Essay Writing
Your primary application (to AMCAS, ADSAS, ACOMAS, or VMCAS) will include a personal
statement, sometimes called the essay. The intent of the essay is to give you the
opportunity to explain why you are a good candidate for professional school. Remember
that you are competing with hundreds and sometimes thousands of candidates. Your
essay should focus on your unique qualities. It should give a reader a good sense
of who you are and why you are interested in professional school. It is important
that the essay be well written and interesting, and that it conforms to the space
requirements. The information below will help you in writing your essay.
Types of Essays
The essay in your primary application will be largely autobiographical. Good autobiographical
essays have the following characteristics:
- Reveal an understanding of your personality traits
- Focus on a few events or persons who have influenced you, especially in your decision
to pursue a health profession
- Explain the effects of that influence
- Maintain the readers interest
Most secondary applications will include additional essays. These are likely to
fall under one of the following categories:
- Essays about yourself and your activities
- Essays on why you are interested in a particular school
- Essays asking you to respond to a thought-provoking statement or contemporary problem
The Process
A well-written essay requires thought and effort. The process outlined here is well
established and worthwhile.
Prewriting
Ask yourself the following questions. Focus on your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
- How/why did I develop an interest in ________?
- How have I demonstrated my interest in ________?
- How is my personality suited for this profession?
- How can I display my knowledge about the profession?
- Why does my GPA/test score not reflect my academic potential?
- How do I explain incompletes, withdrawals, and repeated courses? (Remember to explain,
not excuse.)
- Explore the answers to the above, and to any related questions
Select an organizational plan: chronological or cause/effect
- Chronological: In this plan you begin at the beginning and present your information
in a straight-forward manner that leads to a conclusion about your personality and
the events that led you to this place and time.
- Cause/Effect: This type of essay begins with, and focuses on a significant event
which relates to your professional interest. If you choose this organizational style,
you must relate the event to the formation of your personality and goals.
Writing
Write a draft of your essay. Let the questions you asked above guide your writing.
Be sure to include your thoughts and emotions. Be vivid, and use good description.
Once you have a draft written, ask the following questions:
- Does the introduction grab attention?
- Would dialogue or conversation help?
- Will the reader understand why/how I have been influenced?
- Were any irregularities in my academic record adequately explained?
- Did I conclude or just quit?
Polishing
Proofread: Use the spell and grammar checker in your word-processing
program. Have someone else read the essay for clarity and grammar. Have someone
who does not know you well read the essay for content and interest. When you give
the essay to someone for proofreading, give him or her a copy that is double-spaced
so there is room to write. In proofreading, look for the following common problems:
- Grammar (appropriate use of words, sentence structure)
- Punctuation (especially commas, colons, and semi-colons)
- Mechanics (capital letters, spelling, hyphens)
- Word choice (appropriate, concise, apolitical)
- Syntax (word order)
- Vocabulary (if you use a thesaurus, be careful that you know what the word means)
Tips for Better Essays
- Accurately follow any instructions, including rules about font size and space.
- Use most or all of the space provided. A very short essay may suggest arrogance, overconfidence, or laziness.
- Be sure that someone qualified reads the essay. Ask the reviewers to note the following:
- Grammar/spelling errors
- Readability/flow
- Interest
- Maturity/professionalism
- What impression does the essay give?
- Avoid gimmicks like quoting odd poetry. Avoid the overused "I want to help people."
- If this is a re-application your essay should address progress you have made since
the first application, significant changes in grades, test scores, or personal growth,
and reasons you believe you are a better candidate this time around.
More Help
Remember that the Health Profession's
advisors are willing to help you proof the final draft of your essay.
There are also several internet companies that will read and evaluate your essay
for a fee. Although we do not recommend any of these sites for their services, their
websites also have examples of what to do – and not do – in a good essay:
Other Advice
We hope you have found this guide helpful. Please be sure to attend one of our spring
workshops, and feel free to email us
if you have further questions.
Return to the
Application Process page