If you only applied to 3 schools really late last year...

[nycfella]

If you only applied to 3 schools really late last year, and are applying to 25 schools really early this year, do you still rewrite your PS? I heard that school that you apply to don't even read your PS unless your granted an interview, much less schools that you don't.

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[Mobius1985]

It might depend on how high on your list of 25 the first three schools were, and how likely they are to keep your old application. If you feel the old PS perfectly reflects the ideas you wish to express, I think you can tweak it so it is not identical. Others on this forum will feel you should completely rewrite the PS.

Do you have a lot of confidence in the first version? I'd have a lot of people read it, including an old English teacher, your pre-med advisor, and maybe even one of SDN's volunteer PS readers. Be sure you still think the original PS is the best it can be.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

If you only applied to 3 schools really late last year, and are applying to 25 schools really early this year, do you still rewrite your PS? I heard that school that you apply to don't even read your PS unless your granted an interview, much less schools that you don't.

Do you know why the 3 schools didn't offer an interview or acceptance last year? If not, I'd call them to see, hopefully you can get feedback from the schools before the aamc primary is completed. Also, be careful about which areas ec's are listed under, for some schools the ec does not "count" if not listed under the section they're reviewing, especially leadership/community service work.

If the app was completed/turned in prior to the deadlines last year, it could have been reviewed. Tougher standards late in the year, but absent an interview/acceptance, there likely are areas that can be strengthened in your background that can be discussed in this year's personal statement, even if only a more recent example of things learned through clinical experience. I'd suggest adding something more recent to the PS, leaving it mostly the same if you & reviewers feel it is strong.

 

[nycfella]

Do you know why the 3 schools didn't offer an interview or acceptance last year? If not, I'd call them to see, hopefully you can get feedback from the schools before the aamc primary is completed. Also, be careful about which areas ec's are listed under, for some schools the ec does not "count" if not listed under the section they're reviewing, especially leadership/community service work.

If the app was completed/turned in prior to the deadlines last year, it could have been reviewed. Tougher standards late in the year, but absent an interview/acceptance, there likely are areas that can be strengthened in your background that can be discussed in this year's personal statement, even if only a more recent example of things learned through clinical experience. I'd suggest adding something more recent to the PS, leaving it mostly the same if you & reviewers feel it is strong.

The thing is, my improvements are noticeable from the rest of my app, so I don't think I need to stress them in the PS. For example, a much higher MCAT, a few EC's... I think that going out of my way to say I improved my application because I have a higher MCAT, in the PS, is not a good idea. I know that I was rejected at 1 of the schools because I did not take biology until the spring (even though I took the MCAT and did pretty well), one school waitlisted me, and the other flat out rejected me. Also I don't have any more room to add new things, and because the old stuff is so important I dont want to delete any of it. The PS I submitted last year was perfect. The only tweaking I can do is add 2 sentences, but even for that I have to delete important stuff.

 

[gman33]

The PS I submitted last year was perfect.

Based on what? Did you get any feedback from ad coms?
What you think is perfect, may be a reason they crossed you off the list.
Remember, you are trying to improve all parts of your application.

If you get quality feedback and still think there is nothing to improve, just submit the same one.