Essay Editing Service: Recommendations?

[Med01]

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Would be interested in feedback on using essay editing service for grammar, spelling and presentation help. Any comments on specific services as well as pricing are appreciated.

 

[Agent Splat]

If you're still in college, see if you have a Writing Center on campus as a free service to students...here on campus we have student and faculty tutors that read papers like this for people all the time. If you aren't in college right now, it couldn't hurt to contact a nearby school or the school you graduated from to see if they'd be willing to help.

 

[Soup]

Would be interested in feedback on using essay editing service for grammar, spelling and presentation help. Any comments on specific services as well as pricing are appreciated.

Do a search this was asked last week.

I used Essay Edge for a couple of reasons. While I don't think that it alone put me over the top, I'm glad that I did. (1) I wanted someone who didn't know me or my story to read the PS to see if the meaning and tone came across the way I intended (2) I wanted someone who didn't know me who could be honest without worrying about my feelings (3) I wanted someone who was familiar with the AMCAS application and therefore understood the limitations of the PS and could suggest which items go into the PS and which I should work into EC activities. My editor didn't change a whole lot with my PS but did suggest a couple of items that I could emphasize more to make up for my lack of med. experience. For example, I emphasized that I understood the process and the rigors of research from writing my MA thesis. Also, I was able to link the cause and effect aspect of ancient history (my MA subject) with the cause and effect aspects of medicine, i.e. I could digest and synthesize large quantities of information (while occassionally having key clues remain a mystery). My editor helped me balance how much influence a personal tragedy played in my desire to go Med School with not sounding like everybody else whose grandmother got sick and inspired them to go into med. I only paid for one of the lower tiered options and had the editor review the entire essay once (and a couple of specific items clarified later) and I didn't necessarily use all if his suggestions. So, I would recommend doing the things that others have suggested first so that you essay is 95% ready before you send it to the editor. You want the editor to concentrate on content and organization, not grammar because like others have said the writing center can do that for you. When I took mine to the writing center, they concentrated on grammar and spelling with a few minor organizational suggestions and then said it sounded like a "nice story." I walked out feeling like they just didn't get what it was that I needed to accomplish or necessarily what the limitations were. For me, $100 was worth not having to wonder if I had done everything possible to make my application as good as possible. Good Luck. (By the way, I applied to one school and got accepted early decision)

 

[Biscuit799]

I used the writing center on campus, but the biggest help to my essay was when I found an old English prof who's class I had done well in, and asked him to go over my essay with me. Every time I'd proof it, I'd take it into his office and he'd go over it with me and we'd talk about punctuation, grammar, content, getting my point across, etc. And it didn't cost me a dime. I also think that because he remembered me from his class, I got a lot more personal attention and empathy from him than I would've from a service. So I would recommend finding an old professor/TA first, then go to the campus writing center. Only as a last resort would I hire a service. They're going to be expensive and probably won't know any better than some TA.