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Personal Statements

Personal Statements. Presented by the UConn Pre-Medical/Dental Center a nd the University Writing Center By: Christopher Iverson Assistant Director, University Writing Center. Today We Will Cover. What is a personal statement? Why write a personal statement? Dos Don’ts How to submit

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Personal Statements

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  1. Personal Statements Presented by the UConn Pre-Medical/Dental Center and the University Writing Center By: Christopher Iverson Assistant Director, University Writing Center

  2. Today We Will Cover • What is a personal statement? • Why write a personal statement? • Dos • Don’ts • How to submit • AMCAS/AACOMAS/AADSAS • Resources • Q&A

  3. Getting Started: What is this thing? • A short document (5,300 characters) that: • Sets you apart from other applicants • Provides a more complete picture of you than test scores or a resume/CV can • Shows what you value • Proves that you can write clearly and coherently for your audience

  4. Getting Started: Why am I writing this thing? • Medical schools want to know: • Who you are • Your past experience (more than your plans) • It’s easy to make up plans for the future, but harder to fabricate your past • Obstacles you have overcome • Successes you have enjoyed

  5. Dos: Rules of Thumb • Stay focused • Stay simple • Stay on topic • Stay within the rules

  6. Dos: More Rules of Thumb • Find your angle • Represent yourself honestly • Avoid being too positive or negative about yourself • Get feedback • This will come up again in this presentation because it is probably the most important rule

  7. Don’ts: Common Mistakes • Writing before thinking • Omitting the desire to be a physician • Trying too hard not to sound generic • Listing positive attributes without examples • Writing too poetically or philosophically

  8. Don’ts: More Common Mistakes • Apologizing • Don’t worry about every “C” • Passive Voice • Controversy • Forgetting the interview • Be prepared to talk about what’s in this statement in person!

  9. Big Mistake: Not Drafting • Proofread, proofread, proofread • Share your work with: • People who know you • People who know writing and grammar • People who know your field

  10. Submission: Where is this thing going? • American Medical College Application Service: AMCAS • Online system for applying to medical schools across the US

  11. AMCAS Specs: How do I write this thing? • Plain text, unformatted • 5,300 characters, including spaces (approx. one page) • Typed directly into application • Proofread, proofread, proofread • AMCAS application has no spellcheck • Standard writing practices • Case, capitalization, punctuation

  12. AMCAS Specs: How do I write this thing? • Avoid plagiarism • No need to repeat information • This information goes to all schools you specify

  13. Additional Information • AMCAS Instructions: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/section-8-essays/ • The Princeton Review: www.princetonreview.com/med-school-advice/medical-school-personal-statement • Kaplan Test Prep: www.kaptest.com/mcat/medical-school/medical-school-personal-statement • US News: www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/2014/03/25/craft-a-stellar-medical-school-application-with-a-personal-story • UConn Writing Center: http://writingcenter.uconn.edu/

  14. Questions?

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