SO as most influential person?

[cuponoodles]

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I've been with my SO for about 3.5 years and suffice to say he's been a major influence on my life. When secondaries ask about the influential person, is it cliched/cheesy to talk about the SO?

There are indeed others in my life I could talk about, but I'm just wondering how committees would look upon this particular case.

Thanks!!!

 

[Smctbone]

what's an s.o.?

 

[armybound]

what's an s.o.?

pre-med sarcasm? so = significant other = boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/spouse

 

[silverlining1]

Significant other.

I'd personally go for it, but that's just the opinion of another current applicant =/

 

[Smctbone]

pre-med sarcasm? so = significant other = boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/spouse

you mean we're allowed to have a personal life? 😳

really, I'm just a clueless n00b 😉 Half of these abbreviations are foreign to me.

 

[alwaysaangel]

I'm sure it would be fine if you can just explain why you think they are so influential.

But personally, I would think that there has to be someone in your life who influenced you more than a 3.5yr SO. And I would worry about an adcomm thinking the same thing.

 

[Jaded03]

I asked my friend a question and he said well that sucks. If you don't put your mom down then it's an insult. 😛. It didn't ask A influential person, it asked for MOST influential person. (I laughed...) I didn't know how to tackle this at all considering I wasn't really influenced by a singular person. However, I'd say if you can defend it with respect to medicine (even if they didn't ask for that) then I think you're good. The problem with SO's is that for the ADCOm they'd be t hinking well what are the chances of it lasting, so make sure you don't waste your 600 char and focus on their influence.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Sounds awfully immature as a premise, and the fact that you even thought to ask indicates to me that on some level you think so as well. Personally I can't imagine a bigger eye-roller than reading about how great some premed's boyfriend is. But anything can work if you sell it well.

 

[crixyphoid]

I would probably turn the SO into a friend. I don't think that it looks so good to cross that line. Its cool to say this guy/girl you've known for 4 years now has really turned your life around- but unless to SO nursed you back to health after a devastating car crash/bout with disease while pursuing his personal goals and responsibilities- I wouldn't mention it was the SO.

 

[cuponoodles]

I asked my friend a question and he said well that sucks. If you don't put your mom down then it's an insult. 😛. It didn't ask A influential person, it asked for MOST influential person. (I laughed...) I didn't know how to tackle this at all considering I wasn't really influenced by a singular person. However, I'd say if you can defend it with respect to medicine (even if they didn't ask for that) then I think you're good. The problem with SO's is that for the ADCOm they'd be t hinking well what are the chances of it lasting, so make sure you don't waste your 600 char and focus on their influence.

haha, that's rather pessimistic don't you think? Granted there are many relationships that fail once people go off to med school, it doesn't mean EVERY relationship is going to fail.

 

[cuponoodles]

Sounds awfully immature as a premise, and the fact that you even thought to ask indicates to me that on some level you think so as well. Personally I can't imagine a bigger eye-roller than reading about how great some premed's boyfriend is. But anything can work if you sell it well.

I'm not sure how my post is any indication of immaturity. I'm reluctant about answering about my SO purely for stylistic purposes. It's not like I'm talking my SO up, but rather focusing on what he has done for me.

I'm just wondering if others have done the same, and what sort of response they have gotten from adcoms.

 

[Instatewaiter]

It's not like I'm talking my SO up, but rather focusing on what he has done for me.

Cue flashback. Cupofnoodles on the bed and in enters the SO who pauses in the doorway and then removes the robe from his shoulders (saxaphone playing in the background).

Seriously though I have to agree w/ tic that it does sound like it could come off all wrong. If I were on the Adcom and I came across a secondary talking about someone's SO, even if it were written well, I couldnt help but to laugh (and I have been dating the same girl for 3 years).

 

[Jaded03]

LoL. Wow, the threads here are pretty interesting. However, it's hard not to sound cliche with this prompt. What I can suggest is to not present your SO as a SO. SO are friends and confidants and these are more tame ways of approaching this prompt. One thing that did bother me was the fact you said "what he has done for me." Influential people influence you, not do things for you. This is the wrong approach for the prompt. In what way has your SO develop you as a person or make you who you want to be, etc. Be wary of the pity stories, like he took me in when everyone turned me away...this isn't an influential person. Don't waste the opportunity to flatter yourself to get an interview.

 

[Picklesali]

Cue flashback. Cupofnoodles on the bed and in enters the SO who pauses in the doorway and then removes the robe from his shoulders (saxaphone playing in the background).

I'm picturing more of a Barry White theme here....

he he he...

 

[armybound]

Someone can have the biggest impact on your life, even if they're recent. My SO has done more for me in 4 years than most of my family did for me in the rest of my life.

 

[silverlining1]

Someone can have the biggest impact on your life, even if they're recent.

I agree. In my case, I wouldn't say that my SO has "done things for me" - rather, he's definitely helped me mature and gain confidence. For example, he's encouraged to be more honest and forthcoming instead of lying by omission when I worry that someone will disapprove, and he's taught me to be confident in my speech/eye contact/all that good stuff - he's a teacher so he's helped a lot with my multiple teaching jobs.

However, since I a) haven't written any essays about him and b) haven't been accepted anywhere, I can't answer whether or not this type of essay would be okay. I think it depends on what you want to highlight as his/her influences upon you; I do think it may be better to refer to the SO as a trusted friend, if possible.

 

[neopentanol]

pre-med sarcasm? so = significant other = boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/spouse

I just tried to brush your avatar off my monitor. Seriously.

 

[armybound]

I agree. In my case, I wouldn't say that my SO has "done things for me" - rather, he's definitely helped me mature and gain confidence. For example, he's encouraged to be more honest and forthcoming instead of lying by omission when I worry that someone will disapprove, and he's taught me to be confident in my speech/eye contact/all that good stuff - he's a teacher so he's helped a lot with my multiple teaching jobs.

However, since I a) haven't written any essays about him and b) haven't been accepted anywhere, I can't answer whether or not this type of essay would be okay. I think it depends on what you want to highlight as his/her influences upon you; I do think it may be better to refer to the SO as a trusted friend, if possible.

for what it's worth, I did write essays on my secondaries about what my SO has helped me with, much like your SO, and I have gotten interviews from 2 schools that I wrote that essay to.

 

[silverlining1]

for what it's worth, I did write essays on my secondaries about what my SO has helped me with, much like your SO, and I have gotten interviews from 2 schools that I wrote that essay to.

That's great to hear! I haven't had a prompt that asked about an influential person yet, but my SO has certainly impacted my character as well as my well-being, so if it comes up, I'll consider writing about him. Congrats on your interviews, and good luck!

 

[shevie]

IMHO (and obviously im not on any admissions cmtes or anthing - just applyin just like u...), they might look differently on a "significant other" who is a spouse, or even a fiancee, then a boy/girlfriend of a few yrs. Marriage or Engagement signifies that youre more "serious" abt the relationship than merely weve been dating for a while, in which case, you do probly run the risk of them thinking- well how long is that gonna last once he/she starts med school.

 

[TheRealMD]

Unless the s.o. is a spouse or fiancee, I wouldn't mention it since it's possible for that person to disappear. If you had to pick between spending your time on med school or your s.o., unless you are going to be married in the near future, most wouldn't pick the s.o., and that's where the trouble arises. This is especially common if your s.o. isn't aware of the demands of med school, and it's quite easy to write is off as loosing interest in the relationship.

Anyway, pick your mom, dad, brother, sister, really anyone that has to like you whether you neglect them or not. 😀