Personal Statements

[DrRae]

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Ok guys. I need to start working on my personal statement so that I have plenty of time to write it, review it, and have others review it. I won't be applying until next year, but I want plenty of time to change it etc... Anyhow does anyone have any ideas, personal experience? I know the general format of the statement, so if possible I'd like specific instances etc.. Thanks in advance.
DrRae

 

[cudvm2005]

I wrote my personal statement kind of like a narrative of my experiences and how that shaped my decision to apply to vet school. I was sort of a non-tradtional student, and I used the statement to explain certain aspectes of my application that would not be explained with just the VMCAS application. I used the space to tie in all my academic and work experiences and showed how they all related to the goal of becoming a veterinarian. It wasn't easy, but I think it was convincing enough.
Things to definitely avoid would be "I love animals", "I've always wanted to be a vet since I was three years old", "I love science and animals"-type statements. They are trite and cliche. You need to use this statement as a way of personalizing your application. There are thousands of qualified applications that come into schools, that are separated only by miniscule GPA points and animal-related experiences. The personal statement is your opportunity to show the adcomms exactly what you have to offer to them and what you have to offer to vet medicine.
I think it's also important to keep the statement brief (1000 words I think is ideal.) Good luck
Joanne

 

[CoffeeCrazy]

I wrote my personal statement about my decision to attend vet school. When I was in college, I didn't really want to be a veterinarian because I thought the compensation wasn't worth the overall cost. But I continued volunteering with different animal organizations and had a part-time job with a couple research vets, so I concluded that I obviously was seeking out veterinary type experiences. I also think I am a non-traditional student, so this part of the application gave me the chance to explain how my experiences showed me that I'm drawn to working in a veterinary field and how my outside experiences (economics classes, my job as a research tech) will contribute to my being a veterinarian.