personal statement on AMCAS?

[aviary17]

Hi. I know this is a dumb question, but please tell me the answer because I am totally serious. Is the "personal statement" everyone talks about referring to the essay required on AMCAS? Or is the ps part of secondary applications? Thank you.

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[Mobius1985]

The Personal Statement is the essay you write on the AMCAS application (primary) usually about why you want to be a doctor. Other essays will be requested on the secondaries you receive later from each school.

 

[Bretzel]

Do all secondaries have additional essays to write? Approximately what percentage have essays? And how many typically?

 

[Mobius1985]

No, there are a few schools that do not require essays. The vast majority do, however. Three essays is typical. Five is rare. There's at least one requiring more than that.

 

[moe_4eva]

No, there are a few schools that do not require essays. The vast majority do, however. Three essays is typical. Five is rare. There's at least one requiring more than that.

3 is more of an exception, rather than a rule. Most schools I applied to required 1-2 additional essays. Very few required more than that.

 

[LikeClockWork]

3 is more of an exception, rather than a rule. Most schools I applied to required 1-2 additional essays. Very few required more than that.

One secondary I filled out at 20 additional essays, though they were all 500 characters or less, so not so bad.

 

[chad5871]

One secondary I filled out at 20 additional essays, though they were all 500 characters or less, so not so bad.

20?!?!?! I thought Duke had the most for MD programs, and if I remember correctly they have "only" 7-8 additional essays.

I don't think questions like "Has one of your relatives attended this University? If so, who?" count as an essay question...

 

[Alexander99]

The good thing is if the essays tend to repeat themselves and if you do enough of them, you'll have a database of mini essays you can use to send in with the secondaries. I think by the time I had done my 10th secondary, I didn't really have to write any more essays--I could just copy and paste essays I had written for other schools.

 

[Character]

Hi. I know this is a dumb question, but please tell me the answer because I am totally serious. Is the "personal statement" everyone talks about referring to the essay required on AMCAS? Or is the ps part of secondary applications? Thank you.

amcas