Confusion on How to Write Experiences/Achievements Sections. Please Help!!!

[oldpremed38]

I am a little confused on what is the best approach to take when writing my experiences/achievements sections. At first I wrote them in a very serious, straightforward way. I then saw the following video from Dr. Gray:

Can you tell me what approach is best? Is it true that it is best to save stories about your experiences for the secondary applications? Would you advise going against Dr. Gray's advice? I wanted to see if there was a consensus on the specific way to write these. Should I use a straightforward approach that is series and academic in tone or write stories that are interesting? Is it possible to do a little of both?

Any input on what is the best way to write my experiences/activities will be greatly appreciated!!!!

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[Rogue42]

The best way to write is from the heart.
Be true to yourself and you are in your writing. Express yourself as the person you are.

Write with a purpose and a passion and your writing will be well qualified.

 

[oldpremed38]

Rogue42, thanks for your reply. Your response suggests it may be better to approach this process by utilizing flowery language, stories and experiences - this is how I would write if I was writing from the heart. Is this the way that you did it?

 

[Rogue42]

Rogue42, thanks for your reply. Your response suggests it may be better to approach this process by utilizing flowery language, stories and experiences - this is how I would write if I was writing from the heart. Is this the way that you did it?

No. What I am suggesting is that being true to who are and how you write is the best way to go through this process. For example, if your writing doesn't match up with you who are in real life, then that won't look good for you in an interview. You want to go somewhere that you fit in at, and they will be able to tell that through your writing, then they want you to get there for your interview, and they want the person that they read about to be standing there in the room, not someone else, if that makes sense.

I wrote very real, passionate stories of what I did and what I learned. It wasn't flowery, it was precise. It is was real. It was stated passionately. And that is who I am; a real straightforward, passionate dude.

My advice is to be YOU. Don't try to copy what others did. Don't look up "how to write this certain essay." Thousands of other applicants are doing that same thing. Be YOU. Being yourself through this whole process sets you apart from 95% of other people, guaranteed. Just make sure what you write is well written, passionate, and purposeful. I tell everyone that your personal statement needs to be the single best piece of prose that you have ever written, and all of your other written portions (ECs and secondaries) need to be the second best pieces of prose you have ever written.