Hi friends!
This subject is probably the thing that people stress about the most when applying to PA schools. If you aren't quite clear on how the whole application process works, visit my "How to Apply" post! So, I decided to share some of my thoughts about how to make the process easier! I included my personal essay in this post to help (at the bottom of this post!). Obviously, don't copy it (and pretty please don't judge it - I am not a strong writer), but I thought it might help your brain spark some ideas!
Length
How long should my personal essay be? Remember, PA schools are getting hundreds of applications, so you want to stand out. But you don’t want to write one sentence neither do you want to produce a novel. CASPA gives you 5,000 characters to capture what you need to in this process. So 550-600 is a good goal to shoot for when you’re writing.
What am I writing?
If you’re confused about how to start or what to write about, join the club. I would bet everyone feels this way when they go to start writing. Don't let that discourage you! Basically, you‘re answering the question, “why do YOU want to be a PA?” For me, it is hands down because I love others and want to help the people around me. And really, that’s why most PAs want to be a PA! When you answer this question, just be honest. It makes a big difference in your essay!
How To Start
This is the toughest part. I think of this essay as a timeline. I started with a slice of my life: where the seed was planted to go into medicine. I loved playing “doctor” when I was little, so that’s where I started! You can start with a story, talk about a role model, or anything really. Just avoid being anything but yourself.
The Middle
Fill this part with support from your life about why you want to be a PA! Tell us you’re a nerd and love science, describe that amazing medical mission trip you went on, explain how important your role model is in this part of your life — if it is relevant, share it! Keep being honest, too.
Wrap it Up
Don’t give up now! End with a strong, confident overview of what you’re writing about in the first place: why you want to be a PA. Do NOT forget to reread it! You are bound to have a mistake or a typo in there somewhere, and it looks incredibly bad on your part if an applicant reviewer sees that. Another thing is to make sure it flows or makes sense to read. Although my freshman year high school English teacher was kind of nuts, I'll always remember his advice: Read your writing OUT LOUD, and if you need to read it three or more times to get it, change it to something better. For me, it totally works. You can also have someone else you trust read it! Don't be afraid to get feedback or criticism. It will help make your essay better.
Thoughts
Of course, I don’t have all the answers. But what I do know is that no one wants to sit down and read a thousand boring essays. If yours is too long, has super chunky paragraphs, is ordinary, etc., trash it and start again. Make it exciting, pull them in, tell a story. A really helpful website that I used throughout my process is www.thepalife.com! They have tons of articles about everything from essays to your career after you graduate.
Thanks for reading and good luck in your journey to becoming a physician assistant! It is an amazing career with so many opportunities!
-Kate :-)
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