Question regarding my personal statement

[Mackerel]

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Hey guys,

I dropped out of high school with a < 2.0 GPA. The school I went to had a high dropout rate. I recieved my GED and went to a four year urban college. I'm now doing extremely well for myself. I'm first author on a research paper, recieved a training grant from the NIH, tutor disadvantaged students, etc.

Anyways, now that I'm doing well, would commenting on the GED part add any negative overtones? I really do not want to write a sob story.

BTW, the high school is a one minute drive from the newly built dental school.

 

[polarnut]

Hey guys,

I dropped out of high school with a < 2.0 GPA. The school I went to had a high dropout rate. I recieved my GED and went to a four year urban college. I'm now doing extremely well for myself. I'm first author on a research paper, recieved a training grant from the NIH, tutor disadvantaged students, etc.

Anyways, now that I'm doing well, would commenting on the GED part add any negative overtones? I really do not want to write a sob story.

BTW, the high school is a one minute drive from the newly built dental school.

may i ask which dental school this is? also, if the high school is located right there, i think you'd be a fool not to include it in your essay and turn it into a sob story. they'd eat that up like fries with ketchup.

 

[howui3]

I personally think that you going back and getting your GED and then doing well in college shows dedication and perseverance. It also shows that you are dedicated and can overcome hardships. These are all great qualities that can be emphasized in your personal statement or the secondary essays.

There is a way to make your story inspiring and admirable and there is a way to turn it into a sob story. You want to write it so that the admissions see you are dedicated, hard worker, and can overcome life's hardships.

Congrats on going well in school. Good luck.

 

[Mackerel]

Colorado.

Is anyone going to the Rocky Mountain Dental Conference tomorrow?

 

[Mackerel]

BTW, would writing that I want to serve the underserved be too cliche? I have shadowed a family member who runs a successful practice. His client base is 90% hispanic. I find it interesting that many cannot afford root canals, so he does a lot of extractions.

 

[WonderY]

I wouldn't worry about it being cliche, but that is genuinely what you want to do and hopefully plan on doing in the future. The personal statement is supposed to be "personal" after all. Of course, you should make it all flow together, so that it will paint a better of YOU to the adcom. It's likely that you will be asked a few questions regarding your statement at your interviews...so it's always good to be honest. Write it like you mean it.

 

[howui3]

BTW, would writing that I want to serve the underserved be too cliche? I have shadowed a family member who runs a successful practice. His client base is 90% hispanic. I find it interesting that many cannot afford root canals, so he does a lot of extractions.

If you are Hispanic or fluent is Spanish you can include that you want to help those in need, and being Hispanic or speaking spanish will help you identify with patients, something like that.

 

[Mackerel]

Thing is, I do not speak fluent spanish. Neither do four of the associates at the practice. It all works out, however. The dental assistants are bilingual. I see them translating a lot. I'm more worried about keeping up with professional sports in order to build a relationship with patients. Go Broncos.

I'm actually serious about the sports. 😀