length of personal statement

[verbal_kint]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello,

So VMCAS limits the personal statement to 6300 characters. Does that include spaces?

Also, I was looking at the UC DAVIS website and reading their supplemental and info form located at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/studentprograms/forms/Supplemental_Info_2005.doc

Part of the section discussing the statement says:
"The personal statement should be no more than 1 1/2 pages."

Well, I've been trying to write it around 6300 characters (not including spaces) and I really hope I don't have to go edit it down to 1 1/2 pages.

It seems kind of foolish to have a centralized appplication like VMCAS, but then have minor specifications for each school. Would it be a bad idea to go ahead and just submit a personal statement that fits VMCAS's criteria?

 

[PAThbrd]

the 6300 includes spaces. mine is 6,253 characters according to MS Word... single spaced 12 point font its about 1 2/3 pages, so youre right in that range if you follow VMCAS...

 

[verbal_kint]

the 6300 includes spaces. mine is 6,253 characters according to MS Word... single spaced 12 point font its about 1 2/3 pages, so youre right in that range if you follow VMCAS...

oh, very good to know. thanks!

 

[sulcatta]

Hi, I think the 1.5 page is referring to last years application for UC Davis. They had their own website but are now going through VMCAS again. Hope that helps.

 

[traxomatic]

You can continue the personal statement in the explaination statement box, I've asked VMCAS about this.

 

[verbal_kint]

You can continue the personal statement in the explaination statement box, I've asked VMCAS about this.

It's probably best to stick to the 6300 characters and not use the explaination box unless of course you have some very special circumstances.

it's probably better to be concise than babble on and on about certain things.

oh, another thing, i realized that the statement might be a little redundant with the description of duties. it's prob best to try to minimize this redundancy.

good luck!