Best way to express interest in program?

[velouria]

Is it better to tailor your personal statement to express interest in a particular program from the beginning, or is it better to use one general PS for all programs then express interest later (by a handwritten note or ???)?

What are some ways you could let a program know you them without being annoying? And what is the timeline for doing so?

thanks in advance

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[gutonc]

Individualized PS isn't a bad idea assuming you can keep all of them straight and don't accidentally upload them to the wrong programs. I did that for a few of the Research Pathway programs because some of them asked for you to address specific questions in your PS. Otherwise, just wait and see if you get an interview. If you haven't heard from them by mid-November then it's time to try and escalate.

 

[SBlanc]

Although I submitted a very thoroughly edited and polished PS with the rest of my app on Saturday, I have been making individualized PS's since then for certain programs I'm particularly interested in, that haven't yet downloaded my original personal statement, and for which I want to explain regional ties that don't come across in the rest of my app, if that makes sense. I get the feeling that most people just submit a general PS and do fine, but that personalizing is relatively common as well and can help for things like that. Others doing this?