How early did you start.........

BU Medical Sciences
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NontradCA said:
Ignored.
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Dont be a jerk

I started about a year ago and I'm applying next year. I've been slowly building a skeleton outline and have been continually adding things after each semester.

I feel that I should wait until I have the actual personal statement question before I begin. Speaking of which, what is the actual prompt from AACOMAS?
 
Columbia09 said:
Working on your personal statements.
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I worked on mine continuously over the course of a couple of months. I wrote it originally and ended up hating it and started over again. When I came back to it, I laid out an outline and was able to finish it off.
 
GypsyHummus said:
Dont be a jerk

I started about a year ago and I'm applying next year. I've been slowly building a skeleton outline and have been continually adding things after each semester.

I feel that I should wait until I have the actual personal statement question before I begin. Speaking of which, what is the actual prompt from AACOMAS?
Click to expand...

I actually made an AACOMAS account and there isn't any specific prompt. It's up to you what to write about. I have a pretty good idea what to write about and I'm applying next cycle.
 
I started in Jan/Feb so that I could send it in for my premed packet. Then in June I ripped it apart and reworked it completely having multiple people edit and give pointers. So basically I spent considerable time on it, around maybe 20 hours total.
 
Columbia09 said:
I actually made an AACOMAS account and there isn't any specific prompt. It's up to you what to write about. I have a pretty good idea what to write about and I'm applying next cycle.
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Obviously there's no prompt, it's a personally statement. You could fill it with stories about clowns on unicorns and saving the world and how it made you realize that pinacoladas and osteopathic medicine make you happy.
 
GypsyHummus said:
Dont be a jerk

I started about a year ago and I'm applying next year. I've been slowly building a skeleton outline and have been continually adding things after each semester.

I feel that I should wait until I have the actual personal statement question before I begin. Speaking of which, what is the actual prompt from AACOMAS?
Click to expand...

Also ignored. Just eliminated half the threads on pre osteo.

split-test-success-kid-meme-290x166.jpg
 
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I wrote my personal statement in one day and then spent a week having it critiqued and edited. I've continually updated it as things have improved or changed. In my opinion, they aren't really very Important in comparison to other things on your application. Most adcoms do not even read them before you are offered an interview. When I had my interview invites, I was told that when you are selected for an interview, the interviewer will read your ps the day before or even day of interview in order to get to know you a little better. Try and be original and most of all form complete and coherent thoughts and you will be fine. Don't waste your time effort or energy worrying about something so miniscule. If you have a good gpa and mcat with mediocre ec's you will be fine.
 
It depends on the person. For instance, I spent a week or two writing, reworking, and having mine reviewed; whereas I know some who spent months putting it together. It all comes down to you and how much time you feel you need. You have, without a doubt, wrote numerous papers, so you should have an idea on how much time you will need. Just go with your gut, whether it's writing a PS, an essay, or studying. Only you really know how much time you need for such things, so no need to fret if you spend more or less time with any of these things. As I've told you before, just relax and you will be fine.
 
Columbia, why do you make so many useless threads?
 
I'll begin writing mine next spring before I apply. I see no point in writing one a year ahead while there's still a year of experiences to be had that could alter my PS. Plus, knowing that I have it finished way before time will only make me more anxious to apply... waiting a year is bad enough; I don't need something that will make me want to apply even more.

PS. This is not a useless thread; Columbia can post anything that he so desires just like anyone else. There is no need to be a d-bag and make frivolous comments like, "Y u make useless threads"/"ignored." <-- Both of which are completely useless and add nothing to the discussion whatsoever. Don't like a thread? Move along and don't post to it.
 
Columbia09 said:
How is this useless ? If people like you or NontradCA can't handle it then ignore it :idea:
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The idea that these threads are low-value is because virtually every question you have can be answered more completely and more quickly by using Google.

A little leg work of your own would go along away into providing the answers you seek.
 
Mines written and ready to go. I'm applying next year.
 
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C5b6789 said:
Are you going to include anything you'll be doing from now until June?
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I will be retaking some science classes to raise my sGPA to a 3.3 and I take my MCAT on September 11th. That will leave me plenty of time to retake if I need to. I've also started my application (saving it in a word document) and plan to do any available secondaries in January since I heard that they don't really change from year to year. My sGPA makes me an underdog so my application needs to be submitted as early as possible.
 
Columbia09 said:
Working on your personal statements.
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The most important thing is to be grammatically sound and error free. The content is YOU. YOU are an expert on YOU and why YOU are applying, so that should flow pretty naturally on the first draft. Then get revisions/input from advisors, classmates, etc.
 
Carl Seitan said:
The idea that these threads are low-value is because virtually every question you have can be answered more completely and more quickly by using Google.

A little leg work of your own would go along away into providing the answers you seek.
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This.

And that if useless threads like these, where the OP could have just done a quick 30 second search for similar threads, it would save space on the forums for more useful threads to be easily accessed.


It's simply clutter, and wastes space, and adds unnecessary threads for confused pre-meds to search through to find answers to their questions.

Sorry, but the OP has a history of making many threads, because their are either extremley neurotic or incapable of using the search function.
 
I wrote mine just before the AACOMAS went live

I sent it to a prehealth advisor 3 times in 3 weeks for revision tips and it ended up being the last part of my application to be completed
 
Did any of you guys mention grades or osteopathic medicine in your personal statement? I'm trying to determine if doing so is appropriate.
 
GypsyHummus said:
Did any of you guys mention grades or osteopathic medicine in your personal statement? I'm trying to determine if doing so is appropriate.
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Your PS is meant to showcase you as an individual. Did you overcome some situation with your grades (like from being a C-B student to a B-A student)? If you cannot relate your grades to you as an individual and some experience you had, I would not include them (adcoms have access to your grades, anyway).

As for osteopathic medicine... you should mention it, but don't come off as fake. "Oh I love osteopathic medicine," in my opinion, is not enough. Why do you love osteopathic medicine specifically? Does it excite you? Why were you drawn to applying DO? Etc.

If you use something in your PS, make sure that you have a reason for it and can back it up; otherwise, it may come off as just trying to get extra brownie points.
 
I'm finishing mine up to get my primary sent off ASAP.

Let this be a lesson for everyone. Write it early in case life gets in the way. I went from almost having everything ready back in May to scrambling to get it in in late August because family issues and work have sucked up my last 2+ months.
 
scarecrow90 said:
Your PS is meant to showcase you as an individual. Did you overcome some situation with your grades (like from being a C-B student to a B-A student)? If you cannot relate your grades to you as an individual and some experience you had, I would not include them (adcoms have access to your grades, anyway).

As for osteopathic medicine... you should mention it, but don't come off as fake. "Oh I love osteopathic medicine," in my opinion, is not enough. Why do you love osteopathic medicine specifically? Does it excite you? Why were you drawn to applying DO? Etc.

If you use something in your PS, make sure that you have a reason for it and can back it up; otherwise, it may come off as just trying to get extra brownie points.
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SHould the words "holistic" "Mind body and spirit" and "Body is a unit" ever be mentioned?
 
GypsyHummus said:
SHould the words "holistic" "Mind body and spirit" and "Body is a unit" ever be mentioned?
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Can you talk about those things with confidence in an interview? 😉

I.e., if they are important to you, include them because you're passionate about it and your passion with leak out onto the page and will be seen in an interview. If you're not passionate or at least interested about something, I wouldn't include it. An adcom would see that you were just trying to make it seem like you were interested, but not truly (thus probably hurting you more than helping you).
 
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scarecrow90 said:
Can you talk about those things with confidence in an interview? 😉

I.e., if they are important to you, include them because you're passionate about it and your passion with leak out onto the page and will be seen in an interview. If you're not passionate or at least interested about something, I wouldn't include it. An adcom would see that you were just trying to make it seem like you were interested, but not truly (thus probably hurting you more than helping you).
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Lol, I know, but they really are important to me! Especially the mind body and spirit and that the body is a unit. I just dont wanna sound cheesy
 
GypsyHummus said:
Lol, I know, but they really are important to me! Especially the mind body and spirit and that the body is a unit. I just dont wanna sound cheesy
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If they are really important to you, put them in!! You won't sound cheesy if it's the truth; and even if it is a bit "cheesy," you'll be able to back it up in an interview. 🙂
 
GypsyHummus said:
SHould the words "holistic" "Mind body and spirit" and "Body is a unit" ever be mentioned?
Click to expand...

Just my opinion, but I'd probably refrain from interjecting catchphrases and buzzwords typically associated with DO into a personal statement. It would seem more effective to spin a narrative of a situation that reflects your views on those philosophies and/or describes why they are important to you.

Failing to do that would make it seem like you were just trying to score brownie points and looked up osteopathic medicine on Wikipedia prior to writing your PS.
 
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