creative personal statement?

[mag7ical]

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Creative writing is a big hobby of mine & I really wanted to show this in my personal statement ... spice it up, make it different from others'.
But is it appropriate for dental school? Will it come across as too quirky & unprofessional?

 

[FutureDent020]

Here's the deal with that. It sounds ideal and I thought about doing the same thing. But as I started writing I found out that the character limit really makes you be precise. If you can find a way to be creative and at the same time express your passion and knowledge for dentistry in 4,000 spaces, then go for it.

 

[Svart Aske]

It depends on how creative. I think Faulkner-inspired stream of consciousness prose will fly over most admissions committee members' heads.

 

[lotank]

yes, make it creative. you don't have to make it weird though to be creative. just tell stories about yourself and show your attributes. instead of writing stuff like "i'm a hard worker", give an example where you didn't give up on something.

be creative in a way that draws attention to who you are, but don't be overly creative in a way that draws attention to your writing style.

 

[Astros1fan]

I made a Homer's Odyssey reference by comparing my bed and pillows to the Sirens and sharp rocks. It's a long story on how I ended up writing it like that, but I managed to tied it all together and relate it to dentistry and my journey to get to where I am. Hey it worked, I have interviews. Not to mention everyone that read it really liked it. My health advisors mentioned that they never read a personal statement like it and thought it would help me stand out. Guess they were right. 😀

 

[ufhopeful]

really think for a second - how many times do admissions officers read - "I LOVE TEETH" and "I LOVE HELPING PEOPLE"

because I applied late my 2ndaries and personal statements are extremely quirky and light hearted, pointing out my flaws and development away from my flaws. funny stuff. fun to write, fun to read, and people that read them are blown away. and to be honest, it's a lot easier to write because it sounds less pretentious and more genuine.

but i've heard that it can be dangerous as well if the admission officer that reads the essay is a total grouch with no sense of literature or humor

 

[doc3232]

If you have the ability to write a "creative" PS then use your skills and just write a good one. Play with words and have perfect flow to really intrigue the reader.

This will make you stand out. Don't risk it all just to stand out.

 

[doc toothache]

Getting a little late in the season to be writing a "creative ps".

 

[zsmilez14]

i think it's a good idea to be creative--it will help you stand out a bit more. but if you overdo it, you may sound like you're trying too hard, or it might just get annoying for readers.

I suggest having a creative theme but keep the sentence structure, syntax, etc all coherent.

As long as your personal statement flows, is easy-to-read and says something uniquely about yourself, you should be fine...

 

[peerless218]

Here's the deal with that. It sounds ideal and I thought about doing the same thing. But as I started writing I found out that the character limit really makes you be precise. If you can find a way to be creative and at the same time express your passion and knowledge for dentistry in 4,000 spaces, then go for it.

Is it 4500 characters with space or 4000??? I thought it's 4500. Sorry I'm not trying to give you a hard time or anything.

 

[FutureDent020]

Is it 4500 characters with space or 4000??? I thought it's 4500. Sorry I'm not trying to give you a hard time or anything.

It's cool (4,500 characters, including spaces) Sorry about that. I had one for TN that was 4,000 characters not counting spaces, that's why I was confused.