How long should a PS be?

[dshnay]

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Hi,

I'm actually beginning to write my personal statement, and I would just like to find out how long should it be? 250 500 1000 words? I just don't want it to be too long or to short, just right. 🙂

Thanks

 

[Mr. Seeds]

Hi,

I'm actually beginning to write my personal statement, and I would just like to find out how long should it be? 250 500 1000 words?

Thanks

The limit for allo is 5300 characters w/spaces. For osteo it's 3000 w/spaces.

Are you applying next year?

 

[dshnay]

But what's the average? I dont really want the screener to be reading and reading and eventually getting bored.

No, I'll be applying for 2006/7

 

[Code Brown]

But what's the average? I dont really want the screener to be reading and reading and eventually getting bored.

No, I'll be applying for 2006/7

5250-5300 characters. I had to cut it down from about 10,000 already. As for getting bored, you need to make it exciting enough that the reader doesn't get bored and decides that he/she wants to hear more from you, i.e. interview.

 

[bewitched1081]

about 500 words. also too long or too short is relative. if you have a personal statement that needs more elaboration and is interesting enough, it might seem shorter than one that is 250 words.

 

[bewitched1081]

oh sorry. 500 words might be on the short side. the max is about 1000 words.

 

[dshnay]

thank you

 

[Medikit]

Long enough and under 5300 chars.

 

[LauraMac]

use as many of those 5300 characters as you can. you want to give them as much information as you can about yourself in that small space.

 

[holyhess]

I have heard both put in everything you can and keep it simple. I was rejected last year and sent the statement to a consultant who flat out told me that it was too long and involved and helped me write a very simple, straight to the point statement that highlighted what was important about me and left out all the "fluff". I'll let you know how it works out for me this year.

 

[DMBFan]

I have heard both put in everything you can and keep it simple. I was rejected last year and sent the statement to a consultant who flat out told me that it was too long and involved and helped me write a very simple, straight to the point statement that highlighted what was important about me and left out all the "fluff". I'll let you know how it works out for me this year.

As someone who will be writing personal statements left and right soon, I was just wondering what kind of "fluff" did you have? Did you make it too English-y? Just trying to get a general idea as to what my approach should be for a writing style? Any info would be appreciated!

 

[holyhess]

Too englishy would be a good word to describe it. I wanted it to be something interesting to read so I tried to write it like a short fiction story (no fiction obviously but a lot of dialogue and adjectives) and what I was told this year was they probably found it interesting but too difficult to get the information they were looking for so they just wrote it off. I have been working on some secondary essays as well and am trying to keep them the same, simple straightforward. Like I said though, I didn't get in last year and still don't know about this year. Just for the info I have a 3.5 gpa, 27 O MCAT, worked for 5 years as an EMT and 4 years now in a research lab.

 

[velo]

As someone who will be writing personal statements left and right soon, I was just wondering what kind of "fluff" did you have? Did you make it too English-y? Just trying to get a general idea as to what my approach should be for a writing style? Any info would be appreciated!

Yeah, you don't want it to be too "English-y"....I made sure to throw in some German, Esperanto, and Sanskrit (pain in the ass to get AMCAS to accept the characters BTW) just do dodge that bullet.

As for length, try to get as close to 5300 characters as possible...if you hit it right on the nose you win $1000 like on the Price is Right! 👍

[/sarcastic unhelpful post] sorry can't help myself sometimes

 

[mango6110]

i had 5299 when i submitted 😳 ...almost won the grand....missed it by one character 🙁

 

[dshnay]

thanks everyone 🙂