*Official Personal Statement Guide and Reader List 2011*

[JJMrK]

This thread is for 2011 applicants who are beginning to work on their personal statements. If you're looking for someone to read your PS, check out the list of volunteers below. If you need help getting started, check out the third post in this thread. If you are willing to volunteer, respond below with your credentials and specific things you are willing to edit for (content only, grammar only, etc), and PM me. Please read the full list of rules posted below before you volunteer or contact a reader, and good luck to the 2011 applicants.

Specific comments, questions, or complaints can be addressed to me via PM. If I can't answer them they will be forwarded to the rest of the Pre-Allopathic moderator staff.

Rules for Writers:

• Please refer to the list in this post only. Do not contact anyone who is found elsewhere in this thread but does not appear in the list below. Additionally, if a reader is marked Temporarily unavailable, please do not contact them for PS help.
• Use caution in deciding who you send your personal statement to. In an anonymous web forum, information can be easily plagiarized.
• This is not the place for you to get others to write your personal statement. If you need help getting started, check out the Official Personal Statement Guide thread and Depakote's Personal Statement Guide/Tips.
• If you are looking for feedback on your personal statement, it is better to PM individual users here whose strengths are better suited to your needs rather than posting a response in this thread.
• Once you contact a reader and they agree to read your personal statement, please email it to them as a Word document with your SDN username in the title. Including your SDN username makes it easier for the readers to keep track of who they've already read for and who they still need to read.

Rules for Readers:

• If you would like to be added or deleted from the list, please reply to this thread and you will be updated in a timely manner.
• As a volunteer, you may read as many or as few personal statements as you'd like or have time for. If you will be unavailable for a certain time or have been inundated with requests, reply to this thread and we will mark you as "Temporarily Unavailable."
• If you receive a request and are unable to fulfill it, please respond to the writer so he/she is not waiting for a response and can request help from elsewhere.
• For your protection, we will not allow you to post your email addresses here. All email addresses have been edited out of the list and any further posts containing email addresses will be edited to remove them. Writers will contact you via PM and you can exchange email addresses privately.
• As this is on a volunteer basis, absolutely NO solicitation of money for your services will be tolerated. Volunteers who violate this policy will be removed from the list and subject to further disciplinary action.

This thread is brought to you by the Pre-Allopathic Volunteer Staff.

Active Readers List:

Remember that these people are volunteering their time. Be nice to them!


mercy82 - Medical school personal statements can make or break you. Its very important that you have capable people read over your essays. I have already beeen accepted to medical school and I have a pretty good sense of what adcoms look for. I would love to read your essay and will provide candid and useful feedback regarding substance, style, structure and grammar. Please dont hesitate to contact me.

musings - I can read =)

I just finished my cycle this year =)

I judge mostly content, I'm NOT a good grammar nazi (not a strong point of mine) =D

bannie22 - love to be of help

Mitch556 - I am up to read for anyone who would like another opinion as well.

anaiq - You can add me to the list too. I will read and suggest how it can be improved. I will try to reply within the same day of the post.

vanasme - As a history major and english minor, I did quite a bit more writing than your average undergrad! I was awarded a competitive student fellowship my senior year based on the writing sample I submitted.

Also, my grammar is impeccable. If you're looking for grammar help or syntax advice, I'm willing to help!

Last year I helped quite a few of my pre-med friends with their personal statements and they're all receiving acceptances (they had less than average scores). I'm applying this summer and have received positive feedback on my own personal statement.

Grammar is my strength, but I'd definitely read for content as well. I'm also brutally honest

rls303 - Hello,
I consider myself a fairly articulate writer and have tutored in the past. Since I am unemployed at the moment, I'd be happy to share my opinions and give my advice to those who are interested.

Thanks

Sunbeam - I would be happy to read. I wished I had people to read mine when I was writing so I would love to help others out.

amakhosidlo - I was read, and will read. Starting Jan.

Adlogin - Well, I have a minor in English and would be proud to be able to offer you advice for your Personal Statement. I think I know what the Admission Committee is looking for and I wrote a great essay myself. PM me if you want.

Faye89 - Hey 2011 applicants,
I'm a Biology major, English minor with a concentration in creative writing. For the past two years, I've worked at a college writing center so I've seen A LOT of personal statements. I also tutor ESL students so if English isn't your first language, I'm your gal! I was an 2010 applicant and I am thankfully part of the medical class of 2014. I really think that my ps played a huge role in my acceptance and I would love to help 2011 applicants turn their ps into a secret weapon! I want to be clear that while I'm willing to help applicants with pretty much any step of the writing process, I will NOT correct any personal statements. What that means is if I feel that there is something wrong with a portion of your ps (i.e your opening sentence is weak), I'll let you know and discuss it with you but I won't go ahead and 'fix' it myself. If you're interested PM me!
~Faye

SHINYBRAIN - I've read applications of my friends before. this is shameless publicity, but i am pretty reknowned at my college for personal statement reading.

Marcus Brody - Don't ask, just Copy/Paste your statement to me in your personal message and I will read it.

I will only respond to statements that I really like and think would benefit most from my feedback. Essays that need work simply need work.

qwertyman - Hi, I am available to read MD/PhD essays.
Applicant this past cycle. Got into UCSF, Tri-I, and Columbia MSTP.
Biochem and Stat major, so I'm probably not the best person for small details, but I can read for overall picture, perspective of essay, and MD/PhD related questions.

tommy55 - Hi! I would be happy to read ps for content and flow. Will have to give me a week to get back to you with comments though

premad - Would love to read some! I've gotten many compliments on my PS at interviews, and it benefited from lots of constructive feedback. I write, read, and edit quite a bit in my work, and have crafted personal statements for BA, MPH, Postbac and MD programs, so I'd like to think I'm OK at it. Would prefer to help with 'big picture' issues like organization, themes, timing, etc. but am happy to help however needed.

mdeast - Send them away. I offer good advice, I think my essay was decent this cycle, and I got a T in MCAT writing (so I must have some communication skills). I won't edit for grammar or content, but give you opinions on directions, overall, big picture ideas.

chickensandwich - i'm down to help out too! i applied this cycle, received lots of help in general from sdn and ended up with a few acceptances, so time to pay it forward. i focus more on grammar, but will provide comments on the big picture and general flow of the statement. i also used to be an editor for a school paper, if that makes me seem more legit, haha.

docforsure - I can read some! I'll proofread or give my thoughts on content, whatever you'd like

TickTock719 - I'm willing to read, work with content, and will correct grammar. I won't write personal statements but I can help you think about which aspects of your life you want to emphasize and how your statement might be viewed by a committee.

Creds: I'm a non-trad who has been a recruiter and run resume workshops for a large company. Also was accepted this year

ohlala - I'm willing to read some PS. Please do not expect me to rewrite your PS. I will, however, give constructive substantive comments. I have worked in career services as a pre-med advisor.

reflex - I can read some personal statements! I asked a lot of ppl here to read mine last summer and it was really helpful and I am a successful applicant this year.

missmuffin - PM me if youd like some help with your personal statements. ive had help last year as well and just passing along the favor.

accepted class of 2014.

yoman786 - I am willing to read and help people out with their personal statements. PM me for my email address. I will read for both grammar and content

LSU Gladiator - I would love to help review personal statements. I can probably read a few before May 14 and a lot more thereafter.

VanGuard23 - I just sent a few people here PM's requesting reading/reviewing of my PS. I am of course obligated(and do wish to) do the same. Send me a PM and I will have no problem giving you pointers.

limondrop - Hello- I just finished an extremely successful cycle and I'm willing to help read others personal statements. I will be checking for main ideas only, not grammar.

If you had specific questions feel free to ask me if they regard themes or writing style or what not

frescoengano - I can help out some people (especially w/ grammar and flow)...not so much content. I'm a double major in bio/english. PM for e-mail.

ncguy2005 - I will read a few PS's and will also allow people to read mine since I've been accepted now.

FWIW several of the schools I interviewed at including UNC, Wake, Jefferson, Ga-PCOM, and ECU all commented on how well they liked my PS. I'm glad they liked it, it took me like 2 months to write it!

SanFranCity - I can read a few! Have had help from some people so I would love to pay it forward. I have helped a bunch of friends out and was a strong writer throughout college. I'm no grammar nazi, and would read more for content and overall picture.

Petar88 - I wouldn't mind reading a few.

RickyJamesMD - I've been a long-time lurker at SDN and it has helped me a lot! I would love to read any PS you guys may have. Also, please don't get angry when I am honest

wingiv - I can read a couple if needed. Just PM me.

DreamyKid - I would love to help. I was a writing tutor for my college writing program and read over a lot of personal statements for various programs. I won't go deep into correcting grammatical errors, but I will read for general syntax and flow. The big picture

wolverine1 - I've never done this but feel free to PM your PS if you want feedback. I'm not big on grammar; I will focus more on structure and ideas. I also don't have much time, so I will be slow to responding back.

fly1346 - Since I have a direct relative that serves on the adcom for a medical school, I can offer some help to students in reading personal statements, and giving back some advice

PM me the statement, and allow for some time!

aquamonkey - I'm also willing to read. I will mainly edit for content, flow, and structure, which is what I'm good at. I can edit for grammar, typos, etc as well but I likely won't pay as much attention to those/will miss mistakes.

Nefertiri - I will read...this thread helped me write the perfect statement.


lstone13 - I would love to read PS's! I graduated with a Speech Communication major, 3.9 GPA, and have focused most of my studies on rhetoric. In that regard, I will judge for content, flow of the paper, and overall organization/structure. Also, I am a perfectionist when it comes to grammar, and most my friends throughout college have sent me their papers for run-throughs before submission for that reason.

DeepSpacer -
I am free to read personal statements and would be happy to help out. I have been told that I write well so I am willing to read for grammar and content. I used this thread last year and would like to return the favor to any med hopefuls! Thanks

mindsg - Hi, I am willing to be a PS reader, please add me to the list, thanks

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[JJMrK]

Not Available (These readers are not willing to edit personal statements at the moment. Please do not contact them.):

Hemichordate - I'll read. Just PM me.

School starting...so I'm not available from this point on.

metallica81788 - Sign me up. I have no formal qualifications besides good comments and MCAT WS, but I would definitely like to help some fellow SDN peeps out and have received great feedback during interviews. Will edit mainly for flow, content, and personality but will point out bad grammar if I see it.

I can now take any and all if people want me to.

JJ, can you put me on hold for right now?

I have about 5 or 6 and haven't had the time to start yet, so anymore would be too much. I'll have more time when I start school again (go figure) and I'll let you know when I'll be active again. Thanks.

dw2158 - i'm available! i regularly read and edit TONS of things (including grant proposals, written testimonies, PSes for various grad school apps, etc.) for my coworkers and friends. i daresay i'm a really good writer. i can read for grammar, syntax, style, content... everything. i love editing!

can you put me on hold? i promise i'll do all the ones i've got waiting, but i'm going to take a big fat SDN break once i'm done with them. thanks.

mrfuumanchu206 - Hey!

I'd love to help! I didn't even know this existed when I was writing mine(I barely knew what SDN was until I had finished my PS) and I would have LOVED to have more unbiased people who didn't know me to read my statement.
I am a fairly good writer, I've gotten a lot of compliments about my PS in interviews. I'd say that I'd be better at looking for big idea, flow, and organizational issues rather than nit-picky grammar. However, I CAN do grammar if needed, just PM me for my e-mail and I'll probably have it back to you within 24 hours. Yea...I kind of check my e-mail a lot =/

Good luck to everybody!

Could you put me on hold for now? School's just starting and I'm trying to figure out time and alla that...I'll let you know when its settled down enough for me to help out again.

Thanks!

itsalovestory - I would love to read personal statements as well! I have a lot of academic writing experience as well as extracurricular experience with expository writing. I'm fairly good at being on top of things, and so you can expect your PS back within 48 hours.

EDIT: I can't stand bad grammar and so you can expect a thorough grammatical observer from me. I am also strong at looking at the PS as a whole, to see if describes YOU and less a list of the activities you've done.

Hey! Can you edit my post above to say that I'd like also love a brief description of the ECs described in the PS so that I can have a bigger picture of who they are? Thanks!

I'm super behind on editing-- can you put me on hold please?!

Thanks!

BlueElmo - I'd be happy to do it, but probably starting in January. I've got finals to study for this month.

EDIT: I'm ready full-time to read some Personal Statements. I used this service when I was applying and it was dead useful.

My qualification is that well, I applied this cycle and was accepted. So I guess my PS was good enough.

Please put me as temporarily unavaible. I'm swamped with PS.

DrSmooth - I honestly love editing personal statements. I wrote speeches and curriculum for ten years before doing a postbacc and applyiing to med school. A few interviewers told me my ps was the best they had read (though it seems like a lot of people get told this so it has to make u wonder), one interviewer refused to ask me any questons about it because he said I couldn't say it any better than I already had??? Please don't include me in a ps blast to a bunch of readers. I will b able to help u the most if u send me your working draft, consider my feedback, keep what u like, then send it on to someone else. Thanks!

I am slammed and need to take a break. Sorry.

GoSpursGo - Alright, now that my first semester of med school is over with, I'll be available at least for a little bit to help out with people looking for feedback on their personal statements. My qualifications are basically that my PS last year was good enough to get me into my top two choices, and at several places along the way I was told that it was well-written--essentially, something I think a lot of people could say I'll read primarily for grammar/sentence structure/stuff like that and secondarily for content, with the caveat that any comments I give on content are simply my personal opinion and I can't guarantee that I actually know what goes on in the head of an adcom for sure. Please be understanding if I take a few days to get them back to you, but if you send me your PS I promise I WILL eventually get it back to you. PM me for email please rather than just PMing the whole thing.

School's getting really hectic and I really can't read anyone's right now. I'll try and become available after the next round of exams.

BBender716 - I'd be more than happy to read. I will read for sentence structure, grammar, spelling, etc. as well as for cohesiveness and content. I've worked with an admissions consultant previously and was able to key in on several important themes and focuses that should be highlighted in a medical school PS. I will do my best to reduce turnaround time and will immediately inform you if I will be unable to return your PS within a reasonable amount of time.

Could you please edit my status to say that I will only edit personal statements for regular medical school admissions. Not early admit programs (BA/MD)/summer research programs/clinical experiences, lol I thought this was readily known, but apparently not haha

Put me on hold for a bit, work has picked up! Booooo.

delempicka - I think the strongest part of my application is my PS. I have a non-comp GPA (<3.3) and MCAT (<30). Yet, I have had 3 interviews thus far...

Everyone has a story - hopefully, I can help someone tell theirs...

I read for content and style.

Email preferred.

Swamped. Pls. put me on hold. Thx

Tatastrophy - JJ-i am ready to read
I will read essays starting Jan 2nd. I am a Comp Lit minor and have like 100 essays under my belt lol
I will read for content, general structure, sentence structure and flow.
If there are glaring grammar errors-I will point them out.

PM me first
Will not show my own PS.
Oh and only ask me to edit your paper if you are prepared to hear the truth-no me gusta sugar coating.

EDIT:
Dear JJ,

Could you kindly edit my post to say that I will edit each PS max 2 times.

<3

Sry. Swamped with APO pledge stuff. Please put me on hold (I will finish the one I have now)

alibai3ah - I'll volunteer, but starting January 2nd

Edit:

I'll read for flow, writing style, brevity, etc. I'm a pretty good writer (I think).

Background: Not that this means much, but R on the MCAT Writing and 710 SAT Writing

JJMrK, would you put me on a the "hold" category. I think I have too many in my inbox.

Xoyes - I'm willing to read! Despite having average stats, I was fortunate to get a good amount of interview invites, a few from schools that are up there in the rankings (and with much better average stats than mine). Many of my interviewers commented on how well written my PS was, so I think that my essays were what got me to that next stage at those schools. I would be looking more at the content, structure, and flow of the essay - not gonna be nitpicking at grammar. I'll help as best I can!

PM me for my email address.

Can I be temporarily taken off the the reader list. I just got swamped with a bunch at once and need some time to get through them. Thanks!

ismailidoc - Hi all

I would be more than happy to read it for content and structure but NOT for grammar [I suck at grammar]. I have been helping a lot of people at my school too.

I will be available over the summer too to help with the secondaries [no help in content here, just the structure and clarity] or anyone submitting their AMCAS/AACOMS late.

However, I will only be able to do 1 or 2 per week until school ends [May 15ish], depending on school work load, so if I cannot do yours, then I will PM you right back letting you know you that I can't [I promise to check my PMs atleast once a day].
I got waitlisted at allo and still waiting on some and got into a DO [in case you wanted to know], so I can read both.

So go ahead and PM me so I can give you my email address [I don't want a gigantic PM] so you can email me your Ps, along with a resume or at least a list of activities.

Good luck to all of you this cycle.

Hey JJ,
I had to miss a whole week of school and spent it in the hospital due to my dad's health and now everything is backed up including school. Take me off the list for now, but I promise to join as soon as things calm down.
Thanks so much!

archimedesxx - You can add me to the list too. I have been writing since freshman year of high school and I am almost a perfectionist (kinda). I have been an editor for the Triple Helix, Inc (in college) and other literary and scientific journals and was a spelling bee champion once. At each of my 14 or so interviews, most if not all my interviewers have commented on my essay as very well written. At one top 20 school, my interviewer called it the best he's seen in years.

I am looking for sentence structure, syntax and flow. I'll try to make your essay coherent and thematic.

PM me first for my email address.

PS: I won't give you my essay to read. No! It contains very personal stories that may destroy my anonymity.

temporarily unavailable

redpaste - I guess I'll volunteer too
I be happy to read for content
going to medical school in aug, gone through the whole experience, interview few different places ... hopefully I can help
pm me cheers

can you take me off the list, I'll be pretty busy for the next few weeks. Thanks

DrLuv - I edit all my husband's philosophy papers (UUHHHGGG!!), so PS' will be an absolute JOY to read If you'd like a completely honest response, feel free to PM me with your stuff. I will mostly edit for content.

spyderefs - I'll volunteer to read... I have a lot of free time from now until the end of summer basically. I can comment on grammar, style/flow, and even content (in terms of its impression on ME the reader).

No official credentials other than taking a lot of writing classes. I received a T in MCAT for what it's worth. I read A LOT of PS's from friends, SDN users, and from PS compendiums they sell at bookstores over the past year. I believe I had a pretty decent PS (from feedback, and receiving interviews at UCs and competitive schools with average stats).

hobbes23 - I'll read a few PS.

I was accepted to a few schools this cycle, and was told that I had a good PS. Please include a brief bullet point activities list as well, so that I know what pool of experiences you could put into your writing . Also, my expertise is in MPH, and MD/MPH types of PS, but I am happy to help with general MD/DO PSs.

adele87 - Some of my friends have suggested I'd be happier as an editor than as a doctor. I am meticulous when writing and editing, and have received compliments on my PS by interviewers at several top schools. Looking over other statements would be fun for me. I can read for grammar, style and content. PM for my email address.

I'd like to be taken off the list, please. Sorry!!

tallandshort - I'm willing to read a few personal statements. I read for content and grammar and overall effectiveness of the PS. I've read quite a few personal statements for students at my UG previously. I'm especially good with research-related content, but have good experience reading PSs with many different styles. I had excellent feedback about my PS and got interview invites to almost half the schools I applied to with it. I was a science and humanities major so I exercised and developed my writing skills a lot in college. It helps to include a very brief list of ECs or life experiences so that if your current version is a little weak on points, I may be able to suggest something to help with it. But not at all required. I do not give out my own PS to anyone, so please don't ask. Finally, I will get back to you quickly (usually within 24 hrs) and I will be honest. Thanks!

Hi JJMrK,
My schedule is changing for the summer now that the spring semester is over so could you please take me off the readers list? Thank you. People I've already read for are still welcome to send me updated drafts though.

BRRF - I'd be more than happy to read PSs and secondaries. I'll mostly try to comment on content and tone, but will also help with sentence structure and syntax.
I did a music history and theory major which involved a lot of essay writing. I've gotten pretty good at it over the past 4 years *checks post for any errors to avoid looking like idiot*

I'm to assume that my own PS and secondaries were strong as I was relatively successful in landing interviews. I'll be at Columbia next year.

Hi, I'm a bit saturated now. Kindly remove me from the active list.

bobsmith - I can also read/edit some personal statements. I've helped a lot of people write/edit personal statements in the past, and I think the things I'm good at include helping people find an overall "theme" to their essay, making sure it flows, and making sure the prompt gets answered.

I suppose I can read for grammar/syntax/word choice, too, but that's kind of boring.

ksmi117 - I'd be happy to read some. I got a lot of feedback from last year's PS reader list and am excited to give back to this coming cycle's applicants. I'll be reading more for cohesiveness, sentence structure, and grammar as opposed to content, so keep that in mind when sending me PSes. Also, please PM me about it, and I'll ask you to email it to me, I just don't want to read them in a giant PM. Happy writing!!

PanicAttack - I'm willing to edit until school starts. PM me for my e-mail address. I got positive comments on my PS. I am willing to share it, too. I will edit for content, grammar and overall structure (everything), but I'm not a professional

phantomx87 - I got a lot of help from people on SDN, so I'd be more than happy to read a few. Just PM me with any requests.

FYI, I work a TON (read 80hrs/wk), so if I don't get back to you within 30 seconds, don't worry. I always get back to people with edits. That being said, I can't do 90 in one sitting either... I like to be thorough.

PS - It definitely helps to have some pertinent / background information to put into context anything in the PS... So send that along as well!

montessori2md - I'll read, happy to give back, had SDNers help me when I applied.
Qualifications: I was a history major, so essays were my thing. We've had required PS workshops for residency apps. I'm brutally honest, so don't send anything to me unless you want criticism. PM me, I'll send you my email. I use a mac, so you don't have to convert to word if you're a mac user (if you are wintel, you don't have to do anything special).

I'm being flooded. I WILL READ for SDN members. If you have 0 posts and a join date of less than a week ago, I am going to say no thanks.

Sillyshoes - Hi
I had a lot of help from SDNers when I wrote my PS.

During my interviews, I've been told I am a good writer...

I am willing to read a few. I can offer feedback on structure and content.
I am brutally honest and will mention my opinion on it.

PM me for my email address.

student113 - Hi, I'm willing to read some. I have a strong background in writing, was an editor and have won awards for my pieces. Personal writing is also a hobby of mine, so I can read for content/feel as well as grammar and technicalities.

cweave16 - I can help read. Since I work in a lab right now, I have some 2-3 hour blocks of time where I'm not doing anything other than browsing SDN.

Credentials (I guess?):
History minor from a top 10 history department (nothing less than an A- in those courses)
240+ pages of college level writing for various courses.
I like reading in my spare time and consider myself to be at least somewhat literate.

I can edit for anything (content, style, grammar).

not so calm now - I'd be willing to read some PSs. PM me and I'll give you my email. Please send as an attachment - just easier to read that way!

Credentials: Only thing I can think of is that I'm a successful applicant from last year. I like to write and consider myself a good writer. Good luck everyone!

GuitarFreak - Hey JJ
I'd love to give my 2 cents and help out applying students. I applied this past cycle & got interviews and acceptances at multiple schools.

gr33n - I will read. I can edit for clarity, structure, flow, and grammar. I have read and edited personal statements in the past. PM me.

Ok2Panic - I don't mind reading. I can read for style, content, and grammar. I worked in a writing center for a while and have quite a bit of experience editing, specifically personal statements for grad school and medical school. I'm finally done interviewing and everything so I have more free time and should be able to be pretty quick on the turn around.

doopdidoop - i'd be happy to read...and probably have more time right now-may/june than i will a few months after i was a peer writing counselor at my school and helped a lot of people with their personal statements this year and last year. PM me for my email address

eeeeee - I got a lot of positive feedback from schools about my PS, and won a writing award in college. Would be happy to read/edit, starting today! Just PM me.

Cytotoxic - Willing to read PS and MD/PhD essays. Some people think I can write, you may disagree. Just PM.

CapnCrunch - I don't mind reading a few. I've already helped some people here, but I can take a couple more. Just PM me.
adaptation1 - the only strength of my app were my essays, really. 2 interviewers brought them up -- in a positive light, of course. and since i have some down time now, i can read a few, to help with flow and continuity.

fireflygirl - I was a PS reader a few summers ago before I started med school and now am a 2nd year and have some time this summer to help out. Please put me on the list as well.

I am an English/Finance major and have served on admissions committees for my undergrad institution and have done some work for the PCOM committee as well. As a reader/editor, I have the following approach:

- I look for overall content, structure, and grammar
- I look to see if you have answered the question appropriately and what your "personal story" is
- Finally, I make sure that the statement is fluid and reads like a true narrative instead of being choppy and disorganized

I would prefer if you would PM me if you would like your PS read and then I'll send you my personal email addy. Please send it to me in a word doc and I will do a track changes version of the edits. I am happy to read secondaries as well or give you overall advice about the process.

Good luck

Wheee - I can help too...Haven't taken formal writing classes since HS but was told my PS was pretty well put-together when I was having SDN edit it last year (and it got me in). I like reading for grammar, sentence structure, and other mechanical things, but not so much content. I'll share my opinions on content and other related stuff anyway though. PM for my email address.

noshie - If anyone needs someone to read their PS please send me a PM and I will give you my email. I have been pretty bored at work lately...

Ilovewater - I can read also. I've received a few positive comments regarding my PS from schools.

DukeNatlChamps - I would be happy to read essays as well. I was a writing tutor during undergrad, and with this credential I became my friends' go-to editor! I must clarify that my expertise is reviewing content, organization, and transitions. Although I have strong grammar skills, I will point out grammar error trends that I note, but I will not correct everything (similar to how I conducted tutoring sessions at school). I have read several PS when my friends were applying, and I have a good idea of what to do and what not to do.

Amdavadi - I used this service last year around this time and it was really helpful. I would like to return the favor.

I can read for both content and grammar. Just PM me and I'm willing to share my PS if you're interested.

Good luck guys!


The readers listed above ARE NOT AVAILABLE. Do not contact them at this time.

 

[JJMrK]

Let the PS exchanging begin.

If you would like to change your status, please make a new post in the thread instead of simply editing your first one, and PM me. That will guarantee that I'll see it.

Helpful hints:

Seeing that there is a rise in questions about the personal statement and how to go about writing one since its time that students should have already begun to write one for this year's cycle- these tips on how to write one should be fruitful for the up and coming applicants for the Class of 2012.

Before I go on- I suggest reading through published literature about how to go about writing a personal statement. There are myriads of books that come to mind. Two come to mind:

SDN's own official medical school admissions guide
https://www.millcitypublishing.com/o....aspx?SiteID=7

And

Essays That Will Get You into Medical School (Barron's Essays That Will Get You Into Medical School) by Daniel Kaufman.

Both are helpful to read through. On that note- feel free to add your own tips into the thread

Writing a personal statement is a bit like a defendent accused of a crime he or she did not commit, and has to convey to the jury that he is innocent. That is, a personal statement must reveal everything that you want to tell medical school admission's committees to convince them of your goals to become a doctor. Having written two entirely different drafts of personal statements over the course of several months- I understand that the hardest part is finding a way to start one, and finding a way to end one. Here are some tips to begin to write one

Before you begin- I suggest taking some time out of your day, and just freeflow a personal statement and see where that takes you. Believe it or not, this works for many people to get ideas written down for later brainstorming. Write your thoughts and feelings out. They're more helpful than you can possibly imagine, as they are personal after all.

1) Plan and organize: As with any good paper, one must learn how to organize a paper in order to allow the task at hand, to flow in a coherent, efficient, and eloquent manner.
2) Figure out the general theme: Many good personal statements tend to follow some type of theme. Some of these themes are centered around things such as life changing experiences, personal problems, profound research that you are involved in, family, grades, anything you find interesting really.
3) Structure: How will you write your personal statement based around this theme? Are you going to write it in a chronological manner? In a flashback type of way. Perhaps describing in vivid detail about a particular day as you remember it? Break down each paragraph and structure each of them. Make sure each paragraph can flow with each other and aren't random tangents.
4) Begin Writing: Follow some of the suggested pointers below
5) Revise and Rewrite: Have others look over it, and revise revise revise.


Pointers:
A) Remember to address any insufficiencies or lapses in your grades (or any major weaknesses in your application)
B) Do not make excuses, provide explanations and acknowledge your shortcomings. Stay positive not negative.
C) BE HUMBLE. Hints of arrogance and entitlement are grounds for rejection at many schools.
D) Try to describe vividly. People tend to remember better when stories are visually described, not textually.
E) Start off with something interesting. Not a catch phrase, cliche opening line, but something that can grab the reader and keep them interested without having them roll their eyes.
F) Keep in mind that medical schools see over thousands of applications and you are only one. Everyone, in one form or another, will talk about why they would make a good doctor, the qualities they have as a doctor, and will most likely talk about very similar things that you will talk about. BE UNIQUE. If you have a talent or trait or expertise in some area that you believe makes you unique, write about it.
G) If you talk about research, do not write about it like a journal article. Remember, this is a personal statement. Write about how it is significant to YOU and how you feel about it and why. Do not talk in detailed specifics.
H) Try to tell a story- stories make things interesting. Stay away from writing a personal statement like it is a personal ad.
I) Make the things you talk about relevant in one shape or another.
J) Stay away from cliche. That is... "I want to become a doctor because I want to help people", "I am compassionate", "I am a hard worker" are things that are cliched and are better demonstrated by storytelling and through examples rather than explicitly saying so. Actions speak louder than words.
K) Try not to exaggerate (and of course, do not lie). One statement Ive come across before talked about the profoundness of a particular shadowing experience and how he wanted to become a doctor because of it. Granted this may be true, but most adcoms would smell it as BS a mile away. One doesn't want to suddenly enter into a lifelong, rigorous profession, while going through hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, with no sleep, 80+ hour workweeks, at least a solid decade of schooling with just one short-lived experience. Going into medicine requires that the applicant is well informed, and had built his or her passion for medicine as time went on. Some build it by having relatives, or themselves, go through a significant and painful medical experience, some build it by shadowing. To only focus on one experience without elaborating on further methods to come to the conclusion that you want to be a doctor may be counterproductive.
L) If you have a family legacy of doctors, make sure you convey (without explicitly saying so) that you are going into the career not because of pressure to fill someone else's shoes, or because you have to, but because this choice rested on your own shoulders. Family is a great influence, and many have built their desires on medicine because of it, but make sure if that is the case, that you let the adcoms know, that you are going into medicine for your own personal reasons.
M) Do not hold the adcoms' feelings hostage. That is, its one thing to talk about a significant, emotional experience (family death, illness, tragedy, etc..), but its another to lament it in order to try to capture the emotions that you know should make the adcoms feel guilty and sad. For example, continuing to talk about the death of a close one for the entire personal statement may not be advisable. Instead, talking about its significance to you, its effects, your methods of coping, moving on and becoming stronger is a better way to frame this.
N) Again, don't make excuses- sounding whiny is not the way to go.
O) Have several people read it over and give you constructive criticism. Have people from all spectrum read it, but try to have objective readers.
P) Do not write what you think you want the adcoms want to hear. I made the mistake of doing this for my first personal statement. After getting torn apart by my advisor I completely rewrote my personal statement (with what I wanted to say, not what I thought I wanted to say) the night before with glowing remarks by the committee and my advisor. Since then, at interviews, my personal statement has always been brought up with glowing remarks. You don't necessarily have to make a laundry list of all the medically related things that you've done to prove that you more qualified than even a doctor.
Q) Write about something that may not be covered in the rest of your applications. Keep in mind that you will have the opportunity to write about your extracurriculars on the AMCAS in a separate section. You will be allowed to write about a paragraph about each and can discuss why each is important to you. Try not to overlap, you want to convey as much information about you as possible.
R) Do not sound preachy. Again modesty is probably the best policy. Humility (this does not mean you cannot be confident) is a quality that seems to be a good one. Remember, adcoms will often roll their eyes at students and often ask "what does this kid know to make such an assertion?". Personally acknowledging that you are only premed (albeit informed about the profession) is a good way to stay away from the label of the "know-it-all".
S) You can write about "controversial" topics such as religion, politics, beliefs, abortion, etc..etc.. but understand that you are treading on dangerous grounds. You do not want to express strong opinions that may offend the reader or rub the adcom the wrong way. It's one thing to say that religion or politics has helped me find peace and guidance, but another to write something that can be argued with heatedly. Remember, keep in mind, try to stay away from assertions on topics that are hot topics of debate. As long as you frame things correctly, you should be safe.
T) Do not be a suckup. Writing about how you admire doctors for their hard work and nobility is not getting you anywhere. This goes for secondaries too when answering questions that deal with each particular school.
U) Make sure you end your personal statement by wrapping up everything you've said in a manner that gives closure. Stay away from things like "in conclusion" and other various conclusion disasters. Keep the conclusion concise, but interesting. To end something is just as important as starting it. You want to leave a good aftertaste after the adcom has digested it. Sometimes, it may be helpful to refer back to something you started with so that you come full circle.
V) Try not to be gimmicky. I think this is self explanatory but writing a PS like it were a movie may be considered gimmicky. Or having your PS written as a series of flashbacks as part of a dream and then waking up at the end is gimmicky.

AND FINALLY, Last but not least,

W) DO NOT WRITE IN ANYTHING MORE THAN YOU NEED TO. Writing for the sake of writing, or "filler", is most likely not going to get you anywhere. You want to get your point across and not have it lost or diluted in things that are "empty calories". If they have no value, and are things that people can pick up on without having to be told so, then you probably do not need it.

Finally when done writing (keep track of length) revise revise revise. And then revise again. Have it be seen by multiple readers and have professionals look over it (there are writing centers at colleges for example). Take their comments into serious consideration but remember, this is your own piece and not someone else's.

Anyhow, I hope to add on more information and tips to this as time goes on. Feel free to add more comments in Good luck to everyone! Hopefully by the end of it all, you will have convinced the "jury".
-Brandon

First let me apologize to everyone that already submitted their AMCAS applications. Yes, it's late June, this is too late to help those of you that got your stuff in early. That said... STOP READING HERE IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED. There's no sense in looking for mistakes/beating yourself up if you've already pulled the trigger.

Second, I am doing this as a service to Pre-Allo, drawing on the statements I have read over the past few years and the many mistakes I made composing my own personal statement(s). Unfortunately, I do not have time to edit personal statements this year. If you contact me, I will have to politely refuse... just telling you now.


On to the issue at hand.

I know most of you are scientists, not writers. But you should still be able to pull off some of these basics.

Themes
A personal statement works best if it has some unifying element to pull it together. This doesn't have to be an overt parable, just something simple that you can allude to in your intro and conclusion showing a nice point A->B flow of ideas.
A rudimentary example of this would be equating your path to medicine to a growing child and your significant experiences developmental milestones (like learning to talk, going to school, etc. with medicine being your final destination and the child striking out on his/her own.) Side note: Don't do what I did (I'm not even linking you to it), that was a bit of a 3rd round Hail Mary that paid off.

Intro and conclusion
I was always one for the flashy hook intro. But there's a fine line between a hook and melodrama. It's ok to draw the reader into a scene using descriptive and vibrant language, but make sure what you're discussing is worth the attention it's getting. Basically, don't try to make a papercut sound like a severed artery.

Conclusion, refer to the theme you set up in your intro and restate your answer to the "why medicine?" question (which you answered through the body of the personal statement) using your thematic imagery.

What should you be discussing?
This is where most pre-meds start missing the mark. Your personal statement is supposed to demonstrate your personal motivation for a career in medicine. You should answer the "why medicine?" question and give your best support possible. What many, many, many pre-meds do is fall into the Extra-Curricular trap. Rather than discussing why they are motivated to pursue medicine they simply state that they are motivated and then start talking about their extra-curricular activities. (I've done it, and it happened frequently in statements I helped edit) If the EC shows up in your ECs section and you talked about it there, there's no need to talk about the details of what you did in your personal statement. I'm pretty sure performing bench research counting drosophila did little to help your motivation to become a physician, don't throw in a line telling me it did just so you can remind me about that 4 weeks of research experience you've got.

you want to cut anything that does not directly address the following:

• intro
• "why medicine?"
• support for "why medicine?"
• any problems/gaps in education along the way that really should be addressed in PS
• conclusion

This doesn't mean your ECs are off limits, it just means that you should discuss specific experiences that actually affected your motivation. It's better to use a single detailed example and illustrate how it drove you to medicine than to try to say you did X here which made you want to be a doc, then did Y there which made you want to be a doc, etc.

Other Mistakes:
-You are a pre-med. In general it is a bad idea to tell the admissions committee what makes a good Med Student/Doctor. You may identify your own positive qualities and say they will help you, but don't start defining what makes a good "doctor" that's their job.

-Don't belittle yourself. Your personal statement is a time to show your good qualities, if you must address negative aspects of your application, do so, but watch for passive and negative wording that hurts the way you represent yourself.

-Don't bash other schools/teachers/doctors/etc. This is a big no-no. You may have disagreements with another institution/party but the best way to handle this situation is to objectively present the facts and let the admissions committee draw their own conclusions. If you start criticizing an institution, it makes them wonder if you'd criticize them like that after you leave their school. Not a huge incentive to accept you.

-Don't work other agendas. "Why Medicine?" is enough. You can mention an interest in research or other career goals (public health, etc) if you want to perform that, but don't spend a paragraph talking about socialized medicine, abortion, stem cell reseach, or other issues in medicine that do not directly affect your application.

-Try to keep an open mind. It's fine to have an inkling of what you might want to do after you graduate, but be aware of the fact that you'll probably change your mind a few times in med school. It would be unwise to base your personal statement on a career goal of pediatric cardio-thoracic surgery.

-Recognize your own self-unimportance. This goes along with the papercut comment above, don't portray your role to be anything more significant than what it was. People weren't looking to you with awe and heart-felt gratitude after you gave them a band-aid.

-Previous mistakes:
If you've made mistakes previously, own up to them and take responsibility. Don't try to blame someone else or something else. You want to show that you've moved on and matured. Don't try to make excuses.

-Cliches:
Yes, avoid making cliche statements, but you don't need to pretend you're going into medicine because you think your reasons might be cliche. Most pre-meds are motivated for the same reasons (wanting to help people, love science, early experience with medicine, etc). You don't need a unique reason, just try to discuss it in a way that is unique as possible.



Other Advice:
Wording:
-Don't use the word "fascinating". Probably 80% of statements I reviewed last year used it, very cliched and got to be vomit inducing.

Technical:
-just use a single line between paragraphs, don't try to indent
-don't use more than 1 space between sentences (no one will notice and this is a huge character saver)
-re-read it for any sentences that could be re-worded more efficiently, then have someone else do it. Brevity is key.

Reads:
-Get your PS into as many hands as possible before you submit it, have your mom, brother, school's writing center, adviser, dog, everyone look at it if possible. You want good, honest feedback from multiple sources.

 

[alibai3ah]

I'll volunteer, but starting January 2nd


Edit:

I'll read for flow, writing style, brevity, etc. I'm a pretty good writer (I think).

Background: Not that this means much, but R on the MCAT Writing and 710 SAT Writing

 

[ksmi117]

I'd be happy to read some. I got a lot of feedback from last year's PS reader list and am excited to give back to this coming cycle's applicants. I'll be reading more for cohesiveness, sentence structure, and grammar as opposed to content, so keep that in mind when sending me PSes. Also, please PM me about it, and I'll ask you to email it to me, I just don't want to read them in a giant PM. Happy writing!!

P.S. Thanks for doing this JJ. I'll help you edit the first posts if you want as people volunteer and such.

 

[BlueElmo]

I'd be happy to do it, but probably starting in January. I've got finals to study for this month.

 

[dw2158]

i'm available! i regularly read and edit TONS of things (including grant proposals, written testimonies, PSes for various grad school apps, etc.) for my coworkers and friends. i daresay i'm a really good writer. i can read for grammar, syntax, style, content... everything. i love editing!

 

[metallica81788]

Sign me up. I have no formal qualifications besides good comments and MCAT WS, but I would definitely like to help some fellow SDN peeps out and have received great feedback during interviews. Will edit mainly for flow, content, and personality but will point out bad grammar if I see it.

I can now take any and all if people want me to.

 

[metallica81788]

i'm available! i regularly read and edit TONS of things (including grant proposals, written testimonies, PSes for various grad school apps, etc.) for my coworkers and friends. i daresay i'm a really good writer. i can read for grammer, syntax, style, content... everything. i love editing!

Don't trust D-dubs, she can't spell.

 

[dw2158]

Don't trust D-dubs, she can't spell.

oh shut up! i was so excited to post that i typed too fast.

 

[JJMrK]

If people post that they will be available after a certain date, I will do my best to add you to the list after that date. If you just say sometime in X month though, you're going to have to post again when you want to be added.

P.S. Thanks for doing this JJ. I'll help you edit the first posts if you want as people volunteer and such.

Thanks girl. Sounds good.

 

[dw2158]

JJ, pop quiz. Sticky this thread then delete this post. Just keeping you on your toes. Don't want your mod powers to go unpracticed.

hahahaha... does JJ not wield his mighty mod sword often enough?

 

[ksmi117]

hahahaha... does JJ not wield his mighty mod sword often enough?

He does. Just no one gets a chance to sticky stuff often.

 

[archimedesxx]

You can add me to the list too. I have been writing since freshman year of high school and I am almost a perfectionist (kinda). I have been an editor for the Triple Helix, Inc (in college) and other literary and scientific journals and was a spelling bee champion once. At each of my 14 or so interviews, most if not all my interviewers have commented on my essay as very well written. At one top 20 school, my interviewer called it the best he's seen in years.

I am looking for sentence structure, syntax and flow. I'll try to make your essay coherent and thematic.

PM me first for my email address.

PS: I won't give you my essay to read. No! It contains very personal stories that may destroy my anonymity.

 

[Tatastrophy]

JJ-i am not ready to read
I will read essays starting Jan 2nd. I am a Comp Lit minor and have like 100 essays under my belt lol
I will read for content, general structure, sentence structure and flow.
If there are glaring grammar errors-I will point them out.


PM me first
Will not show my own PS.
Oh and only ask me to edit your paper if you are prepared to hear the truth-no me gusta sugar coating.

 

[Sillyshoes]

Hi
I had a lot of help from SDNers when I wrote my PS.

During my interviews, I've been told I am a good writer...

I am willing to read a few. I can offer feedback on structure and content.
I am brutally honest and will mention my opinion on it.

PM me for my email address.

 

[student113]

Hi, I'm willing to read some. I have a strong background in writing, was an editor and have won awards for my pieces. Personal writing is also a hobby of mine, so I can read for content/feel as well as grammar and technicalities.

 

[premad]

Would love to read some! I've gotten many compliments on my PS at interviews, and it benefited from lots of constructive feedback. I write, read, and edit quite a bit in my work, and have crafted personal statements for BA, MPH, Postbac and MD programs, so I'd like to think I'm OK at it. Would prefer to help with 'big picture' issues like organization, themes, timing, etc. but am happy to help however needed.

 

[itsalovestory]

I would love to read personal statements as well! I have a lot of academic writing experience as well as extracurricular experience with expository writing. I'm fairly good at being on top of things, and so you can expect your PS back within 48 hours.

EDIT: I can't stand bad grammar and so you can expect a thorough grammatical observer from me. I am also strong at looking at the PS as a whole, to see if describes YOU and less a list of the activities you've done.

 

[brooklynblunder]

hahahaha... does JJ not wield his mighty mod sword often enough?

He does. Just no one gets a chance to sticky stuff often.

hmm

 

[adele87]

Some of my friends have suggested I'd be happier as an editor than as a doctor. I am meticulous when writing and editing, and have received compliments on my PS by interviewers at several top schools. Looking over other statements would be fun for me. I can read for grammar, style and content. PM for my email address.

 

[Xoyes]

I'm willing to read! Despite having average stats, I was fortunate to get a good amount of interview invites, a few from schools that are up there in the rankings (and with much better average stats than mine). Many of my interviewers commented on how well written my PS was, so I think that my essays were what got me to that next stage at those schools. I would be looking more at the content, structure, and flow of the essay - not gonna be nitpicking at grammar. I'll help as best I can!

PM me for my email address.

 

[bannie22]

I am more than happy to read. I'll edit it for anything, but tell me what you are looking for. grammar/style....

Only available in January.

I'm not an English major, and I only had a 10 in verbal and S in writing. So use at your own risk.

 

[amakhosidlo]

I was read, and will read. Starting Jan.

 

[eeeeee]

I got a lot of positive feedback from schools about my PS, and won a writing award in college. Would be happy to read/edit, starting today! Just PM me.

 

[mercy82]

This thread is for 2011 applicants who are beginning to work on their personal statements. If you're looking for someone to read your PS, check out the list of volunteers below. If you are willing to volunteer, respond below with your credentials and specific things you are willing to edit for (content only, grammar only, etc). Please read the full list of rules posted below before you volunteer or contact a reader, and good luck to the 2011 applicants.

Specific comments, questions, or complaints can be addressed to me via PM. If I can't answer them they will be forwarded to the rest of the Pre-Allopathic moderator staff.

Active Readers List:

ksmi117 - I'd be happy to read some. I got a lot of feedback from last year's PS reader list and am excited to give back to this coming cycle's applicants. I'll be reading more for cohesiveness, sentence structure, and grammar as opposed to content, so keep that in mind when sending me PSes. Also, please PM me about it, and I'll ask you to email it to me, I just don't want to read them in a giant PM. Happy writing!!

dw2158 - i'm available! i regularly read and edit TONS of things (including grant proposals, written testimonies, PSes for various grad school apps, etc.) for my coworkers and friends. i daresay i'm a really good writer. i can read for grammar, syntax, style, content... everything. i love editing!

archimedesxx - You can add me to the list too. I have been writing since freshman year of high school and I am almost a perfectionist (kinda). I have been an editor for the Triple Helix, Inc (in college) and other literary and scientific journals and was a spelling bee champion once. At each of my 14 or so interviews, most if not all my interviewers have commented on my essay as very well written. At one top 20 school, my interviewer called it the best he's seen in years.

I am looking for sentence structure, syntax and flow. I'll try to make your essay coherent and thematic.

PM me first for my email address.

PS: I won't give you my essay to read. No! It contains very personal stories that may destroy my anonymity.

Sillyshoes - Hi
I had a lot of help from SDNers when I wrote my PS.

During my interviews, I've been told I am a good writer...

I am willing to read a few. I can offer feedback on structure and content.
I am brutally honest and will mention my opinion on it.

PM me for my email address.

student113 - Hi, I'm willing to read some. I have a strong background in writing, was an editor and have won awards for my pieces. Personal writing is also a hobby of mine, so I can read for content/feel as well as grammar and technicalities.

premad - Would love to read some! I've gotten many compliments on my PS at interviews, and it benefited from lots of constructive feedback. I write, read, and edit quite a bit in my work, and have crafted personal statements for BA, MPH, Postbac and MD programs, so I'd like to think I'm OK at it. Would prefer to help with 'big picture' issues like organization, themes, timing, etc. but am happy to help however needed.

itsalovestory - I would love to read personal statements as well! I have a lot of academic writing experience as well as extracurricular experience with expository writing. I'm fairly good at being on top of things, and so you can expect your PS back within 48 hours.

EDIT: I can't stand bad grammar and so you can expect a thorough grammatical observer from me. I am also strong at looking at the PS as a whole, to see if describes YOU and less a list of the activities you've done.

adele87 - Some of my friends have suggested I'd be happier as an editor than as a doctor. I am meticulous when writing and editing, and have received compliments on my PS by interviewers at several top schools. Looking over other statements would be fun for me. I can read for grammar, style and content. PM for my email address.

Xoyes - I'm willing to read! Despite having average stats, I was fortunate to get a good amount of interview invites, a few from schools that are up there in the rankings (and with much better average stats than mine). Many of my interviewers commented on how well written my PS was, so I think that my essays were what got me to that next stage at those schools. I would be looking more at the content, structure, and flow of the essay - not gonna be nitpicking at grammar. I'll help as best I can!

PM me for my email address.

eeeeee - I got a lot of positive feedback from schools about my PS, and won a writing award in college. Would be happy to read/edit, starting today! Just PM me.

mercy82 - Medical school personal statements can make or break you. Its very important that you have capable people read over your essays. I have already beeen accepted to medical school and I have a pretty good sense of what adcoms look for. I would love to read your essay and will provide candid and useful feedback regarding substance, style, structure and grammar. Please dont hesitate to contact me.

 

[Ilovewater]

I can read also. I've received a few positive comments regarding my PS from schools.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Alright, now that my first semester of med school is over with, I'll be available at least for a little bit to help out with people looking for feedback on their personal statements. My qualifications are basically that my PS last year was good enough to get me into my top two choices, and at several places along the way I was told that it was well-written--essentially, something I think a lot of people could say I'll read primarily for grammar/sentence structure/stuff like that and secondarily for content, with the caveat that any comments I give on content are simply my personal opinion and I can't guarantee that I actually know what goes on in the head of an adcom for sure. Please be understanding if I take a few days to get them back to you, but if you send me your PS I promise I WILL eventually get it back to you. PM me for email please rather than just PMing the whole thing.

 

[musings]

I can read =)

I just finished my cycle this year =)

I judge mostly content, I'm NOT a good grammar nazi (not a strong point of mine) =D

 

[lstone13]

I would love to read PS's! I graduated with a Speech Communication major, 3.9 GPA, and have focused most of my studies on rhetoric. In that regard, I will judge for content, flow of the paper, and overall organization/structure. Also, I am a perfectionist when it comes to grammar, and most my friends throughout college have sent me their papers for run-throughs before submission for that reason.

 

[PanicAttack]

I'm willing to edit until school starts. PM me for my e-mail address. I got positive comments on my PS. I am willing to share it, too. I will edit for content, grammar and overall structure (everything), but I'm not a professional

 

[theWUbear]

I apologize for posting this in a place specifically for personal statements. I'm not sure if I should have created a new thread. Would any of you be willing to read a brief letter I have written, addressed to the SMP to which I am applying for next fall? It is a quick read. Thank you for your consideration.

 

[bannie22]

jimmerjammer man.
im ready to read

just put me as
bannie22- love to be of help

 

[Hemichordate]

.

 

[Cytotoxic]

Willing to read PS and MD/PhD essays. Some people think I can write, you may disagree. Just PM.

 

[familyaerospace]

I'd be happy to help. I've published several journal articles and presented at several conferences. Currently, I make my living as a copy editor for a science non-profit organization. I've copy edited probably 100 personal statements ranging from college to graduate school, several essays, grant proposals, and also for journals.

 

[gr33n]

I will read. I can edit for clarity, structure, flow, and grammar. I have read and edited personal statements in the past. PM me.

 

[montessori2md]

I'll read, happy to give back, had SDNers help me when I applied.
Qualifications: I was a history major, so essays were my thing. We've had required PS workshops for residency apps. I'm brutally honest, so don't send anything to me unless you want criticism. PM me, I'll send you my email. I use a mac, so you don't have to convert to word if you're a mac user (if you are wintel, you don't have to do anything special).

 

[Mitch556]

I am up to read for anyone who would like another opinion as well.

Mitch

 

[JJMrK]

Updated with everybody so far.

 

[Wheee]

I can help too...Haven't taken formal writing classes since HS but was told my PS was pretty well put-together when I was having SDN edit it last year (and it got me in). I like reading for grammar, sentence structure, and other mechanical things, but not so much content. I'll share my opinions on content and other related stuff anyway though. PM for my email address.

 

[mrfuumanchu206]

Hey!

I'd love to help! I didn't even know this existed when I was writing mine(I barely knew what SDN was until I had finished my PS) and I would have LOVED to have more unbiased people who didn't know me to read my statement.
I am a fairly good writer, I've gotten a lot of compliments about my PS in interviews. I'd say that I'd be better at looking for big idea, flow, and organizational issues rather than nit-picky grammar. However, I CAN do grammar if needed, just PM me for my e-mail and I'll probably have it back to you within 24 hours. Yea...I kind of check my e-mail a lot =/

Good luck to everybody!

 

[Flank Pain]

asdfasdf

 

[anaiq]

You can add me to the list too. I will read and suggest how it can be improved. I will try to reply within the same day of the post.

 

[itsalovestory]

Hey! Can you edit my post above to say that I'd like also love a brief description of the ECs described in the PS so that I can have a bigger picture of who they are? Thanks!

 

[delempicka]

I think the strongest part of my application is my PS. I have a non-comp GPA (<3.3) and MCAT (<30). Yet, I have had 3 interviews thus far...

Everyone has a story - hopefully, I can help someone tell theirs...

I read for content and style.

Email preferred.

IF YOU ARE SENDING ME SOMETHING FOR THE FIRST TIME WRITE IN THE SUBJECT LINE "NEW"
and please title your PS with your SDN handle (or name)
"elephantsforeveryone's Personal Statement" (or whatever)
my email is:
[email protected]

As a general suggestion to everyone writing your PS - limit the amount of people you choose to work with (do numerous drafts with)....it is very frustrating to listen to other random people's comments about your inner most self who have five opposing viewpoints - if you send your essay to one of us - and feel we are completely off base - definitely go with someone else

 

[vanasme]

As a history major and english minor, I did quite a bit more writing than your average undergrad! I was awarded a competitive student fellowship my senior year based on the writing sample I submitted.

Also, my grammar is impeccable. If you're looking for grammar help or syntax advice, I'm willing to help!

Last year I helped quite a few of my pre-med friends with their personal statements and they're all receiving acceptances (they had less than average scores). I'm applying this summer and have received positive feedback on my own personal statement.

Grammar is my strength, but I'd definitely read for content as well. I'm also brutally honest

 

[BBender716]

I'd be more than happy to read. I will read for sentence structure, grammar, spelling, etc. as well as for cohesiveness and content. I've worked with an admissions consultant previously and was able to key in on several important themes and focuses that should be highlighted in a medical school PS. I will do my best to reduce turnaround time and will immediately inform you if I will be unable to return your PS within a reasonable amount of time.

 

[rls303]

Hello,
I consider myself a fairly articulate writer and have tutored in the past. Since I am unemployed at the moment, I'd be happy to share my opinions and give my advice to those who are interested.

Thanks

 

[Sunbeam]

I would be happy to read. I wished I had people to read mine when I was writing so I would love to help others out.