Will adcoms/interviewers attack your PS?

[rickyricardo]

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If you say something like "my work helping out with X mission trip was meaningful because I was able to make a significant impact on poor people in C country," or something along those lines, but an adcom or interviewer knows about X and knows that it is either a small program (and you didn't really make that significant of an impact), or dislikes it for some reason (like it's small despite getting a lot of funding, hence being somewhat of a waste) can that hurt you? The lessons I've gained are the same, but will they look at it and ask me "this is a BS activity you wrote about in yuor PS. How significant was X, really???" -"Doesn't sound like much..."

 

[dw2158]

i don't think they're expecting you to have cured cancer or anything, so "significant" can mean lots of things. you can say it was "significant" because you intensively helped some individuals who would have been worse off without your services, or whatever. it doesn't have to have some sort of global importance.

 

[NeuroChaos]

I think Adcoms are trained to be objective in this process. If they started imposing personal prejudices, likes and dislikes in the process, I am not sure what the world (and premeds) will do. So Even if they THINK that Curing AIDS is a waste of scientists' useful time, you will still be given your chance to make the case as to why do you think we should cure AIDS.
And yes, by all means, you must be ready to defend your PS on interview. They will certainly ask questions about it; if you think it is BS donot include it. Period.

 

[Mattabet]

Can they do that? Sure. Most are fairly polite and non-confrontational though. I'd be prepared to critically discuss anything in the PS though; so if it seems flimsy to you, either leave it out or be ready to defend it.

 

[witness23]

it will be like, "so, tell me about your experiences in [blank]"


applicants bury themselves enough, most interviewers are non-confrontational and are genuine

 

[CyclistOK]

Yes they will ask about things in your personal statement that they find interesting, or have some background in. So if you plan to over-exaggerate, the program, make sure you are good at lying and have a story made up beforehand, or (my personal choice) you just be honest and not worry so much.

They aren't going to say "What? That didn't REALLY affect you.", just be able to explain the details of your activities.