Tips on a good personal statement?

[mjmjoa]

Should I make it artistic, funny, and unique, or something more serious? Should I talk about my family, or just myself? Should I be honest (if it may hurt me, like saying "I didn't know I wanted to do pharmacy at first" etc)? Or just be straight to the point?

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[pms_testosterone]

The safest thing to do is write it like one of those awful high school essays - intro with thesis statement, then three body paragraphs, then a conclusion that differs (in wording at least) from the introduction. Whatever you say, be as positive as possible. Moments of humour are OK, but the overall tone should be straightforward and sincere.

I'm sorry to say that this is probably not the time for innovative or artistic writing; it's possible that your readers would "get" you, but you'd be taking a chance.

 

[PharmHealth_KI]

I suggest that applicants break up the essay into 3 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1 - Why you chose pharmacy? Why does it interest you?, etc.

Paragraph 2 - How getting a Pharm.D. is related to your goals in life (both short and long-term). What do you plan on doing with a Pharm.D.?, etc.

Paragraph 3 - Why you as an individual are fit for the Pharm.D. program (how you professional/educational/personal experiences/attributes will help you be successful).

Be straightforward, sincere, and sophisticated. Good Luck.

 

[mjmjoa]

I suggest that applicants break up the essay into 3 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1 - Why you chose pharmacy? Why does it interest you?, etc.

Paragraph 2 - How getting a Pharm.D. is related to your goals in life (both short and long-term). What do you plan on doing with a Pharm.D.?, etc.

Paragraph 3 - Why you as an individual are fit for the Pharm.D. program (how you professional/educational/personal experiences/attributes will help you be successful).

Be straightforward, sincere, and sophisticated. Good Luck.

What would you suggest someone who started out with poor grades and ended on a high note say? Should I mention my improvement (which also means I have to say why I did so poorly to start? What can I say there?)?

 

[PharmHealth_KI]

What would you suggest someone who started out with poor grades and ended on a high note say? Should I mention my improvement (which also means I have to say why I did so poorly to start? What can I say there?)?

Yes, you can mention that in the third paragraph with your educational background, and explain how you have matured and developed as a student to achieve your goals and expectations. Don't be too negative on yourself though, you don't want to make yourself sound like a bad applicant; you can mention that you have learned from mistakes.

Also, some schools have supplemental applications where you are given the option to elaborate more on this topic. Good luck!

 

[mjmjoa]

Yes, you can mention that in the third paragraph with your educational background, and explain how you have matured and developed as a student to achieve your goals and expectations. Don't be too negative on yourself though, you don't want to make yourself sound like a bad applicant; you can mention that you have learned from mistakes.

Also, some schools have supplemental applications where you are given the option to elaborate more on this topic. Good luck!

So you suggest doing 3 paragraphs instead of 5? It's a 4500 character limit, so wouldn't it be kind of short?

 

[PharmHealth_KI]

So you suggest doing 3 paragraphs instead of 5? It's a 4500 character limit, so wouldn't it be kind of short?

Yes, I suggest doing 3 paragraphs of straightforward content, no fluff. The 5 paragraph format (where you would typically have an intro/conclusion) can seem cheesy and is susceptible to being repetitive for a personal statement of this nature.

Just have good introductory/transitional sentences for each paragraph.

You should be able to hit around 4000-4500 characters easily if you have good content using this format. If you are still more comfortable using 5 paragraphs and feel like you can form a better personal statement doing so, I'm not here to stop you.

Good luck!