Is it ok to use contractions in the PS?

[guitarguy23]

I've heard conflicting information about this so I want to see what others think.

I'm about 600 characters over the limit so I'm trying to edge it down a bit to reach the 5300 character limit. Thanks!

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[willen101383]

Dude no offense...but the $hit people obsess over makes me laugh.

 

[bonsaitree1]

Don't worry, it should be fine to use contractions as long as it doesn't sound awkward.

See, I used 2 right there 😉

 

[Kangaroo Paw]

Though I'm just a rising sophomore (and probably useless at this), I'm applying to an early admission program this summer and just finished writing my "personal statement", of sorts. I tended to use contractions where it made the message more effective by using simpler, more colloquial language. If the sentence is going to sound awkward if you say "cannot" or "do not", then definitely use a contraction. If you're trying to emphasize the simplicity/poignancy of a situation, it's actually sometimes better to use a contraction like "can't" or "don't" to drive home your point even further.
Hope that helped at least a little bit!

 

[aidama]

I've heard conflicting information about this so I want to see what others think.

I'm about 600 characters over the limit so I'm trying to edge it down a bit to reach the 5300 character limit. Thanks!

Contractions are considered informal. You wouldn't put a contraction in an English paper you were going to turn in (if you did, shame on you), so especially don't do it on your PS.

Chances are there are ways you can reword what you have written already to cut down on characters. Have a lot of people read it, that's the best.

 

[Ride Big Sky]

If you use contractions you will still be fine getting accepted, you'll just have to sit through an additional 2 credit course about professionalism.

 

[mdbound1987]

Contractions are considered informal. You wouldn't put a contraction in an English paper you were going to turn in (if you did, shame on you), so especially don't do it on your PS.

Chances are there are ways you can reword what you have written already to cut down on characters. Have a lot of people read it, that's the best.

This. It sounds stupid to obsess over, but it is a rule that you should never use contractions in a formal paper. Some adcoms will let it slide, but some may have a stick up their ass and it will hurt your chances. Since you don't know who will be reading your PS, take the safe route and don't use contractions.

 

[Suenya]

The contractions will not hurt you. I used a few in mine and I don't think it stopped me from getting any interviews.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

we JUST had a thread about this. and no, contractions aren't anathema to a personal statement.

 

[mdbound1987]

The contractions will not hurt you. I used a few in mine and I don't think it stopped me from getting any interviews.

Considering how subjective med school admissions are, you probably got thos adcoms who were cool about it or don't even know the rule. It is so difficult to get accepted these days so you wouldn't want to get rejected because an adcom who is too uptight doesn't like that OP used contractions. This wouldn't happen at every school OP applies to obviously, but it only takes one acceptance, so what if that's the one?

 

[TooMuchResearch]

I've heard conflicting information about this so I want to see what others think.

I'm about 600 characters over the limit so I'm trying to edge it down a bit to reach the 5300 character limit. Thanks!

Don't do it. Too informal.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Considering how subjective med school admissions are, you probably got thos adcoms who were cool about it or don't even know the rule. It is so difficult to get accepted these days so you wouldn't want to get rejected because an adcom who is too uptight doesn't like that OP used contractions. This wouldn't happen at every school OP applies to obviously, but it only takes one acceptance, so what if that's the one?

what if an adcom finds the complete absence of contractions too be much to formal and the person appears to take himself too seriously?

 

[NickNaylor]

Dude no offense...but the $hit people obsess over makes me laugh.

Actually, professors I had read my PS pointed out my contractions and suggested I change them. They said contractions shouldn't be used in a piece of professional writing.

Probably isn't that big of a deal, but I would avoid it.

 

[DocBell]

Contractions are considered informal. You wouldn't put a contraction in an English paper you were going to turn in (if you did, shame on you), so especially don't do it on your PS.

Chances are there are ways you can reword what you have written already to cut down on characters. Have a lot of people read it, that's the best.

Actually, I use contractions for personal essays I submit all the time. There is a difference between formal and academic writing. I was taught the no contractions rule applies more to academic writing than formal. However, in high school I was never allowed to use them. I am not saying you should use them in your personal statement but to say you should never use them in a paper that you submit seems far excessive. You learn the rules and then you break them. For instance, an essay with a well placed swear word can be extremely effective even if that would technically be a violation of writing rules. (However, this would be a TERRIBLE idea for a personal statement) No technically you should not use contractions but this isn't an academic paper is is essentially a themed-personal essay. As long as it is well-written I highly doubt an admin is going to judge an applicant based on their use of contractions.

 

[csmittyB]

I've heard conflicting information about this so I want to see what others think.

I'm about 600 characters over the limit so I'm trying to edge it down a bit to reach the 5300 character limit. Thanks!

600 characters over the limit. I don't think contractions are going to make a significant dent in that. You are going to have to figure out what isn't necessary and cut it out or word it more efficiently.

If you don't think you can cut anything out or reword it (you will be able to), you can also cut down on spaces. Instead of using 2 spaces after a sentence, use 1. Instead of using several spaces to start a new paragraph, just put a line between paragraphs.

If you are using names like Dr. Stephenson, use Dr. S instead.

I still think you'd be better off rewording the PS then worry about these other ideas when you need to drop 20 characters, not 600.

 

[NickNaylor]

Actually, I use contractions for personal essays I submit all the time. There is a difference between formal and academic writing. I was taught the no contractions rule applies more to academic writing than formal. However, in high school I was never allowed to use them. I am not saying you should use them in your personal statement but to say you should never use them in a paper that you submit seems far excessive. You learn the rules and then you break them. For instance, an essay with a well placed swear word can be extremely effective even if that would technically be a violation of writing rules. (However, this would be a TERRIBLE idea for a personal statement) No technically you should not use contractions but this isn't an academic paper is is essentially a themed-personal essay. As long as it is well-written I highly doubt an admin is going to judge an applicant based on their use of contractions.

It's not an academic paper, but it's still a piece of professional writing. You're not writing this to your friends or family. You're writing this for a group of professionals that are deciding your future fate. There is some sense of decorum that should be present, and I think that includes not using contractions. Again, it's really not that big of a deal, but since it's not that big of a deal why not take the contractions out?

 

[willen101383]

Actually, professors I had read my PS pointed out my contractions and suggested I change them. They said contractions shouldn't be used in a piece of professional writing.

Probably isn't that big of a deal, but I would avoid it.

Yeah I dont know, I have actually never worried about this sort of thing. I am big on how my writing flows...so I use either/or depending on which seems to work best in each instance. I feel as though the quality of the writing, and the way it reflects your intellect is far more important than the actual wording...but thats just me. I had no shortage of interviews using my contraction laden PS.

 

[wingiv]

I used contractions in my PS. It definitely saved me the valuable characters needed to meet their character limit. I had interviews and got in. It's like saying doctors instead of physicians in your PS. I feel that people prefer the word physician, but doctor saves 3 very valuable characters.

 

[mdbound1987]

I agree that it shouldn't matter, but you never know what kind of adcom your application will encounter. Not everyone is going to be blessed enough to have multiple interviews, so if OP has no interviews but at a school with an uptight adcom who is a stickler for proper writing rules who would've granted him an interview otherwise, OP is screwed on a dumb technicality, but it can be done. This process is so subjective that you might as well try to make your PS as "PC" as possible so there is no possibility that even the most uptight adcom will be offended or turned off.

 

[thedoctor8706]

I used them in mine. It didn't seem to hurt me...

 

[DocBell]

It's not an academic paper, but it's still a piece of professional writing. You're not writing this to your friends or family. You're writing this for a group of professionals that are deciding your future fate. There is some sense of decorum that should be present, and I think that includes not using contractions. Again, it's really not that big of a deal, but since it's not that big of a deal why not take the contractions out?

You don't take the contractions out because you can say something substantive that adcom members might actually care about with the space. I am fully aware that the personal statement isn't being written to family and friends. However, this is an issue of genre and the truth is that it is acceptable in the memoir genre to use contractions...unless you are saying the David Sedaris and other best selling authors are wrong for "breaking the rules". You are writing this to give the adcom members a picture of who you are as a person. It is essential that you find your voice in your personal statement. If you can do that without contractions that is great but for some it is more important to have a strong voice and good flow then to not use contractions. Obviously, I have not been accepted this is just my opinion but I thought it might be helpful to share. I was more surprised that people have responded like this is a rule written in stone. It is not.

 

[loveoforganic]

You are writing this to give the adcom members a picture of who you are as a person. It is essential that you find your voice in your personal statement. If you can do that without contractions that is great but for some it is more important to have a strong voice and good flow then to not use contractions.

👍👍👍

My essay was well under character limit, and I still used contractions.