| Perhaps you've completed your college education, | | | | mind: |
| and you're ready to take the next step in your | | | | * Write well. In other words, observe the proper |
| education. If for you that means medical school and | | | | rules of grammar, formatting, etc. If you've made it |
| you've passed or soon plan to take the MCAT exam, | | | | this far in your college education, there's no excuse |
| it's time to start the application process. If this is | | | | for poor grammar. |
| causing you some stress, you're not alone. Even | | | | * Have your essay edited by someone you trust, or |
| undergrads that are at the tops of their classes get | | | | by a professional editor. This is especially important if |
| a little nervous when it comes to filling out a medical | | | | writing isn't necessarily your 'thing.' |
| school application. | | | | You can't always trust your spell-check program to |
| That's because good grades do not necessarily 'seal | | | | pick up on spelling or grammatical errors. And even a |
| the deal' with the admissions committee at the | | | | good spell-checker can't evaluate your writing style. |
| college of your choice. Even the brightest students | | | | Having an objective second party read your essay |
| sometimes get rejected from their institute of choice | | | | can give you a good idea on how clearly you have |
| because they were not adequately prepared for this | | | | expressed yourself. Even if you have to pay a |
| process. | | | | professional editor, it's well worth it if it means the |
| The initial application is usually fairly straightforward. | | | | difference between getting accepted or not. |
| To begin with, you must provide your personal | | | | * Sell, but don't oversell. It's likely you've already |
| information. Next, you'll include your educational | | | | encountered having to 'sell yourself' to someone, a |
| history, including college transcripts. Your MCAT | | | | prospective employer, or your undergraduate school. |
| scores, if you've already taken the exam, will be part | | | | Be bold, but don't exaggerate. Mention every thing |
| of this. | | | | that is pertinent to your experience: studies that |
| The next part of the process is more difficult. This is | | | | you've participated in, research work, etc. But don't |
| where your personal statement comes into play. The | | | | stretch the truth. Admissions committees are very |
| first part of your personal statement will require you | | | | good at judging fact from fiction, and exaggeration |
| to sell yourself as a person, explaining why you | | | | will get you nowhere except out the door, and fast. |
| believe you will make a good doctor. You'll be asked | | | | * Stick to the requested number of words. If the |
| to describe your own personal philosophy of the | | | | admissions committee requests a 1000 word essay, |
| practice of medicine, and how you see yourself | | | | they want 1000 words. Give them less, and they'll |
| carrying that out in practice. | | | | believe that you don't care, or you aren't |
| For the second part, you'll need to persuade the | | | | accomplished enough to find 1000 words to say. Give |
| admissions committee that you would be an asset to | | | | them more, and you'll lose them altogether. |
| the institution. Talk about your reasons for choosing | | | | Admissions committees review hundreds or |
| that particular college. Perhaps they emphasize a | | | | thousands of college applications, and don't have time |
| particular branch of medicine that interests you. | | | | for longwinded grandstanding. |
| Maybe you were drawn to their history of graduating | | | | Finally, choose your words carefully. Be concise, and |
| physicians whose works continue to be published in | | | | never use ten words where four or five will suffice. |
| medical journals. Tell them why their institution | | | | Instead, focus on choosing words that are powerful. |
| appeals to you, and why you would be a perfect fit. | | | | Quality is the key to success when it comes to |
| When you sit down to write your personal | | | | preparing your personal statement. |
| statement, there are a few basic tips to keep in | | | | |