essay mistake - how burned am i?

[meowkat444]

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In my significant research essay, SOMEHOW, even though i checked everything 325718957298 times, the first two words were left out. Instead of starting with "I am interested in..." it just starts with "interested in..."

So.... how bad is something like that? Is it something I should apologize for in optional sections of the secondary, or just pretend it didn't happen?

I can't believe I did that, I feel very let down and dumb right now 🙁

 

[146233]

Please please PLEASE don't apologize for it in a secondary. If that's the biggest mistake you make during the application process, then you're blessed. If anyone even notices (which is a long shot as it is), they understand that we're human and we're stressed about applications. Inadvertantly omitting the words, "I am" will certainly not doom your file. Keep your head up!

 

[voirlesetoiles]

I would just pretend it didn't happen. Although two words were omitted, the meaning of the sentence should still be intact.

There's nothing you can do about it, so relax and forget it. Go write some killer secondaries.

 

[Fairy Queen]

Don't worry too much about it. I found some mistakes in my personal statement and optional essay on a primary, but I've still received interviews. It's really not as bad as you think. They'll consider your entire application, not just one essay. Also, I've heard of people getting into medical school with less-than-perfect essays.

 

[meowkat444]

yeah, but omitting the first two words of an essay? a typo is one thing. i discovered a tiny typo in a secondary essay i already submitted and didn't much care. but this feels extreme, i guess.

PS: just yet another example of what I hate about this process--how it accentuates the neurotic crazy in us all. i would not have been tearing up over something like this in my pre-application life 🙁

 

[Sartre79]

Depends on the school. e.g. Ive heard that U of Chicago will boot you for any errors...but that is also an "elite" institution. I had 2 errors on my AMCAS, and I start M1 next week, so it is not a total sinker. Just make sure you have the grades and MCATs, etc.

 

[meowkat444]

yeah. awesome. i'm applying to lots of top-tier mstps. i'm sure they're just looking for excuses to cut people. great.

 

[Phoenix.]

yeah, but omitting the first two words of an essay? a typo is one thing. i discovered a tiny typo in a secondary essay i already submitted and didn't much care. but this feels extreme, i guess.

PS: just yet another example of what I hate about this process--how it accentuates the neurotic crazy in us all. i would not have been tearing up over something like this in my pre-application life 🙁

Hey, if you're so worried about it, I'll trade you those two words if we can exchange MCAT PS scores. Fancy an 8? Honestly, you'll do fine. Don't stress it. And anyway, nothing you can do about it now.

 

[MChitty]

I also wouldn't stress out over it. These readers are reading a lot of essays and there's a good chance they won't notice it. Plus, if you apologize for it in a secondary, then you will be bringing attention to it. Just try and relax!

 

[traumaEDdoc]

No matter how many times you may check your letters, always, always, ALWAYS have at least 3-4 other people (mom, sister/bro, friend, english major person) read your letters as well. Dropping a word here or there is a common mistake and is usually overlooked bythe writer.

Ivy schools may nix you, may not. Cross your fingers and hope for best! If thats the worst on your app, and the rest of you totally rox... likely to do no damage at most schools.

 

[enigmaticsea]

i made a mistake on my essay too, instead of "i will" it said "will I", now that's even worse than omitting "I am". i am sure the meaning of ur sentence will still get through and if the rest of it is well written, they might not even remember, i wouldn't apologize for it in the secondary.

 

[Nauss99]

I would like to take this opportunity to confess that recently I checked on my TMDSAS application PS (never do this) and found that everything was perfect, except the last sentence:

I know that I exhibit the compassion and determination that will allow me to become an excellent

veterinarian? nurse? circus freak? You decide ...

 

[deleted103730]

I ran into a weird bug earlier on my PS. The last few words were missing, even though i still had enough room to include them before I reached the limit, so I readded the words to finish the sentence, saved it, looked at it again, and the words went missing again! I did this like 10 times and same thing kept happening, so I went back through the essay to see if I could delete a character/word. I took out a word, added the missing sentence back on, saved it again, and finally it worked. I guess the app doesn't like to have a certain number of characters.

 

[TheRealMD]

Never read an essay again after it's been submitted unless you want to dive off the deep end from silly mistakes made.

 

[161468]

Yes, I am scared to reread any essay I have already submitted. When I have to revisit secondaries to copy and paste, I always reread very fast just so I hope I won't see some mistake. Don't freak out over the mistakes. Yes, it is a problem but if you can really show them that you are a great person who deserves to be at their school and they still reject you over typos, then thats not the kind of elitist place you'd really want to be, would it?

 

[somemaybedoc]

Doesn't matter, **** happens. Hell, they might even think it was the systems fault since it's at the very beginning.

 

[cal_girl]

It's not gonna be a big problem.... Last yr, on one of my secondary essay to a top-tier school, i spelled the name wrong... ok, I'm stupid!
I got interview and only after that I realized my mistake. But i got in anyway. 😀

 

[meowkat444]

yeah, i second the not reading essays again thing. i would never have known, except that one of my secondaries (Case) recopied the research essay into one of their boxes for modification. ironically, they will be the only school that gets the correct essay.