Autobiography...help!

[MDhopeful324]

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Hi guys,

Hoping some of you can help me out with UCSD's secondary.

So about this essay...does it have to be written in chronological order? I ask because a few of the stories I'm using from my childhood branch out quite a bit and it feels really awkward just skipping over the result just to address another childhood story.

For example, a childhood struggle with a language barrier encouraged me to study a particular subject throughout high school and college.

There are others like this as well.

Would it be okay to split my essay up by topic or should I just stick to referring back and forth to certain events while writing in chronological order.

I just want to put this secondary behind me. I'm having enough trouble as it is avoiding certain topics as my PS was essentially a "why medicine" autobiography.

TIA!!

 

[To be MD]

Hi guys,

Hoping some of you can help me out with UCSD's secondary.

So about this essay...does it have to be written in chronological order? I ask because a few of the stories I'm using from my childhood branch out quite a bit and it feels really awkward just skipping over the result just to address another childhood story.

For example, a childhood struggle with a language barrier encouraged me to study a particular subject throughout high school and college.

There are others like this as well.

Would it be okay to split my essay up by topic or should I just stick to referring back and forth to certain events while writing in chronological order.

I just want to put this secondary behind me. I'm having enough trouble as it is avoiding certain topics as my PS was essentially a "why medicine" autobiography.

TIA!!

You don't have to write an autobiography in chronological order, but when you only have 4000 characters... there's not a lot of room to come up with a Memento-esque reverse bio or any other major format. If you want to do a few snapshots, instead of your standard "I was born in..." essay, that's fine.

Go ahead and do what you think works at successfully describing you. It is not a just a "why medicine" autobiography; it is a (1) "who am I, (2) "what challenges I've overcome, and (3) "how my life up to this point reaffirmed my commitment to medicine" essay.

Most important: just write. See what you come up with. Take out the bad, add some good, and do it over again until what you have written satisifies points 1-3.

Good luck!

 

[MDhopeful324]

You don't have to write an autobiography in chronological order, but when you only have 4000 characters... there's not a lot of room to come up with a Memento-esque reverse bio or any other major format. If you want to do a few snapshots, instead of your standard "I was born in..." essay, that's fine.

Go ahead and do what you think works at successfully describing you. It is not a just a "why medicine" autobiography; it is a (1) "who am I, (2) "what challenges I've overcome, and (3) "how my life up to this point reaffirmed my commitment to medicine" essay.

Most important: just write. See what you come up with. Take out the bad, add some good, and do it over again until what you have written satisifies points 1-3.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice!

I think the character count is 6000, but I understand what you're saying. I think my main problem is organization, otherwise, I know exactly what I plan on addressing. The third point will be a little bit difficult to address given that I've already discussed all the info in my PS. Any suggestions not that issue?

 

[MDhopeful324]

Any other opinions are greatly appreciated!!