Is it bad to not write up to the character limit for AMCAS PS?

[dreamcrusher]

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I read online that if you don't use all 5300 characters, that med schools may see this as arrogant and be turned off by your essay. What kind of BS logic is that? Is it really that bad to not use up all of the space? What if I write in a more succinct style that isn't full of a bunch of fluff? I can't stand when people just write for the sake of writing to fill up space rather than writing for substance. My PS is currently 4300 characters. Is this too short?

 

[lstone13]

I read online that if you don't use all 5300 characters, that med schools may see this as arrogant and be turned off by your essay. What kind of BS logic is that? Is it really that bad to not use up all of the space? What if I write in a more succinct style that isn't full of a bunch of fluff? I can't stand when people just write for the sake of writing to fill up space rather than writing for substance. My PS is currently 4300 characters. Is this too short?

I think as long as you are within 500 characters, you're fine. However, to be 1000 characters short might make a visible difference. I doubt schools would hold it against you, but the PS is your opportunity to really sell yourself. So why would you choose not to use as much of the space as possible?

 

[FIREitUP]

of course it shouldnt be as low as 2300 characters, but if you feel that adding more will distract from your PS, then I don't see any reason to write further. You are doing adcoms a favor by letting them read less anyways.

 

[fishsticks2629]

I think as long as you are within 500 characters, you're fine. However, to be 1000 characters short might make a visible difference. I doubt schools would hold it against you, but the PS is your opportunity to really sell yourself. So why would you choose not to use as much of the space as possible?

What are you basing this on? Is it just your opinion of how PS should be? I did not go the full length bc i thought it would be too long for them to read and that I would be repeating stuff that I will include in the EC and disadvantage section.

 

[fishsticks2629]

I I can't stand when people just write for the sake of writing to fill up space rather than writing for substance. QUOTE]
+1

 

[samuraiR]

Im using the same PS for DO and MD. So I'm under the DO limit of 4500 (have 4495). Think that'll be ok for MD?

 

[christina30]

Less is more, people. ADCOMs don't want to read novels. A personal statement is supposed to be somewhere around one full page in MS word - who cares how many characters that comes out to?

 

[organdonor]

"Characters (with spaces)4125

" Worked for me. I sure wouldn't want to sit through hundreds or thousands of pages of fluff.

 

[lstone13]

What are you basing this on? Is it just your opinion of how PS should be? I did not go the full length bc i thought it would be too long for them to read and that I would be repeating stuff that I will include in the EC and disadvantage section.

Just my opinion. I agree though that if adding more to your PS means adding fluff or filler, then don't worry about it. But like I said, it is your chance to really sell yourself. Also, personally, I think it's okay to repeat some stuff from your EC section or disadvantage section or any other section of your application because you can connect the dots between these points in your life story for the adcom and provide them with a clear narrative to navigate the rest of your application with.