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

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bc65 said:
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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Please the law school admissions process is a joke compared to medical. When I applied I spent like 3 days on the application and then coasted for the rest of the cycle.
 
One of my friends took a whopping ten days to get admitted to law school @_@ Apparently Duke guaranteed that they'd get back to applicants that fast.

Also, she got into every school where her stats were above the median and one where her stats were at the median, and rejected from every school where her stats were below the median. I've never seen this happen for any pre-med.

I wouldn't say admissions is a joke, but not having secondaries/interviews/being more stats focused definitely makes the process cheaper and more predictable.
 
The real question: Are you still friends with this person?

The person probably feels terrible. What an idiot.
 
hypericum said:
One of my friends took a whopping ten days to get admitted to law school @_@ Apparently Duke guaranteed that they'd get back to applicants that fast.

Also, she got into every school where her stats were above the median and one where her stats were at the median, and rejected from every school where her stats were below the median. I've never seen this happen for any pre-med.

I wouldn't say admissions is a joke, but not having secondaries/interviews/being more stats focused definitely makes the process cheaper and more predictable.
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I was accepted to Duke within two weeks as well. Actually, I was accepted to every school that I applied to even though my gpa was below the median for almost all of them (thanks pre-med). I was a splitter though with a very high LSAT and low gpa, by law school standards. I have the utmost respect for those pursuing a legal career (especially T14), but the actuall process of applying is easier than applying to colleges.
 
Please the law school admissions process is a joke compared to medical. When I applied I spent like 3 days on the application and then coasted for the rest of the cycle.
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I don't want to derail this thread any further ( my sympathies to OP, by the way ) but that's what you say because you probably applied as a back-up, or on a whim, as did I. I took the LSAT and didn't study for it at all, but that doesn't mean that people who are planning on a law career don't study either, and don't take the application process seriously. In medicine, getting into the highest ranked school vs lowest ranked gives you primarily bragging rights on SDN, and not much else. No doors are closed to you. In law, if you don't go to a top school, you won't get a job in law. But let's not derail this thread further. If anyone wants to discuss law school applications, please start another thread.
 
Not that it matters, but the "friend" may be an imaginary one. In the OP's 2nd post he/she quickly diverted from the details to focus on "what to do now." Doesn't really make sense to give a PS to a real friend or family member or anyone for edits/review and not be curious about what changes were made/suggested for perhaps the single biggest part of the application under one's control. It's not like burying something inside of Infinite Jest...it's a one page document. That said, I agree with Rachiee....seems like a terrible, stupid, silly blunder (that many could make) but not necessarily something that should blow up the entire attempt this cycle. Probably would help if the LizzyM is 75+!
 
bc65 said:
I don't want to derail this thread any further ( my sympathies to OP, by the way ) but that's what you say because you probably applied as a back-up, or on a whim, as did I. I took the LSAT and didn't study for it at all, but that doesn't mean that people who are planning on a law career don't study either, and don't take the application process seriously. In medicine, getting into the highest ranked school vs lowest ranked gives you primarily bragging rights on SDN, and not much else. No doors are closed to you. In law, if you don't go to a top school, you won't get a job in law. But let's not derail this thread further. If anyone wants to discuss law school applications, please start another thread.
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Erm...no, I didn't. I was completely devoted to going to law school which is why I'm applying to medical school now as a non-traditional student lol. The actual application process consists of writing a PS and submitting, it has nothing to do with taking the LSAT or studying throughout college. The LSAT is an entirely different process and it's a difficult one, but the actual process of applying requires less effort than college applications. But yeah, let's not derail the thread any further....
 
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Nietzschelover said:
Not that it matters, but the "friend" may be an imaginary one. In the OP's 2nd post he/she quickly diverted from the details to focus on "what to do now." Doesn't really make sense to give a PS to a real friend or family member or anyone for edits/review and not be curious about what changes were made/suggested for perhaps the single biggest part of the application under one's control. It's not like burying something inside of Infinite Jest...it's a one page document. That said, I agree with Rachiee....seems like a terrible, stupid, silly blunder (that many could make) but not necessarily something that should blow up the entire attempt this cycle. Probably would help if the LizzyM is 75+!
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Meh, I don't see refocusing attention on how to resolve the issue as an admission of guilt or anything shady lol. It's productive. What's the point of starting a thread to blame someone else? The OP trusted this person (way too much) and is looking for a solution.
 
Your friend deserves a swift execution. Metaphorically :phantom:
 
Oh rachiee, can't you agree with one of my posts just once, lol?

No blame or suggestion of shadiness was intended. It's probably what 80% of folks would do in a similar situation. The OP wants to know if it can be fixed. Understandable.

But...sometimes what you don't see is as important as what you do. Can you imagine that happening to you and not being curious about the changes your reader made? Can you imagine not sharing a bit of the drama of the confrontation between OP and friend after the fact? There's about 20 posts in shock about this horrible friend and no responses from the OP about any of that.
 
Nietzschelover said:
Oh rachiee, can't you agree with one of my posts just once, lol?

But...sometimes what you don't see is as important as what you do. Can you imagine that happening to you and not being curious about the changes your reader made? Can you imagine not sharing a bit of the drama of the confrontation between OP and friend after the fact? There's about 20 posts in shock about this horrible friend and no responses from the OP about any of that.
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<<<<<My username is right over here 😉
For the love of god, it's Rachiie, not Rachiee :laugh:. You and @Goro both do this lol!

The OP is definitely to blame for copying and pasting and not proof-reading carefully enough before submitting (although after reading my own statement 200 times, I may have missed an added line too upon the 201st time reading through it). I guess I just figured the OP already knew that and was looking for a solution. What use is beating yourself up over this? You super ****ed up and now you're possibly missing an entire application cycle. Own it, learn from it, and figure out if there's any possible way to fix it.
 
rachiie01 said:
The OP is definitely to blame for copying and pasting and not proof-reading carefully enough before submitting (although after reading my own statement 200 times, I may have missed an added line too upon the 201st time reading through it). I guess I just figured the OP already knew that and was looking for a solution. What use is beating yourself up over this? You super ****ed up and now you're possibly missing an entire application cycle. Own it, learn from it, and figure out if there's any possible way to fix it.
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I don't see how this can be fixed unless AMCAS decides to allow the OP to delete and resubmit her PS -- which it seems they don't.

If that PS goes out to schools, it sends the message that the OP was careless and didn't review her work one last time at the time it mattered most. And for a prospective physician, that's a fatal mistake. It's analogous to answering why I love XXX school of Medicine when you're applying to YYY.

This cycle simply needs to be written off.
 
AAAAAAAND that's why I didn't get a single other pair of eyes to read my personal statement besides my parents and significant other. I don't know why premeds are so trusting of other people's opinions about their PERSONAL statement to the point of soliciting comments from random people and "friends," especially those without knowledge of the med process. Especially when your friends are immature and dumb.

OP is 10000000000% to blame, all y'all hating on the friend are barking up the wrong tree, it's kinda sad. Personal responsibility trumps all. OP didn't have it. Sad story.... 🙁
 
avgn said:
AAAAAAAND that's why I didn't get a single other pair of eyes to read my personal statement besides my parents and significant other. I don't know why premeds are so trusting of other people's opinions about their PERSONAL statement to the point of soliciting comments from random people and "friends," especially those without knowledge of the med process. Especially when your friends are immature and dumb.

OP is 10000000000% to blame, all y'all hating on the friend are barking up the wrong tree, it's kinda sad. Personal responsibility trumps all. OP didn't have it. Sad story.... 🙁
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I know, what ever happened to people proofreading their own essays.
 
Common advice is for all PS to be read by as many people as possible. That guidance is from every adcom, med student, adviser that I have ever met. So, yes asking people to read the PS is common and expected.

As is the OP reading the thing before copy/pasting into actual application. AND is the responsibility for choosing to accept or delete suggested changes. I never just abjectly accepted people's changes.

Horse is dead.
 
avgn said:
AAAAAAAND that's why I didn't get a single other pair of eyes to read my personal statement besides my parents and significant other. I don't know why premeds are so trusting of other people's opinions about their PERSONAL statement to the point of soliciting comments from random people and "friends," especially those without knowledge of the med process. Especially when your friends are immature and dumb.

OP is 10000000000% to blame, all y'all hating on the friend are barking up the wrong tree, it's kinda sad. Personal responsibility trumps all. OP didn't have it. Sad story.... 🙁
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At the risk of sounding arrogant (although I'll be the first to admit that my writing skills aren't strong in the style/content front), I also can't believe how many premeds are so trusting that their peers are "good writers". Maybe this is the musician in me talking, but I believe someone who is hardly a stronger writer than I am (unless I have seen their writing and thought it was really really good) won't be much help in "teaching and guiding" you how to write a better personal statement. The only people I trusted with my PS (although I would send it to other premed people for their comments and take it with a huge grain of salt) were my advisors, who had read a ton of statements, and an english professor I had taken a class from.
 
@musicalfeet - some people send them for flow, content, organization. You don't necessarily need to be an excellent writer to sense whether something flows or reads well...
 
Ad2b said:
Common advice is for all PS to be read by as many people as possible. That guidance is from every adcom, med student, adviser that I have ever met. So, yes asking people to read the PS is common and expected.

As is the OP reading the thing before copy/pasting into actual application. AND is the responsibility for choosing to accept or delete suggested changes. I never just abjectly accepted people's changes.

Horse is dead.
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And it is bad advice to me. In my view, there is only a very select handful of people who know you well enough (or the process well enough) to be able to have good, productive input on your PS. Unless you're that special snowflake who makes everyone a close companion or something. Everyone has an opinion, but most are worthless. Mass sending a PS to every friend and uncle and random "advisor" out there is neither productive nor efficient. People forget the concept of analysis paralysis. No doubt it's also why adcoms often complain about essays that don't show true voice, sound fake and contrived, don't line up with the applicant IRL.
 
Not everyone is a great writer, but most college students can read something and tell you how interesting/logical it was.
 
Ad2b said:
@musicalfeet - some people send them for flow, content, organization. You don't necessarily need to be an excellent writer to sense whether something flows or reads well...
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Yes, I totally agree but being able to articulate exactly why something doesn't work is another skill. Anyone can discern bad writing/mediocre writing/great writing, but only really experienced ones can break it down for you so you can build it back up. TBH, the people I sent to for their comments out of curiosity were usually on point with their comments, but they weren't constructive by any means because you're still on your own as to how to " be a better writer " so that you can "convey those ideas" better (since they usually aren't experienced enough to break it down for you) Thus is the problem with the arts (and I would argue writing is definitely an art).

It's like the saying in music: Anyone can talk ****,criticize, and tell you what's wrong, but very few people can actually articulate and teach you what's wrong.
 
Well, if you're hitting a B-flat with a C-sharp the dissonance is going to be disrupting the hair follicle in the ear canal leading to potentially a disturbing reaction of the fluids... whereas, hitting a B-flat with an F is resonantly soothing. 😛
 
rachiie01 said:
Right?! I feel like if someone is my friend then inherently I respect their intelligence enough to read my rough draft and tell me if I have a damn typo or something.
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AND not to put something in that could easily disrupt my application cycle!
 
Ad2b said:
Well, if you're hitting a B-flat with a C-sharp the dissonance is going to be disrupting the hair follicle in the ear canal leading to potentially a disturbing reaction of the fluids... whereas, hitting a B-flat with an F is resonantly soothing. 😛
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Ahh..but sometimes that dissonance is put there with the intent of making the resolution all the better 😉 whereas a B-flat with an F can also be construed as conservative and boring, in the wrong context. The difference is someone being able to explain why what works where and when is the most important.
 
lady_optimist said:
This really did happen and I will admit I was careless. My carelessness is the reason I'm in this situation. Yes I am angry at my friend, but I'm angrier at myself right now. I asked someone to give it one last read through before submitting and incorrectly assumed that they read it and checked it for grammar only like I asked. Clearly I was mistaken in assuming this and am now paying for it. The blame is mine for misplacing my trust and not reading every single line one last time.
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So what happened? How did your friend react when he/she found out what happened? Did he/she offer to write AMCAS and/or all of your schools? What was the friend's explanation, and did the friend say on returning the document "looks fine" or "I made a few changes" or "I suggest such and such"? Did you ask the friend for his/her impressions?? Sorry, even if the story is true it doesn't ring true for me, and frankly, I think the error is actually worse if it is true.
 
Nietzschelover said:
So what happened? How did your friend react when he/she found out what happened? Did he/she offer to write AMCAS and/or all of your schools? What was the friend's explanation, and did the friend say on returning the document "looks fine" or "I made a few changes" or "I suggest such and such"? Did you ask the friend for his/her impressions?? Sorry, even if the story is true it doesn't ring true for me, and frankly, I think the error is actually worse if it is true.
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Obviously this lady was too optimistic about her friend! Just kidding. Kind of.

@Nietzschelover just wants all the deets of the drama :laugh:
 
musicalfeet said:
Ahh..but sometimes that dissonance is put there with the intent of making the resolution all the better 😉 whereas a B-flat with an F can also be construed as conservative and boring, in the wrong context. The difference is someone being able to explain why what works where and when is the most important.
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That is true. In jazz compositions, the emotionality of the dissonance propels the listener to an anxiety state waiting for the resolution. Which is why I like Mozart and Chopin ...
 
rachiie01 said:
Obviously this lady was too optimistic about her friend! Just kidding. Kind of.

@Nietzschelover just wants all the deets of the drama :laugh:
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@rachiie01, actually the opposite is true. There is no drama is my guess. Just a big error or selecting the wrong draft among multiple drafts. Sorry, my post-structuralist training....absence and presence...with what's absent more meaningful at times in its omission.
 
rachiie01 said:
Good grief that is so elitist!
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Not at all once you consider my context. Few people can know an applicant well enough to be of real help to his/her PS.
 
xyphr said:
This thread needs to die, OP got her question answered. Now everyone is just gonna fight and harass each other!
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nah, we'll just morph it into a 12 page diatribe on the essences of musicality per PS writing in the 3rd person v 1st person 😉
 
gonnif said:
Probably thought it as a joke figuring it would be caught prior to submission. Personally I would get that "friend" a new pair of shoes; the last pair of shoes he/she is ever gonna need.

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Man gonnif, with all these mob references you keep making on SDN, I'm wondering if you are a former mobster 😛
 
ElCapone said:
Man gonnif, with all these mob references you keep making on SDN, I'm wondering if you are a former mobster 😛
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mobsters gotta have someone to Patch them up
 
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