Guest avisee Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 In writing the school submissions (especially free-form essays, like with U of T) it's hard to tell how much to include, or whether to go down one route or another. I imagine this is highly personal and has a lot to do with the style of your essay or what you hope to convey, but here are a few questions, in interest of hearing your opinions. Should you discuss your detrimental traits alongside the good ones in a freeform personal essay? Should you focus more on providing an in-depth discussion of one or two activities, or listing a variety? How many activities is a good number to describe in depth on a long personal essay like U of T's 1000-word essay? [i describe basically 3 activities and my academic background, then list a bunch of activities pretty casually - should I go into detail with more activities?] Should you soliloque on your career goals or on what you hope to do with your MD, or should you focus more on why you should be picked? Should you tell a school in your application (or wait until the interview) why their school is a good fit for you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 15Sacha Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Why don't you try this style for the UT essay at least (this is what I did)? Intro: why medicine and discuss your motivation and what it means to you. 2 paragraph: What skills you have gained and how it will benefit you in medicine/medical school. Here is where you can slip in some good examples and elaborate (not too many). Don't be negative! They will most probably give you opportunities in the interview to express your downfalls. 3 paragraph: Why choose you as a candidate over the others? Personalize this. You can also include how you would fit into their program. Just make it interesting so that the reader won't say "here we go again". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 2 plus 2 is 4 Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Hey Avisee, Should you discuss your detrimental traits alongside the good ones in a freeform personal essay? I would try to stay clear of detrimental traits. You really have so much space available to talk about your reasons for entering med and yourself, why waste it on negative qualities which won't portray you in the best of light. The only exception to this would be a situation where your detrimental quality led you to make a life-altering mistake that you learned from and changed you as a result. Should you focus more on providing an in-depth discussion of one or two activities, or listing a variety? How many activities is a good number to describe in depth on a long personal essay like U of T's 1000-word essay? [i describe basically 3 activities and my academic background, then list a bunch of activities pretty casually - should I go into detail with more activities?] No one can really tell you an appropriate number of activities to discuss, this is really up to you. But I would suggest you simply not list a bunch of activities, it's boring to read and really doesn't say much about you except that you do a lot of things, and plus, that's what the autobiographical sketch is for. Make sure you really expand on the few activities that you do mention, to me that's more important than just listing things. Keep in mind the old adage, it's the quality that matters not the quantity. Try to limit yourself to activities where you feel demonstrate something new and meaningful about you as it relates to your application, that is, don't list different activities that portray the same qualities, it's redundant and a waste of space. Should you soliloque on your career goals or on what you hope to do with your MD, or should you focus more on why you should be picked? I wouldn't list this as a number one priority of things to discuss because it's possible that you will change your mind and some people may take this as being narrow-minded (if it's not worded appropriately). Personally, I would only mention it if you still find you have some room after talking about the 'other' stuff. And if you do mention it, do mention that you're keeping an open mind to other possibilities - this will portray you as focused, committed but also open-minded. Should you tell a school in your application (or wait until the interview) why their school is a good fit for you? Again, this is a personal choice, but I don't really think you need to spell it out for them e.g. I'm a funny person which I feel will fit well with your school's commitment to humour in medicine. The essay evaluators know what their school is all about, so they're capable of making a mental check of whether the qualities you portray in your essay a good fit for their school and medicine. Unless, the school is really well-known for a particular teaching method or philosophy like PBL at Mac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aneliz Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Uoft used to provide a list of 5-6 'topics' that they wanted you to address in your essay.... so most of us used to organise it something like one topic = one paragraph = one example. Can't remember exactly what the topics used to be, something like this: 1. Expain why you would like to study medicine 2. Describe something you have learned 3. Describe something to do with time management 4. Describe a challenge you overcame 5. Describe some of the challenges in medicine Can't really remember for sure....but that is what it used to be like - if that is any help to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest avisee Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Well, I mean.. I wrote out a rough draft version of my Toronto essay, so this is a bit specific for them, but I know it will also provide a foundation for what I write for Calgary and for McGill and possibly other schools. It's interesting to hear your ideas, and that has been helpful, although I'm still looking at my essay with a bit of confusion as to what portions to edit in or out. The thing is, there are some things I can talk about that I feel would distinguish me from other applicants, but then I wonder if I end up straying too far away from what they're really looking for (eg, with a bit of rambling about future directions, etc). I'm still not sure about the listing of negative qualities. On the one hand, my greatest personal challenge has really been one of growing into my personality and a challenge of self-acceptance or battling personal demons, so in the one sense, it would be a good to illustrate how I've grown as a result of those problems, but on the other hand, being of such a personal nature, they do also require me to describe my weaknesses, at least, the ones that i have work to improve upon. Still not sure when to go with that one. Anyway.. some great pointers above. I'm sure they'll be helpful not only for me but for some other people looking to start their essays and not quite knowing where to go with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CTU24 Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 hey avisee, you have asked some good questions (and gotten some good answerss) which proves you are on the right track. What you end up doing is totally up to you, and you should be comfortable with your ultimate decisions. To add one thing, IMO the point of the essay is to give the adcom a view into your character...to make you more than a list of activities or a GPA. Let them know who you are as a person, what you have done with your life, how you have gotten to where you are and where you are going. It doesn't have to be all meds, or a list...let them know who you are how ever you can in 1000words. If they reject you so be it, but make them reject YOU and not the prototypical premed many applicants try to be. In the end, you only have to please yourself, so make sure you write an essay and put in enough time so that you can be satisfied with your effort. Best of luck CTU24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Elaine I Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Thanks for all of the advice everyone! You've all provided great tips! Elaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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