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Different PS formats, don't know how much I can cut...


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My personal essay is 3108 characters, well below CASPAs 5000 character limit. But MUSC's limit is 250 words, or 1000 characters. I worked so hard on my essay and it flows really well, I just don't know what I can cut out. Is just leaving it the way it is acceptable? Is submitting an essay three times longer than asked going to look like I can't follow directions? Or, would it be better to cut stuff, making it a slightly weaker essay, in order to try to meet the new character limit?

If more info is needed, I can send my PS.

Thank you for your help!

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Yes, it will certainly look like you have no regard for instructions. They give you a word limit for a reason. Considering what I've heard from current PA students about admissions people, I would think they would throw it out.

 

But of course, if you're applying to the same schools as me, I would say leave it as is!

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Not trying to be rude but that should have been your initial thought in the first place....why woould they wanta watered down version of your CASPA PS? Afterall, they already read it. The essays that programs want need to be more specific to that school, with those essays you can show how much you know about the program, its history, its mmission etc and how all of that will help you reach your goal and how you can benefit their program.....it should not be your CASPA PS in any way.

 

Thanks for the advice! It was what I was thinking, I will just have to rewrite it. At least this way I can tailor it to the school.[/QUOTE]
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Not trying to be rude but that should have been your initial thought in the first place....why woould they wanta watered down version of your CASPA PS? Afterall, they already read it. The essays that programs want need to be more specific to that school, with those essays you can show how much you know about the program, its history, its mmission etc and how all of that will help you reach your goal and how you can benefit their program.....it should not be your CASPA PS in any way.

 

Thanks for the advice! It was what I was thinking, I will just have to rewrite it. At least this way I can tailor it to the school.[/QUOTE]

 

 

I agree..write it from scratch. But it wouldn't be a watered down version of the CASPA essay because MUSC is not a CASPA school

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I get what youre saying but going from the full CASPA essay (which it seems as the OP is applying to CASPA schools simply by mentioning it) and cutting it down to to 250 is a watered down version---same essay only shorter. Granted they woudl have not read the original version but the CASPA essay is also very general and not specific to any one school wich also ( to me anyway) is watering it down....

 

 

Not trying to be rude but that should have been your initial thought in the first place....why woould they wanta watered down version of your CASPA PS? Afterall, they already read it. The essays that programs want need to be more specific to that school, with those essays you can show how much you know about the program, its history, its mmission etc and how all of that will help you reach your goal and how you can benefit their program.....it should not be your CASPA PS in any way.

 

 

 

 

I agree..write it from scratch. But it wouldn't be a watered down version of the CASPA essay because MUSC is not a CASPA school

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Taking short cuts and feeling burned out about writing a page about what should be your favorite subject (yourself) doesn't strike a strong, go get 'em sorta attitude that one would expect from a PA applicant. You have probably at least 17 or 18 years of events in your life. Surely you can find material to fill a few pages. If not, perhaps it's best to take a few years, enrich your life, then come back to write the essays with fresh material.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think the difficulty for me comes from the fact that I only have 250 words to tell a stranger why I want to be a PA and what life experiences led to that decision. Its a bit daunting seeing as I've written longer (punishment) essays for why I forgot to bring a pen to english class in the 7th grade :p For perspective, my essay can only be a little over twice the length of this post! Erg. And yes, there was a twinge of "Oh do I really have to do this again?" But, writing has never been my strong suit haha

Having rewritten it, it just feels so rushed. Good thing I have a lit major friend! May also have to do the unthinkable and post it to the forums.... ;p

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Find the mission statement of the school(s) you want to apply to and draw correlations between their mission statement and your personal life. Highlight obvious relations between what they believe in and focus on during their instruction with experiences you have had during your life. Show how you are a custom grown fit for their program, but do so ethically, drawing factual relationships. If their program doesn't jive with what you believe in, then save your application fees and find schools which are a good match for you.

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