Personal Statement (Am I screwed?)

[markovchn123]

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Hi guys,

Because of personal issues and a busy semester I have barely been able to work on my personal statement, I don't even have a draft yet, I have 2 pages worth of writing but the paragraphs are scattered.

I wanted to apply by June 15th-June 20th, around there, but I'm worried that I won't have time. I'm more free now, but even with 6 weeks I'm scared it's not enough time for my ps to be good enough. I need advice on how to make a great PS in 6 weeks and whether or not I'm SOL.

Thanks

 

[flirtingwithsignificance]

I haven't written anything

 

[Dr.Kat]

work on it everyday with only a selected few reading it for edits. I chose a close friend, a friend in med school, and someone random. I also had family read it just to see if it sounded good and not for hard edits. The reason I advise only like 3-4 ppl editing your PS is because you will get too many differing opinions and get all confused.

And only use SDN for the random person, don't waste time on here I say it's totally doable. But don't apply if you don't feel it's ready.

 

[Goro]

Hi guys,

Because of personal issues and a busy semester I have barely been able to work on my personal statement, I don't even have a draft yet, I have 2 pages worth of writing but the paragraphs are scattered.

I wanted to apply by June 15th-June 20th, around there, but I'm worried that I won't have time. I'm more free now, but even with 6 weeks I'm scared it's not enough time for my ps to be good enough. I need advice on how to make a great PS in 6 weeks and whether or not I'm SOL.

Thanks

Try narrating your thoughts into a voice recorder, transcribe them into printed words, and then start editing.

 

[femmegoblue]

Try narrating your thoughts into a voice recorder, transcribe them into printed words, and then start editing.

Wait this is, like, the best PS advice ever. Why didn't I learn about this last cycle?!

 

[markovchn123]

Try narrating your thoughts into a voice recorder, transcribe them into printed words, and then start editing.

how would I go about this? Like should I just say whatever comes to my mind about why I want to do medicine and why a school should pick me? I'm applying for MSTP programs btw if that changes anything about what I should talk about

 

[markovchn123]

Try narrating your thoughts into a voice recorder, transcribe them into printed words, and then start editing.

Omg thank you so much GORO! Your advice gave me a good start to writing a coherent draft, best advice I've gotten on this

 

[MareNostrummm]

4 weeks to write 4-6 good paragraphs is certainly doable without issue

What about writing your personal statement AND pre-writing ~30 secondaries because you are an borderline applicant (512 MCAT, ~3.6 GPA), in California?

 

[HereWeGo2121]

I wouldn't worry about prewriting secondaries. Just get your app in and then you'll have a couple weeks before you'll receive secondaries. I also applied to 30 schools and it was definitely doable getting them back within a week without prewriting.

 

[MareNostrummm]

I wouldn't worry about prewriting secondaries. Just get your app in and then you'll have a couple weeks before you'll receive secondaries. I also applied to 30 schools and it was definitely doable getting them back within a week without prewriting.

Thanks for the input! Its okay to submit your primary without all your letters of rec in too right?

 

[Welshman]

I spent about a month going back and forth with edits and tweaking my PS then suddenly decided I didn't like it, scrapped the whole thing and wrote the current version in a day.

Essentially, if you have a coherent vision it shouldn't take long at all. You're only writing a page and a half at most after all...