ever to early to draft a personal statement?

[TarheelGirlx3]

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So I won't be applying until next year, but I was wondering if it was ever to early to start drafting? The personal statement is universal, correct? It is not something you edit for each school? Thanks!

 

[battousai]

It's never too early if you just want to have a rough sketch of what you want to say. You can always update it later. The personal statement is a common essays that all med schools you apply to see.

Just remember to keep it below 5300 characters!

 

[TarheelGirlx3]

Thanks for your help, that's what I figured!

 

[TarheelGirlx3]

Also, when is it submitted? Is it part of the initial application?

 

[justkeepswiming]

If you're applying this upcoming cycle (for fall 2014 entry) then it's definitely not too early to start drafting, I'd say. For me, the PS was the most difficult/time consuming part of the app.

If you're applying for fall 2015 it's wayyy on the early side, since your experiences/perspective/writing style will change between now and then. It can never hurt to brainstorm or make some rough sketches, but expect it to change.

Edit-- and yes, it's a part of the primary app that's submitted to all schools ideally in june/july.

 

[TarheelGirlx3]

Thanks again!

 

[LizzyM]

Its never to early too right you're first draft and make sure that it is reviewed by as many people as you can find fore typos and homonym errors. Don't depend on spellcheck alone.

 

[Swartzlehman]

X

 

[Josh7]

Its never to early too right you're first draft and make sure that it is reviewed by as many people as you can find fore typos and homonym errors. Don't depend on spellcheck alone.

That was hard to read

 

[IL Pre Med]

I'm writing mine too, the limit is 5300 characters? I thought it was 4500

 

[Renaissance Man]

Definitely not to early. As I wrote about on my blog, my personal statement took a long time to complete and I wanted it read by as many people as possible. It is hard (at least for me), to write about oneself. Trying to answer "Why medicine?" in a unique, individual, and educated manner isn't easy.

 

[Alejandro]

Its never too early. It's probably one of the hardest things to complete prior to applying to medical school. The challenge is, completion is not adequate. You want to make a GOOD personal statement, just just A personal statement.

One tip I'd recommend, is freewriting. Trying to make a cohesive, complete statement in one pass can be overwhelming. In your freewrites, you'll find some good pearls to include in your personal statement, or you may find them useful to save for secondaries. I felt that I had more creative, emotional, and genuine perspective when I freewrote compared to when I was writing simply to answer the prompt.

 

[doorner]

I'm writing mine too, the limit is 5300 characters? I thought it was 4500

I think it's 4500 for AACOMAS and 5300 for AMCAS.

 

[TarheelGirlx3]

Its never too early. It's probably one of the hardest things to complete prior to applying to medical school. The challenge is, completion is not adequate. You want to make a GOOD personal statement, just just A personal statement.

One tip I'd recommend, is freewriting. Trying to make a cohesive, complete statement in one pass can be overwhelming. In your freewrites, you'll find some good pearls to include in your personal statement, or you may find them useful to save for secondaries. I felt that I had more creative, emotional, and genuine perspective when I freewrote compared to when I was writing simply to answer the prompt.

This is EXACTLY what I do. Usually I just think of a lot of good things that I want to say, but its obviously free thought and not formal writing. So I just jot it down as I am thinking it, then find a way to incorporate it.