Are personal-statement-creation agencies worth the extra buck?

[purpleortholady]

I'm an IMG and I don't have a clue as to what a personal statement should look like as I've never had to write one. I've read a few tips on what a personal statement should be like, but I still feel I'll need tons of help in this area. The sort of money some of the agencies that claim to help are quoting looks like a fortune to me: $199 and $399 for editing and writing from scratch respectively from one agency; and an unbelievable $300 an hour from another one I found (you can pay $2,700 for 10hrs and "save" $300 ).

Is it really worth it to have "pros" help out.

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[AdmiralChz]

If you really want to spend that much money on a personal statement, go for it. Or you can be like everyone else and do it the right and fair way and write it yourself. No one enjoys writing them or finds them easy, but we have all done it. Do a simple search on SDN or any site ever for tips. Make it about you, why you went IMG, why you are applying to a US residency, and why that particular field. You can spend a paragraph or two on each subject, and then summarize at the end. Maybe I should charge some $$ for that advice!

Life isn't always easier if you throw money at a problem, which appears to be happening here. Frustrating post to read.

 

[purpleortholady]

Everyone's looking for any means possible to make their application perfect. Thanks for the honest answer. I think I needed that confidence boost.