Pre-dents want help with personal statement?

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AtlantaBraves

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If you are applying this upcoming June and want me to proofread your personal statement, let me know! I have been lucky enough to get accepted to 4 schools with 9 interviews, and would love to help! Look forward to hearing from you!
 
I'll PM it when I clean it up a little but I was wondering...what sources did you use when you were writing your personal statement?
 
I'm pretty sure he/she meant things like websites and books providing advice and hints on the various aspects for applying to medical/dental schools. :ninja:

Yes, this is what I was referring to. What sources did you have? Who read your PS before you applied? (not like parents or a counselor who don't really know what dental schools are specifically looking for)
 
Yes, this is what I was referring to. What sources did you have? Who read your PS before you applied? (not like parents or a counselor who don't really know what dental schools are specifically looking for)

Oh. I got it. Sorry. At my school, we have a pre-health advisor that reviews our personal statement. We meet with the pre-health advisor along with 4 or 5 other students who also are applying. During the meeting we critique each other's personal statements. I also had my girlfriend, who is an english major, proofread it. And lastly, I had the dentist that I shadowed proofread it.
 
Yes, this is what I was referring to. What sources did you have? Who read your PS before you applied? (not like parents or a counselor who don't really know what dental schools are specifically looking for)

A ps is about you not about "what dental schools are specifically looking for".
 
A ps is about you not about "what dental schools are specifically looking for".

What I meant was asking advice from people who are connected to or associated with dental school admissions and can therefore give insight into what kind of picture a successful applicant can paint of him or herself. I think it would be beneficial to have someone who can judge my essay out of experience with dental school admissions.

I hope that clears things up.
 
What I meant was asking advice from people who are connected to or associated with dental school admissions and can therefore give insight into what kind of picture a successful applicant can paint of him or herself. I think it would be beneficial to have someone who can judge my essay out of experience with dental school admissions. I hope that clears things up.

You mean you need help in presenting yourself as Prince Charming/Cinderella.
 
What I meant was asking advice from people who are connected to or associated with dental school admissions and can therefore give insight into what kind of picture a successful applicant can paint of him or herself. I think it would be beneficial to have someone who can judge my essay out of experience with dental school admissions.

I hope that clears things up.

Hmm. The implication of "painting" oneself....does that indicate an intent to lie? Come on man. Personal statements should be completely individual, not cookie-cutter.
 
You mean you need help in presenting yourself as Prince Charming/Cinderella.

No, I'm not sure how you don't understand it. I want to present myself as someone who can be admitted to dental school. If someone can show me how to articulate my essay in that way, it would be helpful.

I'm also not sure how low the standards for admission were when you applied but I'm not sure why you are on a pre-dental site. You give people statistics and data that a monkey with an internet connection (or the ADEA Guide) could find with a little effort and call yourself a contributor.

You are just a dentist. If you don't have anything useful to contribute, don't contribute at all.
 
Hmm. The implication of "painting" oneself....does that indicate an intent to lie?

No it doesn't.

Come on man. Personal statements should be completely individual, not cookie-cutter.
Exactly, I don't want my essay to look like the 1000 other applicants. Someone who knows how the system work would be able to give insight to that.

Let me ask you something Aces, would you rather have advice from someone whose seen how the admission process works and can tell you if you look like a successful applicant or would you take advice from a parent, teacher, or some dentist who hasn't thought about dental school admission since he applied back in the 1990's?
 
That would be better than presenting yourself as an a*shole.

The voice of experience.

No, I'm not sure how you don't understand it. I want to present myself as someone who can be admitted to dental school. If someone can show me how to articulate my essay in that way, it would be helpful. I'm also not sure how low the standards for admission were when you applied but I'm not sure why you are on a pre-dental site. You give people statistics and data that a monkey with an internet connection (or the ADEA Guide) could find with a little effort and call yourself a contributor.

You need help articulating a ps, making it through ds, then help in making it as a professional. It does appear that at least one "monkey" perused the ready-to-use info rather than bother with the "internet connection" or the"ADEA Guide.
 
The voice of experience.



You need help articulating a ps, making it through ds, then help in making it as a professional. It does appear that at least one "monkey" perused the ready-to-use info rather than bother with the "internet connection" or the"ADEA Guide.

No. I took a look at the (useless) threads that you made in order to see your "contribution" (or lack of it).

You are clearly someone who is incapable of understanding a simple concept like why someone would want their essay to be the strongest it can be, so I don't see any point in trying to explain it to you.
 
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Just ignore doc toothache and AcesInTheSky. I am willing to help, so just send me a personal message if you want.
 
No. I took a look at the (useless) threads that you made in order to see your "contribution" (or lack of it).

You are clearly not someone who is incapable of understanding a simple concept like why someone would want their essay to be the strongest it can be, so I don't see any point in trying to explain it to you.

Dont take Doc's words seriously. He gives everyone a hard time. His words keeps people on track sometiems. Take it or leave it. 🙄
 
No, I'm not sure how you don't understand it. I want to present myself as someone who can be admitted to dental school. If someone can show me how to articulate my essay in that way, it would be helpful.

I'm also not sure how low the standards for admission were when you applied but I'm not sure why you are on a pre-dental site. You give people statistics and data that a monkey with an internet connection (or the ADEA Guide) could find with a little effort and call yourself a contributor.

You are just a dentist. If you don't have anything useful to contribute, don't contribute at all.

Your misunderstanding the doc's point or the whole purpose of the personal statement all together...

A personal statement's job is to answer the question "Why Dentistry".... You are not supposed to construct the essay based on what you "think" adcoms are looking for.... they are not looking for anything in particular.

Come up with a clever, logical, and mature answer to the question and you should have yourself a presentable PS.
 
Whether we admit it or not, there are certain things that adcoms do not like to see in personal statements.
 
Be careful who you send your personal statement to...make sure you find someone who is already in dental school and has a good reputation on the forum, or even better, opt for good writers you know personally.
 
I would actually like to know what qualifications doc toothache has to be dolling out advice to pre-dents.

On the pre-med forum, there are several adcom members who give constructive advice from their experience of looking over a lot of applications, two of them actually take part in the "what are my chances?" section pretty actively and do a great service to the pre-meds over there.

I was actually surprised by looking through doc toothaches history on SDN. Most of the info is outdated and the most recent data can be found if you have the 2010 adea book or if you go to the ada website. Is doc toothache an adcom member or someone who evaluates a lot of pre-dent applications?
 
I would actually like to know what qualifications doc toothache has to be dolling out advice to pre-dents.
I was actually surprised by looking through doc toothaches history on SDN. Most of the info is outdated and the most recent data can be found if you have the 2010 adea book or if you go to the ada website. Is doc toothache an adcom member or someone who evaluates a lot of pre-dent applications?

Golly gee! Looking for your contribution to up-to-date or outdated info; ....searching....searching....searching..
 
Golly gee! Looking for your contribution to up-to-date or outdated info; ....searching....searching....searching..

:laugh: Nice job not answering a simple question "doc."

I am an undergraduate, my purpose here is to pose questions for my own knowledge, not to answer. It's kind of pathetic to see you trying to take your own insecurities out on pre-dents.

I hope your reading comprehension skills work because I'm going to ask you two very simple questions: Are you affiliated with a dental school admissions committee and what qualifications do you have to be dolling out advice?
 
I hope your reading comprehension skills work because I'm going to ask you two very simple questions: Are you affiliated with a dental school admissions committee and what qualifications do you have to be dolling out advice?

Bring your flood lights and your credentials; ss, kgb... and maybe....
 
but i didn't think it was that easy. Obviously it's harder now.


Bring your flood lights and your credentials; ss, kgb... and maybe....

I'll take that as a no to both questions. And it seems that your reading comprehension skills are severely sub-par.
 
I think having someone proofread your statement is a good idea for sure, more than one person even. But the content of that statement is what makes it personal and unique to you. The proofreader's only job, in my opinion, should be to give advice on grammar and style.

AtlantaBraves, you might consider listing your qualifications other than "getting in", and perhaps even posting your own personal statement, or a variant of it (if that's allowed), might be more convincing. Otherwise, you do a great service to this community if you stick around, I know from reading posts here that many could benefit from a good proofreading 😉

Could we please stay on topic guys, doc toothache is a great contributor, we all come with our own personal "incongruities", just deal with it or take it to PM.
 
I think having someone proofread your statement is a good idea for sure, more than one person even. But the content of that statement is what makes it personal and unique to you. The proofreader's only job, in my opinion, should be to give advice on grammar and style.

AtlantaBraves, you might consider listing your qualifications other than "getting in", and perhaps even posting your own personal statement, or a variant of it (if that's allowed), might be more convincing. Otherwise, you do a great service to this community if you stick around, I know from reading posts here that many could benefit from a good proofreading 😉

Could we please stay on topic guys, doc toothache is a great contributor, we all come with our own personal "incongruities", just deal with it or take it to PM.

Qualifications? In truth, my only qualifications are "getting in" to a few different schools. If that's not enough, then don't ask me for my help. I was just feeling grateful for having been accepted, and for all of the help that I received from others when writing my personal statement. I was hoping to provide others with the same help. I have been putting in more effort justifying why I am qualified than actually helping people. If you do not think I am qualified based on only "getting in," then by all means, get somebody else's help.

Any comments that anybody makes on ones personal statement should always be verified from at least one other person. There were so many different people who gave me suggestions about my personal statement. Some were good suggestions. Most were bad. If I would have listened to everybody, I would have had a horrible personal statement. At the end of the day, it was my choice on what I would and wouldn't include.
 
476515678234896,

I am not sure what "out dated" stuffs you've been reading about with regards to the doc's information, but most of his stuff comes directly from ADEA books, some more recent than others, but they give out pretty good general ideas of things

Granted he doesn't post the nicest comments, nevertheless, he has a voice, and most of the time, his comments/advice isn't wrong nor misguided.

SPEAKING OF PROOF-READING PERSONAL STATEMENTS.... The good-ole doc runs a proof reading service that I think ALL SDN PRE-DENTS should utilize. I'll be the first to say, there is a huge chance he'll tear down your first draft and make you feel like an idiot..... He was the first person ever to read my draft and he wasn't very polite lol, but.... He VERY helpful..... He is THE only SDNer I trusted my PS to
 
476515678234896,

I am not sure what "out dated" stuffs you've been reading about with regards to the doc's information, but most of his stuff comes directly from ADEA books, some more recent than others, but they give out pretty good general ideas of things

I don't disagree that doc toothache has some insight, I just want to know where my information is coming from. I don't think that all of his contribution is useless but how can anyone take it seriously if all we know is that he is a dentist.

I also don't think it's unreasonable to want to know the source of advice and what their qualification is for giving it.

The advice from practicing physicians on the pre med forum is a lot better than the stuff here because it is well known that LizzyM and Catalysk are admission committee members. They are helpful, useful, and respectful. They provide information and assistance in a reasonable way. Because I visit both forums, I can see a stark difference in the quality and manner that information is given by professionals to undergraduates. doc toothache's posts reflect just how inadequate the contribution from quality people is here.


Granted he doesn't post the nicest comments, nevertheless, he has a voice, and most of the time, his comments/advice isn't wrong nor misguided.
The fact that his posts are often negative and make him look like an ass do contribute to the negative reception he has. The fact that he's a dentist doesn't give him the right to look down on pre-dents looking for advice on what is after all... a pre-dental forum.
 
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I am also willing to help with personal statements. I was accepted to a handful of schools as well, and I also wrote for a newspaper for three years, so I have some English and editing background.

What Atlanta braves is doing is awesome. It always helps to have another set of eyes on your personal statement, especially someone who has already been accepted to dental school.
 
I don't disagree that doc toothache has some insight, I just want to know where my information is coming from. I don't think that all of his contribution is useless but how can anyone take it seriously if all we know is that he is a dentist.

I also don't think it's unreasonable to want to know the source of advice and what their qualification is for giving it.

The advice from practicing physicians on the pre med forum is a lot better than the stuff here because it is well known that LizzyM and Catalysk are admission committee members. They are helpful, useful, and respectful. They provide information and assistance in a reasonable way. Because I visit both forums, I can see a stark difference in the quality and manner that information is given by professionals to undergraduates. doc toothache's posts reflect just how inadequate the contribution from quality people is here.


The fact that his posts are often negative and make him look like an ass do contribute to the negative reception he has. The fact that he's a dentist doesn't give him the right to look down on pre-dents looking for advice on what is after all... a pre-dental forum.

Amen to that.👍
I pity his patients.
 
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