Personal Statement spacing? 5300 character count

[Tobi222]

Hi everyone,

So I typed out my personal statement on word document and then tried pasting it onto the AMCAS personal statement box. I guess I misunderstood that "5300 characters" is not the same as 5300 words. Basically, I wrote too much. I will probably trim it down to fit 5300 character requirement. I was just wondering if it's better to space out my personal statement in paragraph chunks (like a real essay) or just to have it as one gigantic long paragraph? Does it matter? I'm trying to save as many characters as I can ):

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[premedalt]

I think the adcoms reading it would strongly prefer for there to be paragraphs.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Hi everyone,

So I typed out my personal statement on word document and then tried pasting it onto the AMCAS personal statement box. I guess I misunderstood that "5300 characters" is not the same as 5300 words. Basically, I wrote too much. I will probably trim it down to fit 5300 character requirement. I was just wondering if it's better to space out my personal statement in paragraph chunks (like a real essay) or just to have it as one gigantic long paragraph? Does it matter? I'm trying to save as many characters as I can ):

So two things. First, definitely break it up into paragraphs. If you were reading hundreds of personal statements, would you spend the time reading a giant wall of text? Second, are you just now going to be submitting your primary?

 

[Catalystik]

I typed out my personal statement on word document and then tried pasting it onto the AMCAS personal statement box. I guess I misunderstood that "5300 characters" is not the same as 5300 words. Basically, I wrote too much. I will probably trim it down to fit 5300 character requirement. I was just wondering if it's better to space out my personal statement in paragraph chunks (like a real essay) or just to have it as one gigantic long paragraph? Does it matter? I'm trying to save as many characters as I can ):

I recommend you not use Word, but rather a plain text editor, as paragraphing and special characters won't translate well to the AMCAS PS box (like question marks, apostrophes, exclamations, quotations, etc). Or just type your final essay directly into the provided space.

Three to five paragraphs created with two hard returns with the Enter Key works well and uses few characters.

 

[Catalystik]

I think the adcoms reading it would strongly prefer for there to be paragraphs.

Thank you.

 

[Powerlifter95]

laughing so hard at the thought of an adcom receiving a PS in the form of a giant text wall. insert "LOL did not read" gif.

 

[mariposas905]

I recommend you not use Word, but rather a plain text editor, as paragraphing and special characters won't translate well to the AMCAS PS box (like question marks, apostrophes, exclamations, quotations, etc). Or just type your final essay directly into the provided space.

Three to five paragraphs created with two hard returns with the Enter Key works well and uses few characters.

I did this for my PS, but for some reason, it didn't show up after I submitted and saw the pdf There are still paragraphs in the sense that there is one line between each paragraph but not 2-3 like I wanted. So it still looks mushed up together. Do you think this would annoy the adcoms reading mine?

 

[Tobi222]

So two things. First, definitely break it up into paragraphs. If you were reading hundreds of personal statements, would you spend the time reading a giant wall of text? Second, are you just now going to be submitting your primary?

Yeah I am unfortunately. My MCAT score comes out tomorrow and I am not sure if I did well. I wanted to make sure I knew my score before submitting my app. If it's bad then I'm not going to submit it and just re-apply next year.

 

[Tobi222]

laughing so hard at the thought of an adcom receiving a PS in the form of a giant text wall. insert "LOL did not read" gif.

LOL yeah now that I think about it... I'll space it out!

 

[Tobi222]

I recommend you not use Word, but rather a plain text editor, as paragraphing and special characters won't translate well to the AMCAS PS box (like question marks, apostrophes, exclamations, quotations, etc). Or just type your final essay directly into the provided space.

Three to five paragraphs created with two hard returns with the Enter Key works well and uses few characters.

Will do! Thank you!

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Yeah I am unfortunately. My MCAT score comes out tomorrow and I am not sure if I did well. I wanted to make sure I knew my score before submitting my app. If it's bad then I'm not going to submit it and just re-apply next year.

Okay. I mean you might want to wait anyway. Submitting your primary in late August is really late anyway even if you have amazing stats. It would suck to be a reapplicant just because you submitted late.

 

[Catalystik]

I did this for my PS, but for some reason, it didn't show up after I submitted and saw the pdf There are still paragraphs in the sense that there is one line between each paragraph but not 2-3 like I wanted. So it still looks mushed up together. Do you think this would annoy the adcoms reading mine?

One empty space between paragraphs is desirable and adequate.

 

[Tobi222]

Okay. I mean you might want to wait anyway. Submitting your primary in late August is really late anyway even if you have amazing stats. It would suck to be a reapplicant just because you submitted late.

True! I might still apply but maybe to 1 or 2 schools. If I do end up re-applying next year, will schools that I didn't apply to the cycle before know I am a re-applicant?

Is it bad to be known as a re-applicant? Assuming I don't do useless stuff during my gap year

 

[Catalystik]

1) I might still apply but maybe to 1 or 2 schools. If I do end up re-applying next year, will schools that I didn't apply to the cycle before know I am a re-applicant?

2) Is it bad to be known as a re-applicant? Assuming I don't do useless stuff during my gap year

1) No.

2) It depends on the school. And it depends on what you do to improve your application over that year.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

True! I might still apply but maybe to 1 or 2 schools. If I do end up re-applying next year, will schools that I didn't apply to the cycle before know I am a re-applicant?

Is it bad to be known as a re-applicant? Assuming I don't do useless stuff during my gap year

Only schools you apply to this cycle will know you’re a reapplicant if you apply to them again next cycle. But some schools ask on secondaries if you’ve ever applied to med school at all. I don’t think many do though.

I think if your reason for being a reapplicant was that you didn’t want to wait a cycle and applied really late and didn’t get in, then that will look bad. But I’m not an adcom.

 

[Catalystik]

I think if your reason for being a reapplicant was that you didn’t want to wait a cycle and applied really late and didn’t get in, then that will look bad. But I’m not an adcom.

Some adcomms might think you were too impatient, others will understand that every applicant doesn't have the resources to gain an intimate understanding of the true timing of the application cycle (supported by misleading published deadlines), and a few belong to institutions that actively discourage reapplicants or that actually give positive points to reapplicants.

 

[Tobi222]

Some adcomms might think you were too impatient, others will understand that every applicant doesn't have the resources to gain an intimate understanding of the true timing of the application cycle (supported by misleading published deadlines), and a few belong to institutions that actively discourage reapplicants or that actually give positive points to reapplicants.

Interesting..

I'm not trying to rush into the application cycle. I've already graduated college and so this will be my first gap year. If I apply next year, it'll be my 2nd gap year and honestly, I don't mind. I actually do want to be a strong applicant.

I just wanted to throw a school or 2 in this cycle because I figured it can't hurt. Or will it? Even if it's like a school or two?

 

[Catalystik]

Interesting..

I'm not trying to rush into the application cycle. I've already graduated college and so this will be my first gap year. If I apply next year, it'll be my 2nd gap year and honestly, I don't mind. I actually do want to be a strong applicant.

I just wanted to throw a school or 2 in this cycle because I figured it can't hurt. Or will it? Even if it's like a school or two?

If you know the two schools, look at SDN's School Specific threads from last cycle (links at the top of this forum) and get a feel for who applied late and what their outcome was, when interviews were offered and when they were all gone, etc. Some few schools start file evaluations and thus offering interviews much later than others, usually those which are smaller, or have a regional preference. School opinion about reapplicants might be found on the school's individual website. If you're going to apply this late in the cycle, you need to do so with your eyes wide open, as odds would not be in your favor.

 

[Tobi222]

If you know the two schools, look at SDN's School Specific threads from last cycle (links at the top of this forum) and get a feel for who applied late and what their outcome was, when interviews were offered and when they were all gone, etc. Some few schools start file evaluations and thus offering interviews much later than others, usually those which are smaller, or have a regional preference. School opinion about reapplicants might be found on the school's individual website. If you're going to apply this late in the cycle, you need to do so with your eyes wide open, as odds would not be in your favor.

Thank you for letting me know about that thread! Haven't seen it before. I'll definitely check it out!

 

[Catalystik]

Thank you for letting me know about that thread! Haven't seen it before. I'll definitely check it out!

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