PS Help

[medstu2006]

I am a senior undergrad student and will be applying this year to med school. I lived in india for 15 yrs, finished 11th and 12th of High School in US and now in college. My vounteer includes 30 ER hrs., 50 American Red Cross, American Cancer scoiety, some shadowing and other clubs at college. I feel that my ECs are not quite strong. I just wanted some advice as to how I should write me PS.

Should I also include why my ECs are not quite strong? It's mainly because I was new in the US, did not have a car for a long time, my mom walked to work, my dad drove the other one to work and I was stranded at home.
You think the adcoms will consider all this?

Thanks in advance.

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[Apparition]

Just make the experiences that you did have sound meaningful. I don't think you should write in your PS that you could've done more if you had a car. You can describe your hardships due to just coming to the US and let them come to their own conclusions.

 

[Centinel]

Yeah, at my entire school I know 4 people with a car, myself not included. Don't apologize for not having solid ECs. Instead, talk about what in your experience makes you unique and how that will help you be a great medical student and doctor. Dwelling on a negative will not help your application.

 

[Liz1017]

I had a totally different situation but similar in the fact that my EC's aren't fabulous b/c I had other stuff going on. I didn't make excuses in my PS but I explained how although I wasn't volunteering and researching up a storm these experiences were of value and how it pertains to me wanting to be a doctor. All you can do is explain it the best way you can and make it sound meaningful. If you do this an admissions committee will see it too and take it into consideration...at least that's what I'm hoping-we'll find out!

 

[medstu2006]

I had a totally different situation but similar in the fact that my EC's aren't fabulous b/c I had other stuff going on. I didn't make excuses in my PS but I explained how although I wasn't volunteering and researching up a storm these experiences were of value and how it pertains to me wanting to be a doctor. All you can do is explain it the best way you can and make it sound meaningful. If you do this an admissions committee will see it too and take it into consideration...at least that's what I'm hoping-we'll find out!

Yeah. I was worried because giving excuses for not volunteering seemed more like whining about it. I will try to keep my PS as positive as possible. Thanx guys for your advice. Any others advice will be appreciated.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

You do not want to list all of your ECs in the personal statement, you did that in the application.

what you need to remember is that the personal statement is actually a long answer to a very hard question. "Why do you want to be a doctor?"

Think about it. Tell a story. Answer the question. then give your essay to 5 people. 1) Pre-med advisor, 2) Editor, 3) A librarian, 4) A professional, 5) A professor. I went through 4 drafts before I had a good essay that the 5 people I gave it to liked and felt it answered the question.