Proofreading Personal Statement

[Lechatnoir]

How do you guys feel about having an online company like essayedge.com proofread/give tips on your personal statement? I would like to have someone help me with my statement, not writing it or anything, just give me tips on how to make it better. Do you think this is a bad idea? Is there a way the schools could find out somehow? Could this be considered "cheating"?

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[Angelo84]

When this has come up before the concensus has been that its not worth the money. Have friends, relatives, english professors etc read your essay. Several people on here have offered to read essays before. I don't know the thread off hand but you might be able to find it in a search. I would offer to read it but I have never considered myself a great writer so I don't know how much it would help.

 

[No Imagination]

I wouldn't worry about a school finding out, and I certainly wouldn't consider it cheating. In fact, schools recommend you have SOMEONE proof read it for you.

That said, friends, relatives, total strangers are probably the way to go. After you've written you PS 4-5 times, and its been reedited 4-5 more times, you will notice everyone (who actually puts the time in), has an opinion. "Perhaps you don't want to say this", or "perhaps you should say that"

In the end, my PS opened with a fragment/incomplete sentence, and referred to myself as 'annoying'. Despite a few remarks, I choose to leave it. Have friends fix grammar, spelling, and logical arguments that you missed, but I don't see the point in paying someone.

 

[sumstorm]

If you are in school, you can ask profs, career counselors, writing lab staff, etc to proof it. Also, ask around with any group you know. Church, parents friends, humane society volunteers, etc. I asked a group of fellow dog trainers and found that one of them is a retired newspaper and magazine editor and another is a current editor in an pet magazine. I also found a volunteer at a rescue organization that I worked with who is a technical writer. Between all of those, I believe my PS was well edited and improved.

 

[sumstorm]

In the end, my PS opened with a fragment/incomplete sentence, and referred to myself as 'annoying'. Despite a few remarks, I choose to leave it. Have friends fix grammar, spelling, and logical arguments that you missed, but I don't see the point in paying someone.

MY PS ended with a grammatically incorrect sentence including the phrase"(BECAUSE I HAVE)" in it. I would never have done that myself because it isn't technically appropriate. A magazine editor put it in, and it made me sound more bold and confident, so it stayed. I am in, so I guess it worked.

 

[luplodw]

Lots of people on SDN (including myself) have offered to proofread personal statements. I think it is important to get criticisms from friends and family who know you and can help you put in personal touches. I think it is also important to get someone who is either pre-vet or a veterinarian to read it to help you with the important topics that should go in

 

[HopefulAg]

Well it should be noted that this thread is over a year old and the necroer was a spammer, however we need a PS thread going into the new cycle so:

Ahoy! Thread off the starboard side! Man the replies! Batten down the submit buttons! Smilies! Prepare to board!! Arrrr! This thread be hijacked!




We were talking about needing a PS thread earlier anyhow. So if anyone wants someone to read their PS, I'll also volunteer.

 

[BlacKAT33]

Well it should be noted that this thread is over a year old and the necroer was a spammer,

necroer?? i must be stupid because i dont get this sentence. and i know lechatnoir isn't a spammer lol but ya, i was wondering why this old thread was bumped!

anywho, i will board this ship. bring on the personal statements!

 

[luplodw]

Necroer was a spammer who bumped the thread to promote a website that proofread papers. He was banned and so his post disappeared making it look like I bumped the thread

 

[HopefulAg]

necroer?? i must be stupid because i dont get this sentence. and i know lechatnoir isn't a spammer lol but ya, i was wondering why this old thread was bumped!

Like lupold said the referenced post is missing. But a necro-er is derived from the word necromancer (I suppose? Not sure what the original context was) which brings stuff back from the dead. Bringing a dead post back from the dead = necroing, or necro posting.