than AMCAS. I said that I didn't think that was right since AMCAS is 5300 characters and AACOMAS is 4500, but she told me she thought that the AACOMAS counted it differently (with no spaces or something - although it indicates that spaces are included on the application) so it came out to be about 1 paragraph > than AMCAS.

Does anyone who has submitted know if this is true?

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

Uh, no. I think your advisor needs to look for another job. According to my experience, he or she is wrong about the number of characters. The AMCAS personal statement is undoubtedly longer (has a higher character upper-limit) than the AACOMAS personal statement. The character upper-limit, for the AACOMAS personal statement, I believe, is 4500, including spaces.
 
spicedmanna said:
Uh, no. I think your advisor needs to look for another job. According to my experience, he or she is wrong about the number of characters. The AMCAS personal statement is undoubtedly longer (has a higher character upper-limit) than the AACOMAS personal statement. The character upper-limit, for the AACOMAS personal statement, I believe, is 4500, including spaces.
Click to expand...

Thanks, spicedmanna, for once again helping me out! I was afraid that was the case...

If you don't mind, I have one additional question for you: I'm really happy with my AMCAS PS (5224 characters), and I don't know what to cut out to make 4500 characters, while also fitting in a few sentences about osteopathic medicine (which my advisor said I need to include). Any recommendations on how to do this? Is it sufficient just to conclude my paragraph where I discuss qualities that I think I can bring to medicine by saying that "these are qualities that I observed in my own osteopathic physician that I hope to emulate" or is that way too short?

Thanks for your help!
 
IUgrad said:
Thanks, spicedmanna, for once again helping me out! I was afraid that was the case...
Click to expand...

I'm glad I could be of assistance. :)

If you don't mind, I have one additional question for you: I'm really happy with my AMCAS PS (5224 characters), and I don't know what to cut out to make 4500 characters, while also fitting in a few sentences about osteopathic medicine (which my advisor said I need to include). Any recommendations on how to do this? Is it sufficient just to conclude my paragraph where I discuss qualities that I think I can bring to medicine by saying that "these are qualities that I observed in my own osteopathic physician that I hope to emulate" or is that way too short?

Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

Well, if you want to hint about your interest in osteopathic medicine, I don't think you need to go into much detail; it's okay if you are succinct. There are secondary essays that basically ask, "why osteopathic medicine/DO?" and "why [name of school]?" where you have the opportunity to go into much greater detail on such things. The important thing, I think, is to make sure that the essay really speaks about you and gives a good snapshot of who you are beyond the numbers. Be authentic and engaging.

My suggestion is to read through this thread. There are some good suggestions made here. If I read the posts correctly, many folks believe it isn't necessary to address osteopathic medicine specifically in the PS. I didn't. However, I don't think there is anything wrong with doing so, either, as long as it is authentic. Here is essentially how I played it. I skimmed this thread and found Orthodoc40's post on the same subject as well. I liked her answer. Anyway, take advice about the personal statement with a grain of salt. After all it's your personal statement, so work in (with due care, of course) what you think expresses you the best!

Also, here is a list of reviewers. They may be able to review your essay and give you some hints.

Good luck. I wasn't sure how to respond to your question, so I hope I was helpful. :oops:
 
gilbertjgreen said:
Here's a simple question from an uninformed hopeful- one of those questions I should probably already know the answer to. But, of all the info I have about applying to DO school, this is one thing I'm lacking, and this is a forum for all us "lost in space," no? So here goes. . .

What is the purpose of the AACOMAS Personal Statement?

Is this THE personal statement wherein I should be putting all my eggs, so to speak, or is THE personal statement that schools really look at reserved for the secondary app?

Thanks in advance for all your help and consideration!
Click to expand...

I'm sure how much and at what stage in the process a particular adcomm considers the PS varies. The PS is essentially the only chance you have in the paper part of the application to show your personality/uniqueness/motivations in your own words. Without it all the adcom would have to go on in deciding to grant you an interview would be just numbers (to some extent LORs and secondary essays, see below).

As for the PS vs. the secondary essays: In most cases the secondary essays are somewhat generic and require BS-ey answers or a re-iteration of activities alreasy listed in the primary. For example, "why do you want to go to our school?"...at that point you're happy to go to any school, so your answer is not likely to reveal as much about you as a well crafted PS can. Remember, the goal of the essays is to get the adcom to want to meet you in person.
 
IUgrad said:
Thanks, spicedmanna, for once again helping me out! I was afraid that was the case...

If you don't mind, I have one additional question for you: I'm really happy with my AMCAS PS (5224 characters), and I don't know what to cut out to make 4500 characters, while also fitting in a few sentences about osteopathic medicine (which my advisor said I need to include). Any recommendations on how to do this? Is it sufficient just to conclude my paragraph where I discuss qualities that I think I can bring to medicine by saying that "these are qualities that I observed in my own osteopathic physician that I hope to emulate" or is that way too short?

Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

As spicedmanna has mentioned, many of the secondary questions will give you the opportuntiy to discuss your interest in osteopathic medicine, so I wouldn't force that into your PS at the cost of cutting out an important part of the story you're trying to tell. As for being over-limit, you're just going to have to pick the best parts and leave out the good and so-so parts.
 
anybody hanging out want to read a PS?
 
in a shift of conversation................... has anyone else had a problem indenting paragraphs when pasting their personal statement into the primary application? How do I fix that?
 
I wouldn't indent... Instead, I would leave a space between paragraphs...


paragraph 1
[blank]
paragraph 2
 
ok cool. thats what I ended up doing but I wasnt sure if it was the wrong way to do it. Thanks
 
I am new at this. Will someone tell me how I send my PS if anyone is willing to read it.
 
Irishgrldoc said:
I am new at this. Will someone tell me how I send my PS if anyone is willing to read it.
Click to expand...

I am... there is list of readers in the beginning of the thread. Do you know how to send personal messages via SDN? Just cut and paste your ps into the message.

-jpc
 
This may sound silly, but I don't know how to send a personal message.
 
I figured it out! Thanks a lot, any advice is helpful!
 
Hi everyone:

I need some serious help! I cut my PS down to 4449 word, but I was told that it lacked the original passion that it had. So now I am starting over from 5041 characters.:eek: Are there any PS cut-down professional that can give me some tips or help me cut it down:confused:. I will be greatful for any advice.

Thank you,
P
 
Hey guys,

I was wondering if it would be a good idea to use a personal statement editing service like essayedge.com or just let other people read my personal statement? Has anyone used essayedge.com or any other service for their personal statement and were you happy with the service? Thank you so much! :)
 
ATP Synthase said:
Hi everyone:

I need some serious help! I cut my PS down to 4449 word, but I was told that it lacked the original passion that it had. So now I am starting over from 5041 characters.:eek: Are there any PS cut-down professional that can give me some tips or help me cut it down:confused:. I will be greatful for any advice.

Thank you,
P
Click to expand...

If you need help cutting down I would PM Orthodoc40. She's on the list of PS readers. I would just check and see if she has time to do it. She read mine and cut things where I didn't even realize anything could be cut but now it seems so obvious. I haven't revised my first draft yet but at least I'll more likely to stay within limits now.
 
EEL08 said:
If you need help cutting down I would PM Orthodoc40. She's on the list of PS readers. I would just check and see if she has time to do it. She read mine and cut things where I didn't even realize anything could be cut but now it seems so obvious. I haven't revised my first draft yet but at least I'll more likely to stay within limits now.
Click to expand...

Thanks, and :luck: to you.
 
Is this a good idea or do you think I should incorporate more D.O related concepts in the AACOMAS statement?
 
i originally wrote my PS just for amcas. but then when i was only applying DO, i shortened it, and added the word "osteopathic" in there a few times. was it necessary? probably not.
 
Vix206 said:
i originally wrote my PS just for amcas. but then when i was only applying DO, i shortened it, and added the word "osteopathic" in there a few times. was it necessary? probably not.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but DMU does not have a secondary essay.
 
Hi,

If I chose not to mention DO at all in my personal statment in my primary application, would that be OK? Would essay readers be looking for that to be particularly mentioned? How would it harm me if I didn't?
 
Chartreuse said:
Hi,

If I chose not to mention DO at all in my personal statment in my primary application, would that be OK? Would essay readers be looking for that to be particularly mentioned? How would it harm me if I didn't?
Click to expand...

just remember its not as simple as yes or no. All other things being equal, would you still stand a good shot of acceptance if you didnt add something to about osteopathic medicine to it? Of course you would. But your chances would be that much better if you did add something.

Good luck!
 
Chartreuse said:
Hi,

If I chose not to mention DO at all in my personal statment in my primary application, would that be OK? Would essay readers be looking for that to be particularly mentioned? How would it harm me if I didn't?
Click to expand...
the PS is a statement trying to sell you as a better candidate....so I'd really tailor your PS to which ever (allo or osteo) that you're applying to. (no one ever said the same PS for both apps) pull out all the stops, when the adcom reads it, it should say "wow I want to talk to this person, he/she really wants to be here". have others read your paper and get opinions. would they choose the person depicted? good luck:thumbup:
 
Why mention osteopathy when you have to write most of your secondaries on it? I didn't delve into it for that reason. The PS is your time to sell yourself, why focus on osteopathic medicine? I have to write essays on why that school and why DO school. I understand some schools screen for secondaries but might not use that question, but is my thinking wrong? I was advised by quite a few others (advisors/med students/physicians) to save the spiel for the secondary.
 
I also didn't mention "why DO" on my primary. I didn't mention it on my secondary unless asked for it. I didn't have any problems.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

M
  • Locked
Is there anybody willing to read/revise/edit my personal statement?
Replies
4
Views
442
chilly_md
chilly_md
that_sad_fish
Personal statement theme advice?
Replies
6
Views
840
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
D
Personal Statement, transplant caregiver
Replies
2
Views
372
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
J
  • Locked
Personal statement
Replies
1
Views
427
chilly_md
chilly_md
D
Personal Statement Feedback
Replies
2
Views
593
DoctorSparkles
D
Top