Medical encounters:

Experiences as a patient or as a relative or friend of a patient do not necessarily qualify you to practice medicine. Despite the intensity of these experiences, they often take up valuable space that could be better devoted to addressing your qualifications for the practice of medicine. They should only be included if they are extraordinary or integral. (e.g. You have had cancer or you have a devastating genetic disease and you plan to practice medicine pertinent to those fields.)

Things to do:

Rewrite yours statement at least 4 times.

 

(But don't drag it out forever.)

Many people find it quite useful to rapidly write (in one evening) two statements: one dry statement that merely states the facts; and one very stylized statement, complete with thoughts and feelings, which tells the reader about the things that are important to you even if they may not be important to the admissions committee. This will help get certain things out of your system. Ideally your final statement will be a synthesis of these initial statements.

Put your name and date and phone number on rough drafts of your statement.

 

(Put your name on everything.)

Give copies of other people's statement of purpose, especially those who have gotten into good schools.

Advice and Criticism

Have LOTS of people read you statement.

Friends

Parents

Advisors

Recommenders

Ruby Mason and other CDC counselors

Verity Powell

Professors and students of English

Although you do not have to incorporate their comments, at least you will have that option.

Do not equate criticisms of your personal statement with indictments about your self-worth.

Encourage people to be critical. Let them know that they will not hurt your feelings or self-esteem.

Until the advice you get from various people starts to contradict itself, you have not have enough people criticize your statement.