Personal Statement: Narrative v. Direct???

[BalooTheBear]

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I tried to search this but couldn't find a good answer.

My friend in law school read my personal statement and told me to make it more of a narrative and to tell them a story rather than simply answering the prompt.

Is this because law school is looking for something else and he doesn't know what dental schools are looking for?

Or is he right and I should make it more telling them a story?

I feel like I have a strong essay, but it's pretty much just answering the prompt.
Any suggestions?
Thank you for your help!

 

[gkhan]

any help?

kk avoid the "weak me to super-saiyan me" over x amount of years and x hurdles.
adcoms see 1000000 of those.

*advise i got from a prof who sat on MD adcom for many years

 

[UCSF2012]

Once upon a time, a predent was trying to get into dental school. Little did he know the path to Dental Town was obstructed by three bears....

 

[yorkiepoo]

I agree with your friend. You should write something that is narrative and makes you stand out-- give it a personal touch. That's what I did, and I'll be starting dental school in the fall. GL

 

[rose786]

Once upon a time, a predent was trying to get into dental school. Little did he know the path to Dental Town was obstructed by three bears....

I love me some Dental Town.

And yes, try to tell a story. It doesn't have to be a "mind blowing" one, just something that expresses your unique qualities. GL

 

[Kane]

I think too creative could be a risk. It's a serious endeavor, and you want to convey your maturity. Law demands eloquent, persuasive, powerful writing. I can see how a more creative approach would be of benefit to those applicants. But, really, do you think anyone has ever been rejected from a DS based on an average PS when the rest of their stats are fine? Doubtful. If you've done observations and have a profound drive to be a member of the dental profession, I think it will come through. Now -- if English isn't your first language, maybe it's a little more critical.

 

[pogiro]

any help?

kk avoid the "weak me to super-saiyan me" over x amount of years and x hurdles.
adcoms see 1000000 of those.

*advise i got from a prof who sat on MD adcom for many years

Hahaha, best advice I've come across. I'm going to remember this.

 

[Sephisabin]

I really don't think anyone gets throw aside for being too creative... Creativity and maturity are not mutually exclusive. Remember, this is a PERSONAL statement... make it personal. You should absolutely tell stories... maybe an average PS won't get you overlooked, but that doesn't mean you should strive to be average.

The adcoms have to read 100s of these every day... telling a story makes it interesting and gives them something to remember... "Oh yeah, he's the kid who got hit in the face with a baseball and lost 3 teeth..." vs. "Oh yeah, he's the kid who had a 3.6 and volunteered at a dental office... wait... which of the 2500 kids was that?"

Do, however, make sure that your stories are relevant... while it's great that you won the pinewood derby when you were a cub scout, that might not be the best thing to write about... Further, your entire PS doesn't have to be a story, but it should definitely contain one (or more). While anyone can say "I'm responsible and have good time-management skills," you'll give yourself credibility if you can tell a story that proves it.