lostintime Posted September 15, 2006 Report Share Posted September 15, 2006 Is it just to explain special circumstances, or will we be at a disadvantage if we don't try to "impress them"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest canucker Posted September 15, 2006 Report Share Posted September 15, 2006 If I remember correctly from an old post, I believe it is to explain special circumstances. Personally I don't think you'd be at a disadvantage if you didn't write anything in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WabbaJ Posted September 16, 2006 Report Share Posted September 16, 2006 i was thinking of just popping a few lines here about what i do for kicks. and i mean seriously for kicks-- not to try and come across as some kid who wants to be the next mother teresa and spends every second of his free time trying to help the helpless because i "love to help people". you know, throw things like i play basketball for kicks, skateboard, tweak computers. real stuff people do for the hell of it and just for fun. or in other words, things you do without the intention of trying to stuff them on a med app. all this with the purpose of just saying i have a lot of interests and i pursue things i think i'm going to have fun with. can anyone please advise me if this is overkill or just a stupid idea and should be avoided? thanks very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s_sadry Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 yea i would also like to know if most successful applicants actually placed something in this field. i don't think we're supposed to use this question as an opportunity to write more about anything under the sun...but i do have lots to say, so the more room the better. 1500 characters for you why you want to be a doctor... that's hard to pull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 Hey there, I'd allocate that space solely for special circumstances explanations only. Don't think about using it for anything else as that may be misconstrued as being a bit belligerent or cocky. Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WabbaJ Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 dang, u serious Kristeen? aright, no problem. its fine with me cuz i know some people who got into Queens who did and didnt write stuff in the extra section... but i guess you cant really use one person as a blueprint since theres so many factors to consider-- and no two applicants are the same so you cant exactly pinpoint the determining factor. well, thanks again Kristeen-- which means i'm leaving the section blank. ummm i dont wanta sound offensive AT ALL, but i was just wodnering what you base that stament on. hope theres no hard feelings, especially since you just helped us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachy Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 My opinion would be the exact opposite of Kirsteen's -- you've got that extra space to impress whoever is reading it, take full advantage of it! I agree with Wabba that people get in both ways, and as a result it's not likely to be the thing that makes or breaks your application. It would be one thing if almost nobody filled in that question. But if a large enough percentage of the applicant pool is filling it then they can't reasonably penalize you just for writing something there, and if you write something great, then it can help. For what it's worth, I filled in that question (I have absolutely no memory of what I wrote, though! ) and I was accepted at Queen's. http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10814 for a couple other opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coleflower Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 I think that you should use this section if there's something you really want the adcom to know, but couldn't fit in elsewhere. remember that at Queen's, to get the interview all you need are marks and MCAT, and then you will be able to present all the juicy info about yourself in person. I don't think that whether or not you use the space matters as much as HOW you use the space. (I left it blank and got in...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkdoc Posted September 18, 2006 Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 When I applied (and got in) I just put in that box that I was going to finish the master's degree I was currently working on before the med school term started so they knew I wasn't going to abandon my masters and screw my supervisor. I think the box is a place for you to explain things that are different about your application and important for them to know that weren't addressed in the written sections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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