How much should I change my personal statement for re-application?

[tennis4217]

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Hi! I am planning to re-apply this cycle and I've finished my personal statement but I'm worried it is not different enough from my PS last year. I took out a large paragraph, replaced it with a new one. I kept 2 other paragraphs with the same stories but edited them heavily to change my takeaway and analysis of those experiences. Is this different enough? I am worried that I need to change it much more but honestly I think that would make it worse, I really like the stories I currently have. Thanks for the advice in advance.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

The best applicants I have worked with can write three different personal statements, even if they didn't have to use them in a reapplication.

I always suggest writing some story that happened during the application process that just passed. There's no way you would have written about it last year because it hasn't happened. I would also suggest that the way you wrote your other stories probably might not have been enough or were repetitive to other parts of your application (though I don't have your application to know).

You know, gymnasts have to learn new routines every competition year, even if some of the individual elements are the same.

 

[wysdoc]

Absolutely rewrite your personal statement. Rewrite your secondaries to schools you are reapplying to, also.
One of our Texas schools, SHSU-COM, states it this way:

• Update if reapplying: The Admissions Committee expects improvement on your application as a reapplicant. Please do not submit the same answers to your essays from a previous application. Show growth and address improvements since your previous application. On the TMDSAS application, there is space to answer what you have done to improve your application from the previous cycle. Do not leave this question blank. If you do not have anything to add, please consider whether you should take additional time to continue improving your application.