re-using personal statement

[Blitzkrieg]

if I dont get in this year, can I reuse the personal statement for next year? it really is lovely.

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[banannie]

not if you used the quote at the bottom of you SDN posts!



signed,
a fan of W.E.B.duBois

 

[lola]

blitzkrieg, try using the search function

there have been quite a few threads on this. the general consensus is no, although my opinion is that it might be ok in some instances like if all that's weak on your app is your mcat score & you retake it and do much better. i will probably reuse mine if i apply again but will update certain parts of it.

i think this is a hard question to answer when we don't know your application and haven't read your personal statement. your premed advisor (if you have one) would probably be the best person to answer.

 

[UCLA2000]

I'll be blunt, and I'm not trying to sound like an ass when I say this, but..If your personal statement was really great, then you probably would have gotten in this year.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

Originally posted by Blitzkrieg
if I dont get in this year, can I reuse the personal statement for next year? it really is lovely.

oh no no honey!!
I inquired about this with a once-UCSF advisor and it was a big "no no." You should have learned something, done something, in the last year that you can talk about, right?

why are you being so negative anyway? Buck up boyo, these schools are gonna come chasing after you in December/January. HUG

 

[Camden772]

While I don't know if I necessarily agree with UCLA 2000 that no acceptances this year indicates that your personal statement was not really that great, I have heard that it is generally not a good idea to re-submit the same personal statement. In fact, I remember reading a statement by a former admissions director that if she saw the exact same personal statement as the prior application year, she already felt as if the applicant was somehow demonstrating that s/he had not improved in any significant respect. I think you can use your existing personal statement as a building block, but I think you should modify it significantly and specifically address why you are a better applicant now.

Having said all this, I have to agree with Tweetie that it's a little early to start thinking so negatively. Although it's always good to have a backup plan, there is still tons of time for you to receive multiple acceptances.

 

[OneStrongBro]

Listen, I say why risk it? If it is noticed, you are seen as LAZY, STATIC, or UNMOTIVATED. Med School requires memorization of volumes of information i.e. you will have to have a strong work ethic to succeed. Do you really want to give the impression that you are lazy?

Or that you are not taking the MED school serious enough to modify your applicaition?

We all like short cuts. But this is MED SCHOOL. I SAY IT AGAIN, THIS IS MED SCHOOL. Show them how MUCH IT MEANS TO YOU.

 

[Saluki]

Originally posted by banannie
not if you used the quote at the bottom of you SDN posts!



signed,
a fan of W.E.B.duBois

I don't think it's a bad quote, and anything Booker T. Washington said is worth listening to....

 

[Blitzkrieg]

actually,

med school admissions people have told me that my personal statement is the very best that they have ever seen, so b00yah.

I was just curious..I think I'll probably get in.

and mash, thx for zie backup. Funny how a quote from an african-american about other african-americans can be racist!

 

[Adcadet]

Originally posted by banannie
not if you used the quote at the bottom of you SDN posts!



signed,
a fan of W.E.B.duBois

Wait, we're not supposed to use or SDN sig for our personal statement?

 

[Adcadet]

I was a reapplicant this year, and got in. I applied two years ago. I don't understand how you can be a "good" reapplicant and not have done something significant between applicantions to mention in your PS. I'm not saying you should dramatically alter a great PS - but to not add anything I think suggests that you have settled and haven't done much since your previous application.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I have a feeling I wont need any of this advice (hope to get in), but thanks y'all!