How long should PS be?

Prep for USMLE

Prep for USMLE Forum

» Log in | Register

Forum

Prep4USMLE Forum » Residency Match » Match Support Forum

Previous Topic

|

Next Topic

How long should PS be?

Author

18 Posts

RUDOLPH
Forum Senior

Topics: 29
Posts: 114

08/29/08 - 04:01 PM

#1

Hi friends

I want to know ideally how long should should Personal Statement be.

Mine is anout 1200 words (2 pages in MS word). But I don't know if its okay or shouldn't exceed 1 page.

Hope to know your wise views soon.

will try my best
Forum Guru

Topics: 48
Posts: 506

08/29/08 - 04:25 PM

#2

mine is 2 pages too

___________________
99/99/cs passed/2007 grad/need visa/no USCE/no USLOR/no research

akm
Forum Elite
avatar

Topics: 17
Posts: 234

08/29/08 - 06:14 PM

#3

1200 words is way too long based on the research i did about the Personal Statement.....you should definitely try to edit it ..

Ideally it should be a page, ...perhaps it can spill over to a page and a half (max)
And a well written PS should be around 700 words.... I think 1200 is way over....I had to do some major editing for mine to bring it down to a good length (its the editing that takes longer than the writing!)

This is all based on my knowledge of course.....if you've heard differently than go with what you have

Justice
Just signed contract
avatar

Topics: 118
Posts: 2,360

08/29/08 - 06:29 PM

#4

There is no a fix criterion on how long a PS should be... I would discourage anyone from trying to fit one page while compromising a style or what is wanted to be said... A dense page of packed sentences is worse that two pages of a nicely written assay...

BE YOURSELF, AND CONVEY YOURSELF IN A COMFORTABLE WAY...

___________________
The winner takes it all...

chicagodoc79
Forum Elite

Topics: 20
Posts: 241

08/29/08 - 08:04 PM

#5

1200 words is way too long!!!

Remember, PD's have to read 100's if not 1000's of these, they won't read something that long thoroughly...

Ideally a PS should be a page...

xthine
Forum Senior
avatar

Topics: 4
Posts: 233

08/29/08 - 08:06 PM

#6

Ideally the PS should be just 1 page. Short and succint..just like this reply. *LOL*

Good luck smiling face

smiling face

___________________
'No one can avoid defeat. That is why it is better to lose a few battles in the fight for your dreams than to be defeated without even knowing why you are fighting' - PC

akm
Forum Elite
avatar

Topics: 17
Posts: 234

08/29/08 - 08:40 PM

#7

I disagree with Justice....Writing a PS that is way too long shows that you simply don't know how to edit properly and looks somewhat unprofessional......in a matter of fact your personality will fail to come through, and there will be a strong possibility that the PD will not even read the entire thing.

I do agree, however, that you should not compromise on quality or style......that, in fact, is the challenge of writing an excellent personal statement.....a solid smooth read that doesn't waver around for over a thousand words.....do realize that there is an interview later where you can really talk more about yourself ....

Choice is yours......but in my humble opinion 1200 words is way to verbose and may not be received in the best way

pipi99
Forum Elite
avatar

Topics: 5
Posts: 310

08/29/08 - 08:53 PM

#8

WAU!

to much! I wouldn't read that long PS....but then I am not PD either....well..hm...not yet...

but I agree with akm taht 1200 is to long...I don't think PD's have time to read it all....

___________________
The greatest part of courage is endurance!

mikky
Forum Elite
avatar

Topics: 17
Posts: 504

08/30/08 - 01:13 AM

#9

mine is 550 odd...

___________________
it is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities!!!!

george_md
Forum Senior
avatar

Topics: 5
Posts: 181

08/30/08 - 09:15 AM

#10

is there a particular font that we should use?

___________________
.............loading signature

chicagodoc79
Forum Elite

Topics: 20
Posts: 241

08/30/08 - 09:40 AM

#11

george_md wrote:
is there a particular font that we should use?

just use the normal default font...

george_md
Forum Senior
avatar

Topics: 5
Posts: 181

08/30/08 - 09:44 AM

#12

so times new roman 12 is good? that means my PS will have to be shorter to fit the page. thanks.

___________________
.............loading signature

AnneGermany
Forum Guru
avatar

Topics: 36
Posts: 582

08/30/08 - 10:09 AM

#13

Once you upload it on MyERAS it automatically uploads in a default font. No matter what font you write it with.

george_md
Forum Senior
avatar

Topics: 5
Posts: 181

08/30/08 - 11:17 AM

#14

oh, ok. that helps a lot. so i guess the number of words is a better gauge of the PS lengh then. thanks!

___________________
.............loading signature

will try my best
Forum Guru

Topics: 48
Posts: 506

08/30/08 - 12:30 PM

#15

ok mine is 981 for internal medicine

___________________
99/99/cs passed/2007 grad/need visa/no USCE/no USLOR/no research

AnneGermany
Forum Guru
avatar

Topics: 36
Posts: 582

08/31/08 - 09:59 AM

#16

Mine is about 700 and if I upload it in MyERAS it is about 1.5 pages.

squashdoc
Forum Junior

Topics: 15
Posts: 41

08/31/08 - 10:07 AM

#17

I have a 900 word PS. Cant edit further than this. It will not portray a good statement .

The font is courier new. Size 10.

A quick query.. how about line space? As of now, it is single line space. It looks rather crowded. Can we make it 1.5 line space?

Also, the margins are not normalised. It is now left indented. I'd have loved to see it normalised. Any guesses if this is possible?

deja_vu

08/31/08 - 11:37 AM

#18

If your PS has something that holds the reader and makes them want to know "what happened next?", then 1200 words should be OK. It's better than a 500 words PS which at the end makes you wonder "What happened?"

I think the length of PS should be personalized the same way as its content. A person with a life-changing incidence and a drop out from med school will have a longer PS than a person who want to join the specialty because "He likes it".

(Remember that ERAS gives us the space for 8-9 pages to upload PS. I don't mean to say that you should use all of that)

You don't have permission to post.