Same Personal Statement Topic Second Round?

[Polo423]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'll be applying for the second time, and I'm stuck as to what to submit for a personal statement. The statement I wrote for my first round was about an experience that I really believe shaped me into who I am today. I was thinking of using the same topic but tweaking and updating it to include more recent events.

However on the flip side I'm not sure whether it is a good idea to submit the same themed statement again. Any advice?

 

[tremulousNeedle]

It's about walking the fine line between pretentiousness and humility all while keeping the reader's attention. Trust me, the biggest downer is a boring and long personal statement that starts out like, "I want to be a doctor because....".

As a personal ‘dislike', I am not fond when writers are too presumptuous about the future, hopes and dreams are ok, it's all in how you word it.

- admissions committee interviewer / senior medical student



Also, avoid controversy or overly personal topics, I had an applicant discuss sexual abuse he/she experienced and how it affected him/her and drove him/her towards medicine. While his/her insight was good and the story was powerful, it went down a road that made me and the other interviewer(s) question his/hers emotional stability.

 

[cpants]

I would hesitate to use the same statement topic. Remember, this topic was unsuccessful once already. I guess I would be more likely to use it if there was a glaringly obvious reason for my rejection which I had since corrected (eg. retook the MCAT and went from 25 to 32).

 

[jturkel]

i reapplied. i used the same anecdote, but also discussed being rejected from all the schools and reapplying. i have been told that it is good to discuss reapplying in your PS if you are a reapplicant. shows that you really thought about medical school and are truly dedicated to a medical career.

 

[ambam]

I agree with the previous posters. The same topic is okay, as long as the essay is a new essay. Update it with what you've done to make yourself a better canidate, and address why you've reapplied and how you've grown/changed.

YMMV,

Ambam

 

[dingyibvs]

yea its fine to use the same topic, just make sure to include experiences of the past year and show how youve improved.