Is it ok to use whiteout?

[moo]

A few schools like Dartmouth and JHU require you to type out your responses to the paper app. Have any of you used whiteout or some other corrective measure to correct your mistakes? Also, for JHU, if you screw up the paper app they send you, is it ok to just use a photocopy of the original and type it out again? I ask this because JHU prints their app with blue ink and a harder piece of paper. I'm wondering if this is ok.

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[DJ W.R.]

I would definitely try to keep all of your responses on their form if you can...the more sheets of paper you add, the more likely it is that one or two of them will get lost! If you screw up it's okay to go back and correct it...but I would use that dry correction tape stuff instead of the liquid. It looks much more professional. They also have a variety of colors that will probably be a closer match to the paper color than the standard white will be.

DJ W.R.

 

[mtritt2]

I used white out to fix up my GWU app. Unfortunately, it's blue also so you can definately tell where I messed up. I think its not a big deal though. Just type slowly and carefully. I can't imagine that anyone will care that you aren't the world's most exact typer*

*I'm not sure if that's a word.

 

[moo]

The reason I'm concerned is cuz I took a few business courses in high school and also worked in a bank and I found out from people who were screening job apps that said that you should avoid whiteout/correction type stuff at all costs. If you screw up they said you should retype a brand new application b/c it shows that you are careless. I certainly hope this doesn't apply to medical school admissions!

 

[kutastha]

The Dartmouth secondary I received said you can type your responses on a separate sheet of paper as long as you repeat the question at the top of the page. I'd rather do this than fiddle with trying to get it exact on their form.

and mtritt - it's typist, not typer.

Andrew

 

[mtritt2]

I thought that might be the case.

 

[Spang]

I can offer some insight here. I just this morning made a typing error on the GW application. It is also blue cardstock, four pages like a folder. No chance for white out or doing it over (you only get one).

I decided to neatly, in black pen, correct the error. I thought that this atleast showed I proofread it, that I know how to spell, and that the error was just a typo.

I'm not perfect, you're not perfect, the person screening apps is not perfect. If after all is said and done, after letters of rec, MCAT scores, grades and maybe an interview, you don't get accepted because of a typo (who the hell uses a typewriter anymore anyway) then maybe that school isn't someplace you really want to be anyway.

You asked......

Spang

 

[doepug]

I wouldn't have been admitted to JHU if I didn't use whiteout.

I'd avoid photocopying the application... it's printed on thicker paper for a reason.

See if you can find one of those nifty typewriters that has a backspace key... it'll make correcting mistakes much easier.

Good luck,

doepug
MS II, Johns Hopkins

 

[efs]

The other option would be to use a word processor. You can change the margins to fit the form, then print it. I've done this many itmes and it works well. Just print it to blank paper first to make sure it will fit the space provided on the form.

 

[mtritt2]

I like Spang's reply

 

[Spang]

Thank you.