How Important is the personal statement

[5moreminutes]

GPA and MCAT are certainly important, but can a personal statement change the admissions committes deciision in selecting a candidate fr their school r not

ALso, if you are finanncially poor, should you not state that? Because they might get concerned about whether or not the student will be able t pay the fees for his or her educatoin?

thanks

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[mvenus929]

Everything is important. You should do your best to get the best in everything you turn into adcoms.

Numbers are important to showing that you're competent. Essays and Interviews are important to showing you have a personality. Yes, a personal statement can hold you back or push you forward. That's why you should do your best on it.

As for your financial situation... I don't think schools will be too concerned about you being able to pay for your education... most students take out thousands of dollars in loans, or get a scholarship through various programs. Regardless, the school will get their money if you enroll.

If you think your financial situation put you at a disadvantage in life, then go ahead and mention it. It's one of those 'overcoming adversity' things. But if you (or your family) has made enough to live comfortably, and the only perceived disadvantage you see is having to attend public school instead of private school, then there's not much point in mentioning it.

 

[Law2Doc]

GPA and MCAT are certainly important, but can a personal statement change the admissions committes deciision in selecting a candidate fr their school r not

Yes. In fact lots of people get tanked because their essays are uncompelling or they didn't have a decent reason as to "why medicine". Assume that every item in your application is the most important thing you are submitting, whether it is an essay, an EC, a numerical stat or your interview. Anything can be used to help weed down the 10,000 applications to a reasonable number of interviewees.

 

[Lozza]

i think the ps is important but its not the end all be all, yeah if you have tons of mispellings or just write about something off the wall, i think it will knock you out... but i think if its sincere and meaniningful, (AND spell checked) then its not going to make that much a different. and admissions women told me once... "I read 4000 of these things, none of them stand out, just make sure what you write is from your heart and is grammatically correct"

 

[Lozza]

oh and the financial thing, YES mention it if you really struggled and had to work for things in your life... it shows you are a hard worker and dont give up... med schools arnt worried about whether or not you are going to pay your fees, because you will find a way. but it is true if being "poor" to you meant not getting a corevette when you were 16, then ya skip it.

 

[nabs86]

Yes, the PS is extremely important. This is your chance to show the adcoms why you're unique and a good candidate for their school over the other thousands of applicans. Don't mention the financial situation unless it makes you disadvantaged.

 

[Koch]

Don't screw it up, but nobody really cares what you write. The ADCOM members will spend about 2 minutes looking at it to see if they can pick out something interesting or if they can pick out something alarming. It's pretty much a non-factor when final admission decision time comes around. Or at least it is at the one school where I know an ADCOM member.

 

[voirlesetoiles]

never mind