A gimmicky statement is designed to attract attention or increase appeal. What are some examples of gimmicky personal statements and why is it usually not considered effective in making your medical school statement?
Examples of gimmicky personal statements
Some examples of gimmicky personal statements include using definitions or quotations from someone else to begin your essay. Using techniques like writing poems may also be considered as such. Generally, writing about something that is considered odd or writing in a very unusual way can be seen as gimmicky.
Why gimmicky personal statements don’t work
You may be asking yourself why the examples mentioned above are not effective, considering that they can show that you are trying to be creative. The fact is that oftentimes it may be too much that it steers your essay away from the point that you are trying to make, and it may even alienate your readers. Writing quotations and definitions also seem cliche, especially if these are often used and do not help much in emphasizing who you are and the contents of your essay.
What to do to avoid submitting a gimmicky personal statement
In order to steer away from having a gimmicky personal statement, you have to find confidence in your strengths. State your good qualities honestly and clearly through stories or anecdotes that would make others see and appreciate who you truly are and how far you have come. Your personal experiences, thoughts, and inspirations tied up with your abilities and goals should already be impressive enough that you wouldn’t feel a need to come up with any gimmicky statement. Make sure that everything you put in is relevant and sensible, especially if there is a given topic. Ascertain also that nothing in your personal statement is plagiarized and that it comes out as uniquely you.
Related links:
Medical school essays – How a sample medical school essay can be useful
Essay Introductions – How to start your essay right
Effective Introductions – Five effective essay introductions
Entering medical school – Questions before entering medical school
Life-changing experiences – Tips on writing admission essays based on your experience
Sometimes, stating things as is is a very daunting task, especially if it includes concepts that are just too complex to explain. That’s why it is also often useful to turn to comparisons with day-to-day things. Use of rhetorical tools such as analogies and metaphors let the readers think and, if well-made, showcases your creativity and good analytical skills.
What are analogies?
Analogies are statements that make an inference that if two or more things agree with one another in some respects they will probably agree in others. It shows a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based. Like when you mention that a person’s brain is like a CPU that can store information, you can also infer that it is as prone to breakdowns. You basically look for their similarities, and use them to make or enhance your point or, as in the example given, to add humor.
What are metaphors?
Metaphors make a concept more vivid by stating an object or a concept because of their similar attributes. One can say through a metaphor that “personal statements is a picture of one’s soul that ultimately reflects a person’s knowledge of one’s self, to give the readers a more vivid picture of the concept you are trying to project.
Tips in effectively using analogies and metaphors in your essay
In order for analogies and metaphors to work well in your personal statement, make sure not to overdo it. Use them only for emphasis. They are supposed to be used to make the readers reflect or consider the similarities proposed, so you should also make sure that they are well thought of. It is also important to be original. Do not use analogies and metaphors that others made, especially those that have already been used a lot of times. These would only make your writing seem trite and lacking in real substance. Always remember that you are using analogies and metaphors because you have a specific concept in mind that you seek to clarify, and not just because you want to impress your readers.
Related links:
Effective writing strategies – All about writing strategies and tips
Personal statements – About personal statement writing tips
Medical school essays – How a sample medical school essay can be useful
Entering medical school – Questions before entering medical school
Medical school essays – Ways on how a sample essay can be useful
Effectively Discussing Your Dream Medical Specialization in Your Essay with the Help of Sample Medical School Personal Statements
If you are a student aiming for acceptance to a top medical school, one good theme you can write about for your personal statement is on “medical specialization selection.” This is all about a medical practitioner selecting which field of expertise he or she should take for his or her future career as a doctor. Everybody knows that choosing the field of specialization is very difficult and is a major decision to make. Here are some essay writing tips to help you get into your dream medical school by coming up with a clearly written personal statement that will adhere to the standards of the admission officers.
Choosing a focus
First, you should choose a focus or theme for your main topic. Having a theme enhances the ability of the reader to understand your message, because your ideas appear more organized and therefore has a clear direction. Your focus which, in this case is, your “dream medical specialization,” should be emphasized as related to your values that have shaped you as an individual, not to mention your perceptions that have made you decide to go for that particular specialization. Therefore, include in your writing the experiences and events in your life that have made an impact why you are now choosing this particular field of specialization in medicine.
Creating a frame for your focus
After choosing a theme and making an outline for all your information, you should start with a frame of focus, which is actually how you will introduce your statement. You may do this by writing down things about what makes your dream specialization so special to you, or you can provide details that will support and form the shape of your essay, such as indentifying the factors that enhanced your decision to go for this chosen field of medicine. See, the frame of focus not only introduces the theme, or you as the applicant, rather, it also stimulates the interest of your readers. This is why it plays a vital role for your acceptance to medical school because it entails getting the approval of the admission officers by merely reading your personal statement.
Playing with words
Use sensory details to describe your dream specialization. Choose carefully the words you say. State your reasons why the particular field has become your desired field of specialization. You could elaborate that it fits your interests, personality, and experiences, and that you believe your personal satisfaction and fulfillment will be realized only with this chosen specialization. Furthermore, you may explain in detail how your previous accomplishments and achievements have directed you in choosing a certain specialization. Another tip would be to share your personal emotions and opinions about your dream specialization, so as to put a more personal touch to your personal statement; and therefore, successfully get the “yes” of the admissions committee.
For example, you might want to specialize in pediatrics, a medical field that is popularly known to be about the health and welfare of infants and children. If that’s the case, then relate the nature of job of pediatricians with your interests, lifestyle, experiences, and personality. And surely, you’ll be able to convince the medical school admissions committee that you deserve to be a part of their school.
Most of these tips can be found in many sample personal statements. These essays are free and can easily be found online. Just remember not to commit any plagiarism when you browse through these samples. Always keep in mind that these are merely guides for you to emulate.
Photo Credit : The Alianess
Personal statements are one of the components of an application package that can make or break the applicant’s chances of being accepted into medical school. For this reason, it is essential to exert extra effort in creating a personal statement that is well-made, properly edited, and interesting or attention grabbing. Depending on the amount of care and commitment that one puts into writing his or her personal statement, the process and result can be both fulfilling and rewarding. Here is a guide on how to get the most out of personal statements.
Preparation and gathering of information
The first step to writing an effective and interesting personal statement is to properly prepare for the task at hand. To prepare, it is important to gather information on what the personal statement is, what admissions committees look for in personal statements, and how to go about writing them. One simple way of doing this is to go online and check the sites of different medical schools. Many of these schools have a section dedicated to the personal statement. Another way of gathering information is to seek out sample medical school personal statements to get an idea of what is expected from these essays.
Choosing topics and themes
Perhaps the most difficult part in writing personal statements is deciding which topics and themes to write about. Sample medical school personal statements are a good source of information to help in the brainstorming process. The idea is to creatively and intellectually discuss one’s creative and intellectual achievements. In doing so, the personal statement should reflect not only the writer’s achievements, but also his or her personality, motivations, aspirations, and personal qualities. Some of the questions that should be answered include why the writer is deciding to go into medical school, how he or she is qualified for it and what the writer is planning to achieve with their education.
It is important to come up with a topic that will not be redundant. The personal statement should present one of your outstanding qualities and attributes that are not evident in your other requirements such as your college records and resumes. Choose a topic that will let the members of the admissions committee to get an insight of you as a productive and capable individual.
Writing, rewriting, and rewriting again
The next step in writing personal statements is to begin the writing process. To come up with an excellent personal statement, it is important to take one’s time. Coming up with an outline may be time consuming, but it certainly helps you see how your ideas should be developed in the personal statement. One thing that puts off many members of the admissions committee is to read an essay that just talks in circles with no clear direction and purpose. Remember, these people would be reading hundreds, if not thousands, of essays; so come up with an essay that presents your ideas in a clear and logical manner.
The first draft should never be the final draft. After proofreading and editing one’s own essay, it would be advisable to have others read and edit it as well. Making numerous revisions will ensure that the personal statement is of high quality. Be sure to check sample medical school personal statements to get an idea of the quality that is expected by admissions committees.
Photo Credit : Etwood
