Secondary Essay Prompt

[mrthreeyear]

New to student doctor network, so if this is the wrong place I apologize and ask that someone can guide me to the correct forum. But I am applying this cycle and IU is a school on my list. I am having some difficulty coming up with good ideas for their short essay prompt. For this prompt, "Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?" I had an idea and wanted people's feedback. Two ideas I came up with were one, the challenge I had when transitioning from high school to college and how I could not manage time between school, work, and family. The other was about my grandfather who I looked up to as a role model and was very close to, and having the challenge of him passing. I would appreciate any help I can get.

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[macsak]

either

New to student doctor network, so if this is the wrong place I apologize and ask that someone can guide me to the correct forum. But I am applying this cycle and IU is a school on my list. I am having some difficulty coming up with good ideas for their short essay prompt. For this prompt, "Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?" I had an idea and wanted people's feedback. Two ideas I came up with were one, the challenge I had when transitioning from high school to college and how I could not manage time between school, work, and family. The other was about my grandfather who I looked up to as a role model and was very close to, and having the challenge of him passing. I would appreciate any help I can get.

either is fine...

 

[mrthreeyear]

either

either is fine...

Thank you I appreciate your response. If I may ask did you apply to Indiana, and if so and willing, would you mind if I asked what prompt you chose and what you wrote about. Just so that I can get an idea of how I should explain my idea.

 

[macsak]

Thank you I appreciate your response. If I may ask did you apply to Indiana, and if so and willing, would you mind if I asked what prompt you chose and what you wrote about. Just so that I can get an idea of how I should explain my idea.

no and no

 

[Mr.Smile12]

New to student doctor network, so if this is the wrong place I apologize and ask that someone can guide me to the correct forum. But I am applying this cycle and IU is a school on my list. I am having some difficulty coming up with good ideas for their short essay prompt. For this prompt, "Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?" I had an idea and wanted people's feedback. Two ideas I came up with were one, the challenge I had when transitioning from high school to college and how I could not manage time between school, work, and family. The other was about my grandfather who I looked up to as a role model and was very close to, and having the challenge of him passing. I would appreciate any help I can get.

Either is okay though I lean on the first as being more effective for a response for me. I don't really know how your grandfather's death is a failure on your own part... everyone would like more time. It also feels like an invitation to a pity party.

 

[mrthreeyear]

Either is okay though I lean on the first as being more effective for a response for me. I don't really know how your grandfather's death is a failure on your own part... everyone would like more time. It also feels like an invitation to a pity party.

Hi there, I appreciate your thoughts and advice. I see what you are saying about the second option. the challenge what I was planning on talking about how I did not appreciate the time with him here, as well as not being able to personally express my feelings and emotions to him. So I would work to make sure that would not happen the next time. What do you think about it now? If it still seems something repetitive then I can focus on the first one.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

No, I don't think it would work. I don't see how this failure truly defines you nor do I see any sense of problem solving to "make sure this doesn't happen again." It makes a nice eulogy, but it does not work as an admissions essay.

I'd focus on the first one but have specific plans you placed upon yourself to succeed. But you risk sounding like everyone else if you dwell too much on your failures and not how you were successful.

 

[mrthreeyear]

No, I don't think it would work. I don't see how this failure truly defines you nor do I see any sense of problem solving to "make sure this doesn't happen again." It makes a nice eulogy, but it does not work as an admissions essay.

I'd focus on the first one but have specific plans you placed upon yourself to succeed. But you risk sounding like everyone else if you dwell too much on your failures and not how you were successful.

Ok thank you so much

 

[mrthreeyear]

No, I don't think it would work. I don't see how this failure truly defines you nor do I see any sense of problem solving to "make sure this doesn't happen again." It makes a nice eulogy, but it does not work as an admissions essay.

I'd focus on the first one but have specific plans you placed upon yourself to succeed. But you risk sounding like everyone else if you dwell too much on your failures and not how you were successful.

Also I had another idea already written out but I wasn't too sure if it would work for admissions. It was about a time when I was working as a dental assistant, and it had been my first time interacting with a patient who was scared of the dentist. So my essay was about dental fear and how the challenge was me not being able to communicate and properly interact with the patient. I learned from that experience about how to change my communication style to comfort the patient, and no longer view it as a challenge. What are your or anyone else's thoughts on this?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Also I had another idea already written out but I wasn't too sure if it would work for admissions. It was about a time when I was working as a dental assistant, and it had been my first time interacting with a patient who was scared of the dentist. So my essay was about dental fear and how the challenge was me not being able to communicate and properly interact with the patient. I learned from that experience about how to change my communication style to comfort the patient, and no longer view it as a challenge. What are your or anyone else's thoughts on this?

Depends on the story. "Communication style" is vague, and I don't know what you overcame. Believe me, communication skills are going to be something you'll be working on in dental school.

For every challenge, one needs to clearly articulate the specific goal and the steps it took to get to that goal. I normally think of communication skills as a strategy/step toward a goal, but you need to be explicit about what you mean. Did you speak slower? Did you write down your words? Did you use third-grade language and metaphors? Play calming music? ALSO: What were you trying to communicate: flossing? periodontal recession, a measurement of pain that may require a root canal, getting a panorama? In other words, you need to actually describe the story and how you helped the patient better understand the procedure. We can't read your mind, and we can't write your story. (Was the patient a child? elderly? special needs? What was special about THIS patient?)

Remember yours is one of a few hundred essays I may run through in a day. I need to know why you care (and why I should care) about this challenge, this story, this patient. I know you aren't giving us your essay, but I want to you think this through when you are writing.

 

[mrthreeyear]

Depends on the story. "Communication style" is vague, and I don't know what you overcame. Believe me, communication skills are going to be something you'll be working on in dental school.

For every challenge, one needs to clearly articulate the specific goal and the steps it took to get to that goal. I normally think of communication skills as a strategy/step toward a goal, but you need to be explicit about what you mean. Did you speak slower? Did you write down your words? Did you use third-grade language and metaphors? Play calming music? ALSO: What were you trying to communicate: flossing? periodontal recession, a measurement of pain that may require a root canal, getting a panorama? In other words, you need to actually describe the story and how you helped the patient better understand the procedure. We can't read your mind, and we can't write your story. (Was the patient a child? elderly? special needs? What was special about THIS patient?)

Remember yours is one of a few hundred essays I may run through in a day. I need to know why you care (and why I should care) about this challenge, this story, this patient. I know you aren't giving us your essay, but I want to you think this through when you are writing.

Thank you so much yeah I did hit upon the things you mentioned but you mentioned other things I didn't consider. I appreciate you taking the time to help me with this. Again thank you