PS cut off in submitted app?

[cyaneidae]

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I already sent a message to AACOMAS, but in the meantime I was wondering if this happened to anyone else:

When I checked the version of my app that was released to the schools today, my personal statement was literally cut off--my last word was missing a letter and the period after it was also gone. When I went back to edit my PS, it says I only used 4497 characters--and on the application summary page, my whole essay appears as is in the form.

I may have to find a word to cut here or there, but I thought I was still under the character limit when I submitted it. Did this happen to anyone else in their app that was submitted to the schools today?

 

[bawkbawkcluck]

I already sent a message to AACOMAS, but in the meantime I was wondering if this happened to anyone else:

When I checked the version of my app that was released to the schools today, my personal statement was literally cut off--my last word was missing a letter and the period after it was also gone. When I went back to edit my PS, it says I only used 4497 characters--and on the application summary page, my whole essay appears as is in the form.

I may have to find a word to cut here or there, but I thought I was still under the character limit when I submitted it. Did this happen to anyone else in their app that was submitted to the schools today?

Ouch. Well, at least it's obvious that you just went over the limit, and this wasn't a proofreading error on your part. That being said though, being concise is KEY. You can pack a lot into a PS without pushing the character limit. DO NOT bore the **** outta interviewers with long-winded stories and fluff. Rambling is 2nd only to arrogance in getting nixed in an interview. Not saying you did either in your PS, just a helpful reminder.

 

[TopTomato]

I already sent a message to AACOMAS, but in the meantime I was wondering if this happened to anyone else:

When I checked the version of my app that was released to the schools today, my personal statement was literally cut off--my last word was missing a letter and the period after it was also gone. When I went back to edit my PS, it says I only used 4497 characters--and on the application summary page, my whole essay appears as is in the form.

I may have to find a word to cut here or there, but I thought I was still under the character limit when I submitted it. Did this happen to anyone else in their app that was submitted to the schools today?

Hmm that sucks, I just checked mine cause I know my character count was at 4498 on the summary page. Mine seems ok. Did you use MS word to type your PS? In the AACOMAS instruction page it says not to use it because it can cause some problems I think.

 

[bawkbawkcluck]

reminds me of this

 

[cyaneidae]

Ouch. Well, at least it's obvious that you just went over the limit, and this wasn't a proofreading error on your part. That being said though, being concise is KEY. You can pack a lot into a PS without pushing the character limit. DO NOT bore the **** outta interviewers with long-winded stories and fluff. Rambling is 2nd only to arrogance in getting nixed in an interview. Not saying you did either in your PS, just a helpful reminder.

It sucks because I was trying to be very careful and NOT do that very thing while writing and editing it--I would've taken a word out had I known it would've done this. =(

Believe me, I completely understand the concise part--I edited my 5200 character AMCAS essay down to the 4497 character AACOMAS essay and definitely made things more concise by taking out 700 characters. I just write really long sentences and am very descriptive in my writing, I think.

I will be careful in my interviews not to be long-winded/boring, for sure.

 

[cyaneidae]

Hmm that sucks, I just checked mine cause I know my character count was at 4498 on the summary page. Mine seems ok. Did you use MS word to type your PS? In the AACOMAS instruction page it says not to use it because it can cause some problems I think.

I did, whoops. Would it be a good idea to copy it into a text file or something and then paste it back into the AACOMAS app? All I need to add back in is a period and a letter; I would hope schools would understand.

 

[survivordo]

It sucks because I was trying to be very careful and NOT do that very thing while writing and editing it--I would've taken a word out had I known it would've done this. =(

Believe me, I completely understand the concise part--I edited my 5200 character AMCAS essay down to the 4498 character AACOMAS essay and definitely made things more concise by taking out 700 characters. I just write really long sentences and am very descriptive in my writing, I think.

I will be careful in my interviews not to be long-winded/boring, for sure.

Interviews you will want to be careful to strike this balance between personable and long-winded. I had the opposite situation, I tend to be rather quiet. Basically you just need to bring yourself toward the middle-ground regardless. The trick with interviews is to standout but only a little bit!

Survivor DO

 

[TopTomato]

I did, whoops. Would it be a good idea to copy it into a text file or something and then paste it back into the AACOMAS app? All I need to add back in is a period and a letter; I would hope schools would understand.

Yeah they recommend copy and pasting it into notepad before you copy and paste into your app. Did you also take into account that spaces between paragraphs and indents account for characters?

 

[cyaneidae]

Interviews you will want to be careful to strike this balance between personable and long-winded. I had the opposite situation, I tend to be rather quiet. Basically you just need to bring yourself toward the middle-ground regardless. The trick with interviews is to standout but only a little bit!

Survivor DO

Good advice; thanks! I have dealt with both ends of the spectrum (I am a natural introvert and sometimes tend to overcompensate in conversations...it also really depends on the conversation whether I'm very quiet or fairly talkative).

My writing, however, is definitely long and detailed...which is why I'm having this PS cutoff problem (although I should be under the limit according to the AACOMAS form character count...).

 

[cyaneidae]

Yeah they recommend copy and pasting it into notepad before you copy and paste into your app. Did you also take into account that spaces between paragraphs and indents account for characters?

Hmm, okay. I will see how AACOMAS replies on Monday and will redo the copying and pasting if necessary.

I don't know (I think so?); I just know that on the AACOMAS app itself it says I'm at 4497 characters and no words are cut off on the editable application (and on the application summary page too!)...yet on the submitted school apps my last word is cutoff. =(