Getting Started: Your First Draft Personal Statement Getting Started: Your First Draft

Message from the UCs: “Your personal statement is your chance to tell us who you are and what's important to you. Think of it as your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions and scholarship officers reading your application. Be open, be honest, be real. What you tell us in your personal statement gives readers the context to better understand the rest of the information you’ve provided in your application.” Stand out—med schools get thousands of applications and everyone looks the same on paper. This is a way to put a personality with the name Work for you—your personal statement may be the difference between an interview or a rejection letter

So what’s the point? Your opportunity to stand out! Provide information to support and aid the admissions process. Enables you to make the best case possible for admission, but a decision will never be made only based on a personal statement. You can only win! Stand out—med schools get thousands of applications and everyone looks the same on paper. This is a way to put a personality with the name Work for you—your personal statement may be the difference between an interview or a rejection letter

The Prompts: Prompt #1 (freshmen applicants): Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. Prompt #2 (all applicants) : Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

Guidelines Rules: Respond to both prompts, using a maximum of 1000 words. (1012 ok, but 2000 or 500 aren’t!) Allocate the word count as you wish. Short answer should not be less than 250 words. Tips: Tell a great, true story about yourself. People remember stories… Give Supporting Details Ex: Want to be a doctor? Tell the story of the time you helped someone. Make it vivid: sights, sounds, smells! Story—after reading hundreds of AMCAS apps the committee members would gladly welcome a change. Make your personal statement stand out by drawing them in with a story. Example of my personal statement. Proof—ties back into the story. Give them examples of a situation where you exercised the characteristic you have mentioned in your ps. Show off—if you have done research for the past 3 years and you know lots about that subject then don’t be afraid to mention your experience and your expertise! (Don’t lie)

Your first draftshould Convey something special + unique about you. Be related to your goal. Be fun to write (and detailed). To get you started… Have you had to overcome any obstacles or hardships? What personal characteristics do you possess? How does your story demonstrate these? Give them something to remember you by and, most importantly, something to make them want to meet you!