How to write a winning medical school application essay WITHOUT bragging

Filed under essay writing guide, August 30th, 2008 by admin

Bragging won’t get you anywhere, especially when you’re writing your medical school application essay. You can discuss your achievements in your medical school application essay but don’t get too cocky. Here are tips that can help you write about your achievements in your medical school application essay the right way.

Don’t start every sentence with an “I.”

It may be tempting to start as many sentences with an “I” especially when you’re talking about your achievements in your medical school application essay but don’t do it. Aside from sounding egotistical, your medical school application essay becomes boring. Use different sentence start-ups in your medical school application essay for variety.

Tell the readers how your achievements have shaped you.

Readers of your medical school application essay won’t be interested in a list of achievements. Instead, your medical school application essay should tell the readers how your achievements have shaped your character, personality, and beliefs. And besides, if your medical school application essay just contains a list of your achievements, it becomes no different from a resume.

Avoid writing about the same achievements over and over throughout the application essay.

Repeating your achievements throughout the medical school application essay sounds like you’re bragging about them. Mentioning an achievement once is good enough for a medical school application essay. If you must focus on an achiement in your medical school application essay, make sure that you relate it to your experiences as you made the decision to take the MCAT and go to medical school.

Never exaggerate your achievements when writing an application essay.

Exaggerating your achievements is a big no-no when writing an admission essay for medical school. Your medical school application essay should be all about the real you. You should know that medical school admission board members know how to identify an admission essay that conveys the truth from an AMCAS essay that is filled with exaggerations.

Achievements can be professional, educational, or personal accomplishments so don’t be tempted to invent if you weren’t a stellar student in college. One key in discussing achievements in your AMCAS essay is to think of accomplishments that made you who you are and pursue a medical degree.

Another key to writing a medical school application essay is to strike a balance between extreme modesty and cockiness. You do have to make the readers of your essay see and believe that you deserve a slot in their medical school but don’t be arrogant. An essay says a lot about your character that can’t be seen in MCAT scores or biographical sheets. So if you really want to make a good impression, make sure that you discuss your accomplishments in your essay the right way.

Photo Credit : rickbradley

One Response to “How to write a winning medical school application essay WITHOUT bragging”

  1. How NOT to Write Your Medical School Essay Like a Medical Journal | medical school essays says on November 12th, 2009 at 6:16 am

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