When is the latest you can edit your personal statement once submitting for verification purposes?

[SquigglyQ]

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Hello,
With most of my transcripts and LORs already delivered to AMCAS, I feel it will be my personal statement delaying the process. I am on my third draft, but every reader picks a different part of my essay they want me to expand on or clarify, so I feel I will be doing this until mid-June. I have every intention of submitting for verification June 1st though, so can I edit while it is being verified or even once it has been verified? Or, does submitting on June 1st mean what I have on AMCAS is locked forever.

Thank you!

 

[hopefuldr_12]

Hello,
With most of my transcripts and LORs already delivered to AMCAS, I feel it will be my personal statement delaying the process. I am on my third draft, but every reader picks a different part of my essay they want me to expand on or clarify, so I feel I will be doing this until mid-June. I have every intention of submitting for verification June 1st though, so can I edit while it is being verified or even once it has been verified? Or, does submitting on June 1st mean what I have on AMCAS is locked forever.

Thank you!

Hey, once you click the submit button, it then goes in for verification and it is indeed locked away forever!

 

[SquigglyQ]

Thank you. Does the whole "throw away school" technique work in this case?

If it doesn't, are 2 weeks worth of additional revisions on a personal statement worth delaying the verification process?

 

[wysdoc]

Thank you. Does the whole "throw away school" technique work in this case?

If it doesn't, are 2 weeks worth of additional revisions on a personal statement worth delaying the verification process?

Yes, get the statement you are happy with before you submit it, as you cannot change it. 2 weeks is nothing. You can't change it on further schools added even if you submit to one for verification. You have some conflicting advice from others so take it all with a grain of salt. Does your essay sound like you? Read it out loud and see. If it sounds stilted and stuffy, change it to something more conversational. Does it show the personal qualities you want to show? Does it say something more than your lists of activities?

 

[hopefuldr_12]

Thank you. Does the whole "throw away school" technique work in this case?

If it doesn't, are 2 weeks worth of additional revisions on a personal statement worth delaying the verification process?

Sure! You can just select one school to start (or as many as you choose).

How many revisions it will take until you feel your personal statement is up to par and ready and finally done--that's completely up to you.

Keep in mind the below, from AMCAS FAQ's, regarding how much time it could take before your AMCAS is verified:

Processing can take up to 6 weeks from the time that your application and all required official transcripts are received.

 

[SquigglyQ]

Processing can take up to 6 weeks from the time that your application and all required official transcripts are received.

Oh, in that case, if my last transcript or LOR isn't in by June 1st, all the more reason to continue editing. AMCAS won't verify me regardless. You have been very helpful, thank you.

Read it out loud and see. If it sounds stilted and stuffy, change it to something more conversational. Does it show the personal qualities you want to show? Does it say something more than your lists of activities?

It's weird, the first person who I sent it to was on an ADCOM and said it was pretty much done, other than some organization and grammar. Then I tried to get different demographics to read my statement to see who responds well to it and each person has very unique commentary (moreso than I expected), so I've come to a standstill as I'm torn between re-writing it to try to make every ADCOM like it and changing very little and maybe having 1-3 ADCOMs love it. I have noticed the female readers really like my dramatic flair, but the male readers are indifferent/hesitant about it. But I do agree that about 1/3 of my essay summarizes my ECs, so I'll try to think about how to "show, don't tell".

Sorry for the monologue, this is something I have been trying to ignore due to frustration, but time is quickly approaching. If you ever feel up for reading a personal statement, let me know. 😉

 

[hopefuldr_12]

Oh, in that case, if my last transcript or LOR isn't in by June 1st, all the more reason to continue editing. AMCAS won't verify me regardless. You have been very helpful, thank you.


It's weird, the first person who I sent it to was on an ADCOM and said it was pretty much done, other than some organization and grammar. Then I tried to get different demographics to read my statement to see who responds well to it and each person has very unique commentary (moreso than I expected), so I've come to a standstill as I'm torn between re-writing it to try to make every ADCOM like it and changing very little and maybe having 1-3 ADCOMs love it. I have noticed the female readers really like my dramatic flair, but the male readers are indifferent/hesitant about it. But I do agree that about 1/3 of my essay summarizes my ECs, so I'll try to think about how to "show, don't tell".

Sorry for the monologue, this is something I have been trying to ignore due to frustration, but time is quickly approaching. If you ever feel up for reading a personal statement, let me know. 😉

Keep in mind that the AMCAS verification process CAN take up to 6 weeks. My app was verified within 10 days of submitting and I submitted it the first week of June, both cycles. I also had all my transcripts in by then, which helped I think. LOR's don't impact verification speed, you/your advisor can send them in anytime, even during verification. It's best to get them in asap though as you won't be considered complete without them--and this lack of completion MAY prevent you from getting sent secondaries. Some schools don't send applicants secondaries until they're complete while some schools send you the essays after your app is verified --and you don't know which does which process.

As for your personal statement,show not tell was the second best piece of advice I received when writing my personal statement (and revising it as a reapplicant). The best piece of advice I got? Make it persuasive. Make your case on why you want to be a doctor. Convince your reader, make it impactful and obvious. For what it's worth, these two things really helped me.

Best of luck!🙂

 

[UnicornFrappuccino]

We discussed this two hours ago if you scroll down a little on the main pre-allo page.

 

[SquigglyQ]

We discussed this two hours ago if you scroll down a little on the main pre-allo page.

Thank you. I loved the resounding "no". Hopefully, once a week for the next 3 weeks will be enough time. Good day to you!

 

[gyngyn]

I do not recommend "dramatic flair."

 

[SquigglyQ]

I do not recommend "dramatic flair."

If I tone down my essay, could I keep 2-3 sentences that show that part of my personality?

 

[gyngyn]

If I tone down my essay, could I keep 2-3 sentences that show that part of my personality?

It depends on your personality.

 

[SquigglyQ]

It depends on your personality.

I don't know if that was intentional, but you're funny. I promise I'm not a psychopath- just a few flowery sentences.

 

[SquigglyQ]

dont add risk by writing that be misconstrued as showy or frivilous

You are right. Do you know what kind of person would be a good judge of that? Only one of my readers told me to take a sentence out. At first, I admit, I wanted yes-men, but now I am looking for skeptics.

I am considering adding a pretty controversial idea into my PS. Please let me know if I can message the name of the topic to you, for a yay or nay on whether it is too risky.

 

[Catahecassa]

You want readers to walk away from your PS thinking, "wow, I really like SquigglyQ. We should interview him/her." Adding controversial ideas is not a good way to earn that response. I've seen one person pull it off, but I would advise you to tread lightly if that's your approach.

 

[Lost In Transcription]

Sure! You can just select one school to start (or as many as you choose).

How many revisions it will take until you feel your personal statement is up to par and ready and finally done--that's completely up to you.

Keep in mind the below, from AMCAS FAQ's, regarding how much time it could take before your AMCAS is verified:

Processing can take up to 6 weeks from the time that your application and all required official transcripts are received.

If you submit early most people are almost immediately verified.