App for 2010: few questions

[Asuram]

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Hello all, I hope you guys are doing well.


I have a few questions:

1. First off, I have been working in a private research lab, (out side of my school), since September 2008. Should I list this as work or payed research experience?
I guess I can list as either, but which section would it look better?

2. Personal Statement: It's been awhile since I wrote a paper of this nature, (a non-research paper), How do I go about writing it? I wrote a little bit of it and it feels too informal.

Thanks alot,

Asuram

 

[vlct0ria]

Hello all, I hope you guys are doing well.


I have a few questions:

1. First off, I have been working in a private research lab, (out side of my school), since September 2008. Should I list this as work or payed research experience?
I guess I can list as either, but which section would it look better?

2. Personal Statement: It's been awhile since I wrote a paper of this nature, (a non-research paper), How do I go about writing it? I wrote a little bit of it and it feels too informal.

Thanks alot,

Asuram

I would list the lab work under paid research...it seems to me like most dental schools would value research experience over "work" experience.

And the personal statement really has no format...all they want is to know how/why you decided on dentistry and how it will contribute to your "personal and professional goals". It should be formal, yet personalized and conversational...those seem contradicting, but by formal, it's more about not using slang, or contractions, etc. The PS is important, because it's your only chance to tell adcoms things about yourself that do not have a place elsewhere in the application...you can/should of course expand on things in your application (like dental, research, work experience, etc), but always include what you learned from it and how it contributes to your goal of becoming a dentist.