I need advice on what to do next, my personal statement is ruined. And Submitted.

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lady_optimist

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I am in dire need of help on what I can do at this point in time. The person that I had read over my personal statement inserted an inappropriate comment into my essay that I missed while reading over it.

I know that I should have read it back to front, forward and backward yet this comment will surely destroy any hopes I have of getting into an MD program. After being submitted on August 11th I can no longer edit my Personal Comment section on the AMCAS website what are my options?

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what did it say?

I would rather not say it as that information is not relevant at this point. It was vulgar and hidden in one of the paragraphs I wrote. I am more interested as to what my possible solutions are now that the damage has been done.
 
I would rather not say it as that information is not relevant at this point. It was vulgar and hidden in one of the paragraphs I wrote. I am more interested as to what my possible solutions are now that the damage has been done.

Just focus on the secondaries and hope for the best.

If you feel the damage is severe, withdraw your application and apply on time with a correct/appropriate PS for the next cycle.
 
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I would rather not say it as that information is not relevant at this point. It was vulgar and hidden in one of the paragraphs I wrote. I am more interested as to what my possible solutions are now that the damage has been done.
If you are not yet verified, you can withdraw your application and get all your money back save the base fee of $160. If you choose this option, you cannot apply again until next season, summer 2016.
 
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@lady_optimist - withdraw, get your refund; keep the .pdf of your application to use when the cycle opens next year; be ready on June 1 and chalk this up as a sad learning example :(
 
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I don't see what option you have other than withdrawing your application. Did the other person think it would be funny, or were they being intentionally malicious? Either way, I would definitely have a talk with them so that they realize the severity of what they did.
 
I can't imagine that that could have been anything but malicious. That is insanely messed up.

As others have said, withdraw. This POS can cost you a year of your life, but don't let them cost you thousands of dollars and career prospects as well.
 
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Instructions for Withdrawal are on page 72 of the AMCAS Instruction Manual.

Withdrawing Your Application
Withdrawing your application is final. Once you do so, you can no longer apply for the current application year. To withdraw your AMCAS application from consideration, log in to the AMCAS application and click Withdraw Application from the right side of the Main Menu. This
option is only available after submission when your application is in one of the following statuses: “Submitted to AMCAS – Ready for Review,” “Submitted to AMCAS – Waiting for Transcripts,” or “Returned.”

The initial processing fee is non-refundable, but you will receive a refund for each
additional school designation whose deadline has not passed. If you need to withdraw
your application from consideration after your AMCAS application has been processed,
you will need to contact the medical schools you applied to directly. You are not eligible
for an AMCAS refund in this case.
 
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Agree with the Cat and all others; if you hope to have a medical career, you must withdraw the app.

Sadder but wiser now, hopefully.

As a teaching moment, when doctors make mistakes like this with charting, they end up killing patients, and make malpractice lawyers fat and wealthy.
 
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How long have you known your "friend" that did this to you?
 
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I just wanted to say that I am so, so very sorry this happened to you.

Take some time to grieve. Then make yourself stop. Learn what you can from this. And in the next year, work to make yourself the very best applicant you can be so you'll be able to enjoy the sweetest revenge -- success.

Also remember that when someone shows you who they are - believe them.
 
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Could be a case of this too. Can be sure the profanities were spelled correctly, and not double spaced after the period.
 
and not double spaced after the period.

Oh no. This is literally the first time I have heard this. I learned two spaces after a period as kid. Double spacing will be a hard habit to break. Also, it would have been nice to know that for the character limits on all of my experiences, PS, and secondary essays.

I suppose I need to withdraw all of my apps now.
 
Thank you all who responded to my post. I'm very stressed out right now and I am weighing my options.

Thanks again all.
 
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Wow. Unbelievable.

I know someone who's second page of their committee letter was the second page of someone else's letter. The committee had to send in the legit version and call all of the schools. What a nightmare.

Good luck
 
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Wow. Unbelievable.

I know someone who's second page of their committee letter was the second page of someone else's letter. The committee had to send in the legit version and call all of the schools. What a nightmare.

Good luck
Almost as bad as the applicants who have changes in gender in mid-LOR. It goes from "I have known him" to "she is..." in two paragraphs. The laziness of faculty who use templates astounds me.

OP, I hope you are able to withdraw and apply next cycle.
 
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Before you withdraw I would at least attempt to send the correct version, or ask if it is possible, probably low chances though.
 
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It might be worth it to call AMCAS and explain the situation. They probably won't be able to do anything, but it's at least worth a shot!
 
I am really sorry this happened to you.

Not sure who OP's reader was (so no judgement to you, OP), but this is a really good lesson for people who give their personal statements to readers/editors over SDN and other internet sources. If you do not actually know the person reading your PS, be careful! I have always been baffled by how trusting some people are over SDN with their application materials. Unfortunately, some people just don't have good intentions.

OP- hope it works out for you and you are able to clear this up!
 
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I am really sorry this happened to you.

Not sure who OP's reader was (so no judgement to you, OP), but this is a really good lesson for people who give their personal statements to readers/editors over SDN and other internet sources. If you do not actually know the person reading your PS, be careful! I have always been baffled by how trusting some people are over SDN with their application materials. Unfortunately, some people just don't have good intentions.

OP- hope it works out for you and you are able to clear this up!
Where to you get the idea that this is connected to a SDN reader or the internet. I assumed it was someone the OP knows in real life who is either a jokester or a douche.
 
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your editor sounds like a terrible person.
 
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Where to you get the idea that this is connected to a SDN reader or the internet. I assumed it was someone the OP knows in real life who is either a jokester or a douche.

I want to clarify that I said "Not sure who OP's reader was (so no judgement to you, OP)" to identify that I wasn't assuming the OP used an SDN reader or the internet, but perhaps my statement was not clear. I simply made the comment that I did because a horrible action, like what has happened to the OP, made me think of how unfortunately we are sometimes unable to trust sources and how it may be even more difficult to trust sources over the internet, where we cannot always meet the person, judge character, etc. I guess I immediately thought of the internet because it's even more upsetting to think of someone who the OP knows in person doing this to him/her.

I made the comment with good intentions- didn't mean any offend to anyone who is on SDN, is a PS reader, or other internet source, etc.
 
I want to clarify that I said "Not sure who OP's reader was (so no judgement to you, OP)" to identify that I wasn't assuming the OP used an SDN reader or the internet, but perhaps my statement was not clear. I simply made the comment that I did because a horrible action, like what has happened to the OP, made me think of how unfortunately we are sometimes unable to trust sources and how it may be even more difficult to trust sources over the internet, where we cannot always meet the person, judge character, etc. I guess I immediately thought of the internet because it's even more upsetting to think of someone who the OP knows in person doing this to him/her.

I made the comment with good intentions- didn't mean any offend to anyone who is on SDN, is a PS reader, or other internet source, etc.
No offense taken, at least by me. I don't read PSs except for people I know in real life and until today I could not imagine anyone, anywhere doing something so dastardly. Of course, perhaps the person expected that the applicant would catch it, laugh, and delete it. Perhaps they couldn't foresee the ramifications of their little practical joke.
 
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Of course, perhaps the person expected that the applicant would catch it, laugh, and delete it. Perhaps they couldn't foresee the ramifications of their little practical joke.

This makes it worse for me actually. Perhaps I loath stupidity almost more than malice.
 
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I would call AAMC. At worst, they would say no.
 
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Sitting out an application cycle because of this seems extreme. I wold definitely call AAMC asap and see what they can do. They are people too lol.

I am so sorry this happened to you.
 
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That editor is a horrible jerk, sorry it happened to you. You should try calling and emailing aamc-- try everything before withdrawing

If you do end up withdrawing, make the best of your gap year. All the best in whatever you decide!
 
I did call AMCAS, they told me that just today my application moved to Under Review. My next step I guess is to personally email all the medical schools I applied to and let them know that I am withdrawing my application and pray that they don't read my personal statement. Maybe I'll go spend a year volunteering somewhere out of the country or something who knows. I'm just going to spend the rest of my weekend crying and Monday morning pick myself back up and figure out my next steps. And I'll try AMCAS one more time, couldn't speak to a supervisor since they had all just left.

After speaking to the person who reviewed it, they made it as a joke. Clearly we both have different senses of humor.

Edit: AMCAS said that since it moved to Under Review today, I couldn't withdraw. I've emailed them and will call on Monday to see if anything can be done at this point.
 
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@LizzyM - you're NOT reading my PS????????? lolol

@narvik2016 - I have had three people read my PS on SDN without an issue. In addition there are two people on here who know my full name, everything about who I am, where I live, etc. There are also many others who can probably guess ;)

I find, for the most part, SDN of years ago is not SDN of now. Sure there are still some jackholes but by and large, I have found consistent support, help, guidance, suggestions here.
 
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@narvik2016 - I have had three people read my PS on SDN without an issue. In addition there are two people on here who know my full name, everything about who I am, where I live, etc. There are also many others who can probably guess ;)

I find, for the most part, SDN of years ago is not SDN of now. Sure there are still some jackholes but by and large, I have found consistent support, help, guidance, suggestions here.

This is very comforting to know- thank you!
 
@lady_optimist - when you have a good cry and realize withdrawing is really the best solution (unless AAMC does something to help), THIS will be a blip in your life.

Don't allow someone to make you think YOU are something less than you are. Ever. Learn from it, get the pdf of your current app and redo it June 1 for next year.

It'll be okay - promise!
 
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Your "friend" should pay your application fees that you have paid so far and then again for all the fees next year.
 
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Wow, that asshat should have let you know that he inserted that line after not hearing anything from you about his "joke". It would have at least been caught earlier.
 
If her friend is reading her ps, wouldn't he know it's for medical school and not pull something stupid like this
 
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@Glazedonutlove - shockingly, many outside the premed world really do NOT understand what a process this is, or the gravity of which things can be looked upon. Many that I've talked to just think it's like applying for the CPA or the MBA program or a CIA (certified auditor thingy) or a le gasp, a law degree.

It is plausible she/he really did think it was a joke; and the OP didn't read thoroughly enough (already admitted). Unfortunately, the OP is now in a s!@# situation.
 
@Glazedonutlove - shockingly, many outside the premed world really do NOT understand what a process this is, or the gravity of which things can be looked upon. Many that I've talked to just think it's like applying for the CPA or the MBA program or a CIA (certified auditor thingy) or a le gasp, a law degree.
Can't exactly make vulgar jokes in those apps either...
 
The better question I have is why did the person insert this into your statement, and why did you trust then enough to not review it first? Something isn't adding up...
 
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Get a refund for the fees paid so far, invest in kickboxing/martial arts classes, and reapply next year, in that order.
 
I printed out my personal statements and handed a pen to the people I had read over it.

Thank goodness I did or I'd be so paranoid right now.
 
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This is actually a fear of mine - uploading my personal statement with the corrections/critiques my friend's made instead of the polished version. For example, someone added "Pick me! Pick me!" at the very end of mine. In jest, of course.:clown:
 
That wasn't my point, @md-2020 - my point is this:

Applying for MBA, JD - get bach, take grad test (LSAT, GMAT), write a nice letter, get admitted. The PS is no big nothing, there are no secondaries, no interviews, no ... neuroticism on the students' part. Have stats, will go. (yes, I've taken both of those; yes, I've applied to both of those; yes, I did so after being told I would never, ever, ever never ever ever, nor ever never get into a position to apply for medical school)

Applying for CPA, CIA, CISM, CISA, CISSP, PMP - take the coursework, take the tests, apply.

My point then was this: anyone fitting those types of careers has no idea what it takes to get in and how scrutinized everything is (periods, comma use, etc). Thus, the vulgarity of the insertion was most likely deemed not a big deal and presumed the OP would read it, laugh, AND delete.

:beat: here, OP learned a sad, valuable lesson and the "friend" should be kicked to the curb.
 
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Applying for MBA, JD - get bach, take grad test (LSAT, GMAT), write a nice letter, get admitted. The PS is no big nothing,there are no secondaries, no interviews, no ... neuroticism on the students' part

You'll see quite a bit of neuroticism over on the law school admission web sites, or at least you did up until a couple of years ago, when the legal job market collapsed. They worry about their statements as well, although they probably make less difference to admissions.
 
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