Is this personal statement the end of me?
Started by randommedstudent8
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You should know by New Year's whether it was a complete disaster or not. What makes you think it was so bad you'll never get an interview?
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Can you withdraw your application and apply again? Curious...
Though, I don't think you would have sent it had it been terrible.
Edit:
Information about withdrawing: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/147910/aftersub_shared_2.4.html
Yeah, don't do it if you think your application is still doable.
Though, I don't think you would have sent it had it been terrible.
Edit:
Information about withdrawing: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/147910/aftersub_shared_2.4.html
Yeah, don't do it if you think your application is still doable.
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I don't think you should beat yourself up over it. Try and compensate for what you feel was lacking in your PS in your secondaries.
From what I understand, the "why medicine" prompt is very broad and there are a number of ways to approach it. I don't think you can objectively judge your own paper, so I'm open to reading yours. I'm not an expert, but my PI and adviser gave mine back with no revisions so... yeah. I think I'd do an all right job in looking at it.
There are a number of ways to answer the "why medicine" question. You can do it obliquely, like through your discussion of loving to serving others. I doubt this will kill your chances. Just make sure to emphasize medicine in your secondaries. Hopefully your ECs indicate interest in medicine as well.
Yes, my activities explain more specifically why I want to go into medicine. Could someone else please read over my personal statement?
I'll bite.
I can take a look too.
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What is the impact that a personal statement has on an application anyways? Is it true that most of the time it doesn't really change the strength of an applicant?
Wow. We're now reading PS's for the feels?
3 things -
1) The statement does not get anyone in. It's effectively a screen for general ability to coherently express thoughts and to make sure you're not a complete pscyhopath. I'm being facetious, but as someone who edits this stuff professionally and would benefit tremendously from trumped up importance of personal statements, even I have to downplay its significance for you neurotics.
2) It's unfixable now. Just learn that you need to be better prepared next time (...if you even need a next time) and seek out objective and effective criticism of your writing in the future. Ie. not mom, dad, random pre-med/med student on SDN. Apply ad nauseum for all future writing of importance, such as residency and fellowship applications.
3) You want to be a doctor? There's gonna be lots of bumps in the road. This is minor even if you don't think it is, so don't freak. Seeking out affirmative consolation/reassurance in medicine is like searching for El Dorado. You'll get led astray and disappear into a swampy morass.
3 things -
1) The statement does not get anyone in. It's effectively a screen for general ability to coherently express thoughts and to make sure you're not a complete pscyhopath. I'm being facetious, but as someone who edits this stuff professionally and would benefit tremendously from trumped up importance of personal statements, even I have to downplay its significance for you neurotics.
2) It's unfixable now. Just learn that you need to be better prepared next time (...if you even need a next time) and seek out objective and effective criticism of your writing in the future. Ie. not mom, dad, random pre-med/med student on SDN. Apply ad nauseum for all future writing of importance, such as residency and fellowship applications.
3) You want to be a doctor? There's gonna be lots of bumps in the road. This is minor even if you don't think it is, so don't freak. Seeking out affirmative consolation/reassurance in medicine is like searching for El Dorado. You'll get led astray and disappear into a swampy morass.
At this point it is like getting a second opinion on a biopsy. What's done is done but most people want an honest assessment and a prognosis just the same.
A bad PS can sink your app. A great one will not make up for poor EC'S or stats. But a great PS does get noticed by readers, and might help salvage a borderline candidate.
What constitutes a bad PS? Would a PS that feels a bit forced but has a generic basic message and no grammatical mistakes be a bad PS? Or would you have to write something really bad?
Has any or all of the following (and yes, we've seen these, ad nauseum):
- Poorly written
- Exudes sense of entitlement
- Exudes superficiality
- Doesn't answer "Who Am I?" and "Why Medicine?" adequately
- Stating that you want to go to School X when the app is for School Y
- Overuses clichés
- Tries to be "too clever by half" by using writing gimmicks
I'd think people would be able to identify things that made them look entitled and not include them in their PS. What sorts of things might they say to give off this impression?
What kinds of things do people say in the PS that make them appear superficial? I'm sure there are lots of people who use the same basic message that they want to help people.
You underestimate the ability of people to be introspective, much less avoid outright cluelessness.
I've seen so many that they all blur. I can't give specific examples.
I've seen so many that they all blur. I can't give specific examples.
I'm no adcom, but I can tell you that some people are incapable of doing this just because of some truly appalling things I've heard people say. For example, I've heard: "If I include that my parents are both doctors, everyone will know that they have to accept me." If a person truly feels that entitled, I can't imagine they'd be self-aware enough to write about having physician parents in a way that doesn't make them sound entitled.
To follow up on this sage post, just browse through the thread on "stupid pre-med sayings". I forget the exact title, hopefully one of you can dig it up?
Is this the thread you were referring to?
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...s-informed-pre-meds-on-topic-edition.1119952/
