On the use of contractions

[jkPleaseTellMeTheOdds]

When writing the AMCAS essays or secondary essays, is it seen as bad form to use contractions like "I'm" or "haven't"?

Someone recently put it to me that there are no contractions in formal writing. I'd always been taught that you can omit contractions to add additional emphasis, but I've never heard of outlawing them altogether. I'm worried this will put me over character count on some essays and I'll have to rewrite them. Worse, I'm worried that my narrative voice will sound terribly stilted without any contractions at all.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[seanm028]

That person is correct in telling you that contractions should be left out of formal writing.

Do secondaries need to conform to the rules of formal writing, or is a little bit of deviation acceptable in order to feel more personal and authentic? I don't know, but I'm also wondering.

 

[jkPleaseTellMeTheOdds]

1) formal writing should not have contractions
2) avoid them when possible
3) if you are using them to reduce character count then you are writing too damn much. Most PS can be tighter and better

Oh wow, so you actually advise people to not use contractions in the PS? That gives me the fear. There's just no way my writing will still sound like me without contractions. Do you think the adherence to formal style is worth compromising that sense of voice?

 

[787593]

I thought you said “contraceptives” and I was all hype to read this... I need more sleep, step 1 suuuuuuck

 

[sunshinefl]

No you shouldn’t use contractions in formal writing. I avoided them throughout my medical school applications. I still avoid them even now in emails to faculty.

Yes it will sound a little unnatural to you at first. Sometimes it means changing words/sentence structure to avoid contractions, not just literally undoing the apostrophe as an afterthought.

 

[getdown]

I don't understand why it's such a big deal changing your "voice"? You're applying to a professional school for goodness sake. You can't write like this is a text message to your close friend. Are you going to write like this when you're applying to residency ... You know, an actual job or when you apply to your first job right out of residency? This is just common sense or is that not even around these days of emojis and 150 character limits?

 

[IMGASMD]

I don't understand why it's such a big deal changing your "voice"? You're applying to a professional school for goodness sake. You can't write like this is a text message to your close friend. Are you going to write like this when you're applying to residency ... You know, an actual job or when you apply to your first job right out of residency? This is just common sense or is that not even around these days of emojis and 150 character limits?

I do I. You do you, bruh.

 

[seanm028]

✋✋✋✋✋hol' up hol' up ✋✋ looks like we got a master memer over here hold on to your pantiesladies!fuccbois better back the hell ⬆up⬆ this absolute maaaaaadman!!1! all you other aspiring memers mmmight as wwwell give up! cuse this guyis as good as it gets!

OMG BRO CALM DOWN BRO ⬇⬇ SIMMER ☕☕ DOWN⬇⬇ U WANNA KNOW Y⁉ BC IT WAS JUST A PRANK HAHAHA GOT U U FUKIN ****** THERE'S A CAMERA RIGHT OVER ☝ THERE U FAGOT ‍❤‍‍‍❤‍‍WE ‍‍ GOT U BRO. I BET U DIDNT NOE HOW 2️⃣ REACT WHEN MY BRO DESMOND CAME UP ⬆ TO U AND JIZZED ALL OVER UR SWEET JEANS IT WAS SO FUNNY NOW U HAVE SUM BABY GRAVY ALL OVER THEM ****S

Merry ⛄ Christmas Babe I hope Santa comes to visit you and give you a package . Hope you were a good girl this year instead of the usual naughty girl . Santa is definitely ✊ coming tonight and he's gonna stuff your stocking with goodies tonight on this Christmas night ❄⛄☃. Santa is gonna ✊squeeze down your narrow chimney and show you that you've been a very naughty girl. Then his helper Boy is gonna sleigh you baby and inspect that sweet ass because that's what you want for Christmas Santa is cumin to town the clock is ticking be ready Santa is cumin down↘⬇↙ your chimney tonight and he's gonna drown in that chimney ☔ of yours SLEIGH SANTA SLEIGH ‍❤‍‍

Like that?

Insta-HMS

 

[Catalystik]

Oh wow, so you actually advise people to not use contractions in the PS? That gives me the fear. There's just no way my writing will still sound like me without contractions. Do you think the adherence to formal style is worth compromising that sense of voice?

Yes.

 

[getdown]

I do I. You do you, bruh.

A'ight homeslice. I got you. TTYL

 

[deleted889094]

Your "voice" is important if you're a writer as a professional or for a creative endeavor. Personal statements are not creative essays - you are making a case for yourself like applying for a job.

 

[907914]

Your "voice" is important if you're a writer as a professional or for a creative endeavor. Personal statements are not creative essays - your are making a case for yourself like applying for a job.

Seconded. Very little of ‘me’ comes through in my entire application, particularly in my PS. My values and reasoning? You’re darn tootin. The fact that I am a Northerner that says y’all and darn tootin in a non-ironic way? Not in the slightest.

 

[gyngyn]

I don't understand why it's such a big deal changing your "voice"? You're applying to a professional school for goodness sake. You can't write like this is a text message to your close friend. Are you going to write like this when you're applying to residency ... You know, an actual job or when you apply to your first job right out of residency? This is just common sense or is that not even around these days of emojis and 150 character limits?

The number of applications without capitalization or punctuation goes up every year.

 

[Goro]

The number of applications without capitalization or punctuation goes up every year.

Makes your job easier, in some ways.

 

[getdown]

The number of applications without capitalization or punctuation goes up every year.

These people need "Grammerly" in their lives.

 

[907914]

The number of applications without capitalization or punctuation goes up every year.

OMG! U mean sum people r not writing. Where r earth did they learn that

Is this actually a genuine statement? Like...do students not proofread their applications? Is that a legitimate thing that occurs?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

These people need "Grammerly" in their lives.

And spellcheck.

 

[gyngyn]

Is that a legitimate thing that occurs?

If you are asking if it actually happens, the answer is yes.
If you are asking if it is a rational way to express yourself in a medical school application, then, no.

 

[907914]

If you are asking if it actually happens, the answer is yes.
If you are asking if it is a rational way to express yourself in a medical school application, then, no.

The former not latter. To me it seems completely unimaginable to NOT proofread what is a very important application. What frequency does this occur?

 

[gyngyn]

The former not latter. To me it seems completely unimaginable to NOT proofread what is a very important application. What frequency does this occur?

It appears not to be a lack of proofreading.
They know that sentences begin with capitals and end with periods.
They are choosing not to use them.

 

[907914]

It appears not to be a lack of proofreading.
They know that sentences begin with capitals and end with periods.
They are choosing not to use them.

That...doesn’t make sense. Applicants don’t make sense.

 

[gyngyn]

Applicants don’t make sense.

That's why we are here. Hoping to make sense in a senseless world.

 

[deleted972488]

Well, all of this makes me feel better about my chances.