Re-writing a personal statement

[theloop43]

I applied in the 2016-2017 cycle during my senior year of college but didn't get in due to a low MCAT. Took it again, but didn't get as high as I wanted so I am retaking for a 3rd time in June. I am applying this cycle but I want to know how much I need to change for my personal statement. From the time I submitted my last application I have graduated college with a 3.7 cumulative GPA, and a sGPA of >3.5. During my senior year I was a volunteer research assistant at a medical research facility. I have been working as a receptionist at a physicians clinic in a severely underserved area of my city (Chicago). I have plenty of volunteering, shadowing, and extra curriculars are decent and I am going through a master's program this fall. Should I keep the basics of my first essay and build on that with my new experiences or should I just completely change my essay? If I should change it, what kind of things should I include? In my first essay I focused on my achievements up until that point (wasn't at the research facility yet, GPA was slightly lower than what I graduated with, and my MCAT was was very low).

My old MCAT was a 497 (123/123/125/126)
Current MCAT is a 501 (124/126/125/126)

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[chaim123]

I applied in the 2016-2017 cycle during my senior year of college but didn't get in due to a low MCAT. Took it again, but didn't get as high as I wanted so I am retaking for a 3rd time in June. I am applying this cycle but I want to know how much I need to change for my personal statement. From the time I submitted my last application I have graduated college with a 3.7 cumulative GPA, and a sGPA of >3.5. During my senior year I was a volunteer research assistant at a medical research facility. I have been working as a receptionist at a physicians clinic in a severely underserved area of my city (Chicago). I have plenty of volunteering, shadowing, and extra curriculars are decent and I am going through a master's program this fall. Should I keep the basics of my first essay and build on that with my new experiences or should I just completely change my essay? If I should change it, what kind of things should I include? In my first essay I focused on my achievements up until that point (wasn't at the research facility yet, GPA was slightly lower than what I graduated with, and my MCAT was was very low).

My old MCAT was a 497 (123/123/125/126)
Current MCAT is a 501 (124/126/125/126)

Your PS needs to answer the question "Why Medicine". You often don't need to focus on achievements, because those are in your activities section. You should use specific experiences to show adcoms why you are a good fit for the career.

I'd rewrite completely. If it didn't work the first time, it would be best to scratch it. And as an adcom, I'd be unamused if you just turned the same thing in a second time.

 

[usernamesaredumb]

Your PS needs to answer the question "Why Medicine". You often don't need to focus on achievements, because those are in your activities section. You should use specific experiences to show adcoms why you are a good fit for the career.

I'd rewrite completely. If it didn't work the first time, it would be best to scratch it. And as an adcom, I'd be unamused if you just turned the same thing in a second time.

It needs to answer "why medicine" and "why you".