PS and quotations

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hey;


While there is no set standard on how we approach the PS, is it "OK" to use a quote in the PS?

No. Quotations in personal statements are vomit-inducing and if I were on an admission committee I would instantly reject any applicant who used them. Nobody lives their lives by quotations and nobody really thinks about them until it's time to do a personal statement.
 

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quote by a famous physician in the field i am applying to

"The physician who knows syphilis knows medicine."

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part of me agrees with panda bear and most likely, the majority....i am just going to paraphrase...although doesn't sound nearly as eloquent :/
 
No. Quotations in personal statements are vomit-inducing and if I were on an admission committee I would instantly reject any applicant who used them. Nobody lives their lives by quotations and nobody really thinks about them until it's time to do a personal statement.

Can I quote you on that?

More seriously, it doesn't matter. It's common to start a PS with a quote. If you think you'll be unique, you won't.
 
quotes are OK

I started my fellowship personal statement w/a quote and some people seemed to like it. You wouldn't want to fill up your PS with trite quotes, but a well placed one can be part of a good essay/PS.
 
May I suggest the following quote: “Rules are mostly made to be broken and are too often for the lazy to hide behind”
 
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