91吃瓜网

>

Pre-Writing Personal Statements

Purpose, Pitfalls & Themes To Avoid.

Before you start your draft, learn what a personal statement is for and what common mistakes or themes to avoid as a 91吃瓜网 Pre-Health/Pre-Med student.

What To Know Before You Write

Discover purpose, pitfalls and themes to avoid below.

Purpose

Understanding personal statements & additional essays.

  • Personal Statement Purpose
    • A personal statement is a personal, but not informal 鈥減icture鈥� of you.听It is your opportunity to present yourself beyond your GPA and听specific听professional examination (MCAT, DAT, OAT, etc.).
    • Many consider the personal statement the 鈥�heart鈥� of your application听and an important chance to set yourself apart from other well-qualified applicants.
    • Your statement can allow an admissions committee to:
      • Genuinely听grasp听who you are as a person.
      • Comprehend your personal motivation towards a听lifetime听of general public service as a future provider within health care.
      • Recognize your extensive exploration process leading to this specific public service role.
      • Understand your exposure to the realities of the profession and level of commitment to service within the field.
      • Appreciate how you are developmentally prepared for this specific profession and the overall rigors of professional school.
  • Types of Personal Statements
    • Commonly there are听two听specific types of personal statements:
      • General Personal Statement:听顿辞别蝉听not have a specific prompt or question in the application instructions. This is purposefully broad so you can take any direction you choose when writing your personal statement.
      • Focused Personal Statement:听础听肠耻蝉迟辞尘颈锄别诲,听specific听question that your professional school wants you to answer.听Example: 鈥淧lease describe what inspires your decision to become an optometrist, including your preparation for training in this profession, your aptitude and motivation, the basis for your interest in optometry, and your future career goals.鈥澨�
    • Don't overthink this.听If you are several years away from officially applying, don't worry about your personal statement.
      • We encourage all 91吃瓜网 pre-health students to begin a personal written, weekly journal along your journey as early as possible to help later when reflecting when you start writing your official personal statement.
      • When your official application cycle begins, you may confirm your official personal statement instructions.听听
  • What Are Professional Schools Looking For?
    • This question is frequently asked by most professional healthcare school applicants. Why is that so? Conceivably, it might be听because听迟丑别谤别听isn鈥檛 a consensus听or true clear-cut answer听to this rhetorical question.
    • Every person and reader will have diverse opinions, viewpoints or judgments听on what they feel should be included in a personal statement.
    • Every admissions committee reviewer听may have a different approach听when reviewing your personal statement. However, admissions committees across the nation often conduct individual admission team trainings. Often, they provide application reviewers with key questions and thoughts to keep in mind when reading your personal statement.
    • This non-exhaustive list. Reviewers听might听include key thoughts听or questions such as:
      • Who are you as a person? (e.g., your background, experiences, education, etc.)
      • Why did you choose _________ instead of another career path or life calling?
      • Do you presently possess the qualities necessary to be an exceptional health care professional?
      • How do your current personal and/or professional goals directly relate with attending a health care professional school?
      • In听your听journey,听have you fully explored听your options and extensively validated your听interest in this particular profession?
      • Do you have a realistic viewpoint and understanding of the lifestyle/realities of this specific profession, system and industry?
      • Have you demonstrated a genuine commitment to serving the diverse needs of the general public?
      • Would the reviewer truly be interested in meeting you?
      • Does the reviewer want to learn more about you?
      • Are you a good fit for their specific program (mission, learning environment, philosophy, etc.)?
      • What specific qualities would you possibly contribute to the incoming, matriculating class and team?
    • Looking for local perspective from one medical school admissions committee reviewer? by Dr. Agnes Fogo, VUSM Admissions Committee Member
  • Additional Essays: Secondary/Supplemental Applications
    • Most professional healthcare schools听will require听additional听essay writing听during your official professional school application. First, focus on your personal statement then move on to additional essay questions.听
    • If requested,听additional听essay writing will听not听begin until your official professional school application opens.听Often additional essays are requested听after听your primary application has been submitted, but this varies.听These are commonly referred to as the "secondary/supplemental application" in your application instructions.
    • Don't waste time pre-writing or researching last year's essay questions.听Essay question prompt(s) vary per individual professional school and commonly change each year/application cycle.听Review your professional school(s) application instructions听when your official application cycle opens听to ensure accurate information.听
    • Additional essay(s)听may听state in their official instructions that they are "optional." That is听not听really the case.听Every optional听and/or required essay is another opportunity听to get to personally know you better, understand your individual viewpoint and present yourself. Please take听any/all essay opportunities seriously and build time into your application听timeline to write optional/supplemental answers for the questions that are relevant to you.

    Take a similar "5 steps for writing your personal statement approach"听to assist you in this process.

Common Pitfalls

Avoid common mistakes made in the personal statement process.

  • Common Rookie Mistakes
    • Don鈥檛听wait听to start writing听regularly.
      • We encourage听all 91吃瓜网 pre-health/pre-med students to keep a weekly, written personal journal as early as possible听in your 91吃瓜网 pre-professional journey.听
      • This weekly exercise can also help you continually practice the art of self-reflection, processing your thoughts, writing and finding your own voice.听
    • Don鈥檛 begin writing听without听a thoughtful, strategic approach.听Plan early with the 鈥�5 Steps for Writing Your Personal Statement鈥� resources provided.
    • Personal statements are听not听bibliographies or executive summaries听of your application.
    • Don鈥檛 assume you must write about medicine听(or听your specific health care profession, i.e., dentistry, optometry, athletic training, etc.) and not about yourself.
    • Always confirm your personal statement prompt and instructions听when听your official application cycle听opens.

    听

  • Not Keeping a Weekly Personal Journal
    • Keeping a weekly, personal journal can be truly beneficial and can help you:
      • Keep your thoughts organized.
      • Improve your writing.
      • Set & achieve your goals.
      • Record ideas on-the-go.
      • Relieve听stress.
      • Allow yourself to self-reflect.
      • Boost your听memory.

Personal Statement Themes To Avoid

Problematic approaches and what to focus on instead.

  • Manifest Destiny
    • Statements that claim 鈥�... I was born to be a doctor鈥� or 鈥溾�� friends always tell me I should be a dentist鈥� or 鈥溾�� at age ten I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian鈥� are often not helpful for admissions committees.
    • These common ploys tell your reader little more than the fact that you really want to get into professional school.听They know that already.
    • Instead spotlight your specific personality, traits, etc. -听not听a destiny that seems larger than you.
  • My Future Contributions to the World
    • It sounds na茂ve to have your whole life already mapped out, especially if it takes on some angelic quality. The 鈥�... when I grow up, I want to be a ____________ and save the lives鈥� tells a reader nothing significant about you.
    • If your adult-age demonstrated contributions are discussed in your statement, please articulate their specific significance and clarify the personal insight they offer about you.听

    听

  • The Interpretive Guide
    • Often candidates may feel they have small blemishes听on their academic record, lacking specific extra-curricular activities or experiences necessary for professional healthcare school consideration.听Worrying about interpreting every 鈥渂lemish鈥� you may have should听not be your primary focus within your personal statement.听 听听
    • Overall, it is the admissions committee鈥檚 job to听interpret听your holistic development and readiness for professional school. Remember, professional schools will have access to your听entire听professional school application. That includes your transcripts, exam scores, letters of recommendation and your complete professional application. All items combined with your thoughtful, written communication will听collectively听provide fuller insight and demonstration into your holistic development, personal growth trends and overall readiness for professional school.
    • Don鈥檛 devote your statement to excuses or interpretations of grades or what you have听not听done. That information is virtually worthless.
    • If听you feel compelled to explain a听specific听personal circumstance or issue, please state the problem briefly. Next, move onto听how听this experience has genuinely provided you with valuable personal insight, significant growth or professional development along your journey.
  • The Traveling Resume
    • A statement that rehashes most of your various activities or experiences may sound like a travel itinerary such as 鈥�... I did this for two years and it taught me this....and then I did that...and it showed me that, etc.鈥�
    • An executive style, personal statement summary outlining all your experiences is听not helpful to a professional admissions committee. The professional school application (and accompanying resume,听if required) provides you with ample opportunities to fully summarize and provide context of all your collective experiences already.
    • If you choose to discuss past experiences, don鈥檛 over-communicate. Focus on a single experience/activity or two that offers sincere听meaning and听deeper听insight into you.听
  • Name-Dropping
    • Don鈥檛 craft your personal statement around who you know. Focus on听who you are as a candidate for professional school.
    • If听you have genuinely worked and/or demonstrated your personal or professional development with an important person, consider asking them to write you a strong letter of recommendation (if听appropriate.)

    听

  • "I'm Special" Approach
    • Your personal statement is听not the place to charm, entertain or impress readers with claims or a personal approach such as 鈥�... you probably don鈥檛 get an applicant like me very often...鈥� These types of statements and/or personal thought process is inevitably inappropriate.
    • Don鈥檛 tell your readers that you are unique 鈥撎�show, not tell them听through your thoughtful demonstration, personal development and readiness for this听specific听professional calling.
    • Instead of filling in a personal statement with adjectives alone to describe yourself, offer them a clear understanding of who you truly are through experiences and examples that demonstrate and provide depth to those adjectives (which you may not need after all).
  • My Father, My Role Model
    • It is common to personally self-reflect听and/or consider individuals who have had meaningful impacts along your journey. However, it听may not always be helpful in your approach to your personal statement.
    • Do not devote your statement to celebrate another person鈥檚 achievements or articulating the challenges they have overcome. Avoid summarizing their story or presenting their motivations as your own.
    • Your statement should be about you, even if you appreciate听another person's influence that has led you to who you are today, regardless of the individual circumstances.
  • Talking in Circles

    Avoid writing a personal statement that feels vague, evasive, or indirect鈥攚here you dance around your motivations instead of clearly stating them. Admissions committees want honesty, clarity, and conviction, not prevarication or empty reflections that never arrive at a point.

Next Steps? 5 Steps When Ready To Write

Now that you have reviewed what to know before you write, move onto "5 Steps to Write Your Personal Statement" HPAO website section to support you.