Help with PS

[riverjib]

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Most non-trads can empathize with this...I had no trouble writing my personal statement. In fact, I added three credits onto my 20-credit course load to take a writing class that promised to specifically address the personal statement. It took more time than biochem II!!!

My writing professor, who is extremely cynical and a tough critic who returned most of my essays with enough red ink to alarm a trauma team, LOVED my personal statement. Problem is, it's still nearly 7000 characters, so I need to cut 1700. I met with him many times this semester, twice over my PS, and he doesn't know what to cut. It's all extremely relevant to my desire to pursue medicine and the roadblocks that kept me from it, and cutting entire paragraphs means cutting an important part of my growth in pursuing medicine.

If anyone is willing to look at my personal statement and give me honest feedback, I'd greatly appreciate it!!! I'll do the same for anyone here...I'm generally a good writer and excellent editor, but we all know those rules don't apply when you're dealing with your own writing...

 

[Dianyla]

I'd be happy to take a look at it over the weekend. Shoot me a PM. 🙂

 

[vc7777]

Most non-trads can empathize with this...I had no trouble writing my personal statement. In fact, I added three credits onto my 20-credit course load to take a writing class that promised to specifically address the personal statement. It took more time than biochem II!!!

My writing professor, who is extremely cynical and a tough critic who returned most of my essays with enough red ink to alarm a trauma team, LOVED my personal statement. Problem is, it's still nearly 7000 characters, so I need to cut 1700. I met with him many times this semester, twice over my PS, and he doesn't know what to cut. It's all extremely relevant to my desire to pursue medicine and the roadblocks that kept me from it, and cutting entire paragraphs means cutting an important part of my growth in pursuing medicine.

If anyone is willing to look at my personal statement and give me honest feedback, I'd greatly appreciate it!!! I'll do the same for anyone here...I'm generally a good writer and excellent editor, but we all know those rules don't apply when you're dealing with your own writing...

I find that most nontrads have SO much to say, that it never can quite fit into the character limits (MD or DO).

Sounds like Dianyla will be taking a look at yours, and hopefully spotting the weakest paragraphs/points.

Whatever cannot be shoe-horned into the PS is excellent fodder for the interviews - so don't despair! In fact, it is probably advisable to have some things in reserve for interviewing.

 

[EdLongshanks]

I find that most nontrads have SO much to say, that it never can quite fit into the character limits (MD or DO).

Sounds like Dianyla will be taking a look at yours, and hopefully spotting the weakest paragraphs/points.

Whatever cannot be shoe-horned into the PS is excellent fodder for the interviews - so don't despair! In fact, it is probably advisable to have some things in reserve for interviewing.

I'm not into reading PS's, but just the numbers (7000) sounds a little too self-admiring.

 

[vc7777]

I'm not into reading PS's, but just the numbers (7000) sounds a little too self-admiring.

Ed, you would be surprised. I think a lot of it depends on the applicants writing style. I've seen some that seem to drone on-and-on with much less than the max .

 

[Simplify]

I finished my PS a few days ago. I felt like I could barely begin to tell my story in 5300 characters. I tried to cover what I felt were the strongest points (the things I am most passionate about). I ended up at 5298. I'm sure I could have easily wrote another page and it would hardly have been droning.

So my advice to the OP is to find some way to prioritize what to keep/cut.

 

[familyaerospace]

I'm not into reading PS's, but just the numbers (7000) sounds a little too self-admiring.

Good thing you didn't read one of the drafts of my personal statement. Version 4, draft 1 clocked in at over 7500 before I started editing it.

 

[EdLongshanks]

Good thing you didn't read one of the drafts of my personal statement. Version 4, draft 1 clocked in at over 7500 before I started editing it.

Ok, I'm judgmental. I just figure that the Adcoms are more judgmental than me.

 

[familyaerospace]

Ok, I'm judgmental. I just figure that the Adcoms are more judgmental than me.

For some of us, we have many reasons to go into medicine. I've always found its easier to write more than is needed and then tighten it up later and eventually shrink it to the appropriate size. I've never been good at doing it in reverse.

 

[EdLongshanks]

For some of us, we have many reasons to go into medicine. I've always found its easier to write more than is needed and then tighten it up later and eventually shrink it to the appropriate size. I've never been good at doing it in reverse.

You're right. Cutting it down from 7000 shouldn't be that hard. I was being unnecessarily mean.

 

[Dianyla]

My very first draft was in the 8000 character range. I've been keeping all of my subsequent drafts down to the limit, but have easily replaced about 500-1000 characters with each major re-draft as I cut some things in order to add others.

If there's one common element to non-traditionals, it's that we all have a complicated story to tell. I couldn't believe it the other day when I saw a thread in pre-allo from someone who couldn't fill 5300 characters. 😕

 

[vc7777]

...I couldn't believe it the other day when I saw a thread in pre-allo from someone who couldn't fill 5300 characters. 😕

Right, and these same people unfortunately will find that they have little to talk about during their interviews, too. 🙁

I personally didn't have a single interview that ran on- or less-than the allotted time (except the two back-to-back that said almost the exact thing: "As far as I am concerned this interview is over and I shouldn't tell you this, but I am recommending that you be accepted." )

No seriously, what I said about reserving some of those ideas and items to talk about during your interview, I feel, is really important. (Except, perhaps, at Univ. of Cincinnati, which uses the speed-interview format - where I feel the nontrad has an unfair advantage anyway.)

Most interviewers read your PS right before they meet you. So it is good to have additional material to work from BEYOND clarifying and answering any questions they might have initially about your PS.

 

[familyaerospace]

If there's one common element to non-traditionals, it's that we all have a complicated story to tell. I couldn't believe it the other day when I saw a thread in pre-allo from someone who couldn't fill 5300 characters. 😕

One of the reasons I didn't like doing trad statements (well there were so many reasons to avoid) was because they tried so hard to fill 5300 characters that they were really scrapping the bottom. If you removed the fluff, their statement probably wouldn't have been more than 2000. Maybe not even 1000.

One of the people I read for relatively recently (NT) only had ~2800 to start. Now it was a pretty well written 2800, but I asked him to add more. He definitely had the material to work with.

 

[Dianyla]

One of the people I read for relatively recently (NT) only had ~2800 to start. Now it was a pretty well written 2800, but I asked him to add more. He definitely had the material to work with.

Right. When there's too much material to cover, I'd say we're more likely to be self-censoring than blathering.

 

[Dianyla]

Most interviewers read your PS right before they meet you. So it is good to have additional material to work from BEYOND clarifying and answering any questions they might have initially about your PS.

Do you know if that's true even for closed-file interviews? I never know if "closed file" means that they literally only have your name, or if they've read your PS but haven't seen your GPA/MCAT/etc.

 

[vc7777]

Do you know if that's true even for closed-file interviews? I never know if "closed file" means that they literally only have your name, or if they've read your PS but haven't seen your GPA/MCAT/etc.

It really depends on the school. Some are completely closed. Others only haves access to certain parts of your file (like your school, degree, hometown, etc.). I understand that some schools actually have a mixture of the two. For example, you may have a student interviewer who has little or no access to your file, and is essentially tasked with gauging your demeanor and interpersonal skills. In short, it is good to find out in advance of your interview what the format is.

I suppose for closed-file interviews, the questions will be mostly basic, and you will not have time to go too far in-depth anyway. So, yes you are correct, having additional material beyond your PS will likely not be of use in such a situation. Similarly, the reason I brought up Univ. of Cincinnati is that it is technically a 'close-file' interview. However, in this case, you are cycled through several rooms and situations where you are evaluated on topics and situations that require no outside knowledge.

 

[familyaerospace]

Right. When there's too much material to cover, I'd say we're more likely to be self-censoring than blathering.

Well also part of it was he was having a dyslexic moment and thought the upper limit was ~3500 characters so was worried about going over. 🙂