Using same personal statement from last cycle?

[CedarZ4]

---

Members don't see this ad.

It's that time again, June 4th (or 1st for last year) where the AADSAS portal exceed it's bandwidth and loading a page takes a few minutes.

Anyway, so I am re-applying again (still waitlisted at 2 schools, haven't heard back) and I was wondering if it's ok to use the same personal statement? I know general consensus is no, but I'm not sure what else to change.

First, I filled up the whole page last time so I can't even add anything more and I feel like everything I have in it is essential. Secondly, I haven't done anything since I applied last year that is related to dentistry like shadowing (I know, silly) so that means there isn't even anything to add asides from better grades and a few more ECs here and there unrelated to dentistry. So, is it ok to just re-use the same PS (and even the same answers to the supplemental questions word for word)? I mean, I'm just afraid schools would compare my last application, see that I didn't change anything except my score, and throw it all away because they'll think I'm lazy. Truth is, my reason for wanting to go to DS hasn't changed, and I feel like last time I did the best in answering the questions/writing my PS.

Suggestions?

Thanks

Edit: Related question. Last summer, instead of doing something dentistry related, I was actually doing some web-development for my dad's company (unpaid, but didn't state it was my dad's company either so I just put it as EC). I think I worked for a total of 200 hours. Would adding this hurt me more than it would help? Would it seem that I more focused on other activities (like programming) than dentistry? At the same time, I feel like it is pretty important that I know different scripting language like C++ and PHP.

 

[BWG]

I was advised that is totally fine by an ADCOM director. "Your story is your story"

 

[CedarZ4]

Agreed 👍

However, that doesn't mean "your story" is the "best story" to tell to make you a more competitive applicant. I think my PS is fantastic as is (and mostly the reason I even got interviews last cycle for my scores are below average) so I don't know what to change, but I just feel like it's bad especially if they keep records because it shows no change which is 👎

 

[jeffity]

Side note: Maybe you didn't do much to improve dentistry related, but you did other ECs, worked, and raised grades. So your improved your app. Add that employment. Interest and skills in other things is good.

You're right. Consensus says you should re-evaluate your statement and re-write or change it. But I definitely feel you. How many schools did you interview at? I'd like to think your PS was looked at before they passed on you, but part of me thinks with so many apps, they filter on concrete things first. So it might not have had a lot of exposure. So noticing might not be a problem. I'm not sure, but I don't know if they'd take the time to line them up side by side to compare.

Did you have a lot of people read it last year? Do you think it was solid? If not, that's a good way to get some feedback to maybe see where it could be improved/changed.

 

[CedarZ4]

My PS doesn't include any ECs or experiences that are unrelated to dentistry so even though I improved on those, I won't have anywhere to add them into the original PS because they weren't in there initially.

I interviewed at 2 schools... Are you saying that due to the applicant volume, chances are the same PS won't have that much of a negative impact on me? Although it would be better to rewrite, if I used the same one schools won't just dismiss me for "being lazy?"

Also, I didn't let many people read it but I though it was a very solid and perfect (to my ability) PS. Maybe I should have Doc. Toothache look over it... I know he's offering the "service" 😀

 

[jeffity]

Oh, I didn't mean you had to include your improvements. Especially if they aren't going to smoothly tie into what's there. Just commenting overall on showing you aren't lazy and did nothing over the past cycle. Just opinion, but I would bet that it won't be noticed. And if it were, I don't think they'd cast you aside as being lazy. PS is important of course, but unless it really sucks, I don't think it'll sink you. If given the chance to interview and it comes up there, you have reason for using the same one: you thought it was strong and there was nothing you thought that would improve the statement itself.

What I really hope is that you get a letter from Western one of these days.

 

[CedarZ4]

Thank you for your opinion and most importantly, strong supporting words 👍

It really does put a 😀 on my face. I hope, too, for a letter to come in soon! I will keep you posted, until then, adding it onto my "School Designation" list just in case 😛

Anyone else please feel free to chime in 🙂

 

[davaidavai1]

Recycle 80% of the old statement, the remainder should be new info that shows your commitment to dentistry. It will also show them that last year's rejection didn't deter you from seeking out your dreams. Something like "My interest for dentistry is as strong as as ever, Since applying to dental schools last year I had done this A, B, C, to improve my application. I believe I'm a strong candidate based on X, Y, Z." Something of this sort would look great and give you room to add in new info from year to year. I doubt anyone would compare the prior and current statements, but it still looks better to add in something new to make it stand out. Good luck Cedar.

 

[Penny00]

I called some dental schools today, and the general consensus was just to make sure you convey what you've been doing to improve your application in the last year. They said it was fine to change the personal statement, but also fine if you didn't-- as long you felt like the changes were apparent in other parts of your application.

 

[CedarZ4]

Recycle 80% of the old statement, the remainder should be new info that shows your commitment to dentistry. It will also show them that last year's rejection didn't deter you from seeking out your dreams. Something like "My interest for dentistry is as strong as as ever, Since applying to dental schools last year I had done this A, B, C, to improve my application. I believe I'm a strong candidate based on X, Y, Z." Something of this sort would look great and give you room to add in new info from year to year. I doubt anyone would compare the prior and current statements, but it still looks better to add in something new to make it stand out. Good luck Cedar.

👍 Great suggestion. Thank you everyone. Why didn't I think about adding in my rejection (or lack of acceptance, at least for now) this cycle into my PS. That can't hurt me, can it?

 

[davaidavai1]

👍 Great suggestion. Thank you everyone. Why didn't I think about adding in my rejection (or lack of acceptance, at least for now) this cycle into my PS. That can't hurt me, can it?

If you put the right spin on it, it will be perceived as a positive. if you wrote "i'm so sad I didnt get accepted last year, please accept me now." then no it wont help lol. If you mention what I wrote in the previous post, then it will be perceived positively. You should also remember that schools know if you previously applied, there is a question in one of the first sections of the application that asks this. So I see no harm in mentioning that you're "reapplying," that sounds better than you were "rejected."

 

[CedarZ4]

I just said, "Regrettably, was not offered admission. However, made me more determined, and did this and this, in which I learned this and that, now I am a better applicant."

I wondered about the re-applicant question on the AADSAS... Would they ever know that I am a re-applicant if I mark down "No, first time applying?" Would I be at a disadvantage, or even advantage since many schools like re-applicants? If this were the case, can't a first-time applicant mark down "Yes, applied to these schools?"

Which brings me to another question.... would it be disadvantageous to put down all the schools you applied to if it was a lot (like 20)? At the same time, they do say list all schools (which is also weird because they give you 600characters which is NOT enough to list every school, just FYI. I tried 😛) Any opinions as to what to do for this question?

 

[crmdental]

I had the same problem. I ended up cutting the school names down. Instead of University Southern California Ostrow School of Dentistry (2012), I put University Southern California (2012). If you are still limited, I would switch your University California Los Angeles (2012) to UCLA (2012) etc.

 

[CedarZ4]

Would it be "disrespectful" (especially if you plan on re-applying to a school) to just name it by its first name? For example, Temple University to just Temple? or like, University of Pittsburgh to just Pittsburgh? Or would it be more appropriate to do TempleU, UofPittsburgh?

 

[davaidavai1]

I just said, "Regrettably, was not offered admission. However, made me more determined, and did this and this, in which I learned this and that, now I am a better applicant."

I wondered about the re-applicant question on the AADSAS... Would they ever know that I am a re-applicant if I mark down "No, first time applying?" Would I be at a disadvantage, or even advantage since many schools like re-applicants? If this were the case, can't a first-time applicant mark down "Yes, applied to these schools?"

Which brings me to another question.... would it be disadvantageous to put down all the schools you applied to if it was a lot (like 20)? At the same time, they do say list all schools (which is also weird because they give you 600characters which is NOT enough to list every school, just FYI. I tried 😛) Any opinions as to what to do for this question?

Yes they can check last year's file and know that your lying. In fact, if they screen for that you may get into a lot of trouble. Just list the schools out by their respective names i.e. Temple University, not Temple Kornberg School of Dental Medicine or whatever its called. That should be enough.

I also wouldn't put down "Regrettably, was not offered admission. However, made me more determined, and did this and this, in which I learned this and that, now I am a better applicant." That sounds very negative and seems like you're begging schools for a shot at admission. I would rephrase it as such "In September 2011, I began working at ABC while I was prepping my reapplication to dental school. I believe that ABC provided me with the right amount of experience to aid me in dentistry... Blah blah so on and so forth."

 

[CedarZ4]

Well, I guess that's good because I wasn't planning on lying anyway 👍 Just speculating on the actual importance of the question.

I also wouldn't put down "Regrettably, was not offered admission. However, made me more determined, and did this and this, in which I learned this and that, now I am a better applicant." That sounds very negative and seems like you're begging schools for a shot at admission. I would rephrase it as such "In September 2011, I began working at ABC while I was prepping my reapplication to dental school. I believe that ABC provided me with the right amount of experience to aid me in dentistry... Blah blah so on and so forth."

Ok, so what you're saying is don't explicitly say that I was not accepted, rather hint to them that I was not accepted by telling them I am reapplying? Makes sense, thanks for the tip👍 I will work on changing that.

 

[davaidavai1]

Well, I guess that's good because I wasn't planning on lying anyway 👍 Just speculating on the actual importance of the question.



Ok, so what you're saying is don't explicitly say that I was not accepted, rather hint to them that I was not accepted by telling them I am reapplying? Makes sense, thanks for the tip👍 I will work on changing that.

Well its pretty obvious that you're not reapplying for the heck of it, obviously you've been rejected. But I dont like how the term rejected sounds, think of it would you want someone that's been "rejected" lol would you ever go out with someone whom you "rejected" in the past lol again I know i'm being over the top but I just don't like to display negative feelings in writing because I believe that it hurts your chances in the long run. I wouldn't want to read a file of someone whom I may have "rejected" in the previous cycle, but a "repplicant" sure why not hahah get it?

 

[CedarZ4]

Oh, of course. Rejection is just such a negative word (even if it's the truth, we don't like to hear it sometimes 😛) That is why I went with "was not offered admission" to be more neutral, but I like your idea of going even more neutral than that by just skimming through it and talk about reapplication instead.