Episode 26: Personal Statement Word Count Tips
IN THIS EPISODE
With the Spring 2021 Match deadline now less than 2 weeks away, I’m sharing some tips you can use as you’re whittling down your personal statement to keep it within the 1000 word limit. I have personally used all of these techniques as I have worked with students to make their personal statements stand out. This doesn’t mean that every personal statement needs every one of these tips, but it does mean that if you’re worried about word count, some of these are bound to be helpful.
Here are the tips that can help you cut down on some words covered in this Q&A:
Narrow down which experiences you share
Cut out details that aren’t absolutely necessary for the story
Look for sentences you can shorten and combine
Be sure to follow up general sentences with specific sentences
Check for short words or phrases you might not need after all
YOUR ACTION STEP
Check what your personal statement word count is right now If you are already at 1000 words or less, kudos! Double check that you’ve got full responses to all the questions and get ready to submit. If you’re over 1000, take note of how many words you need to remove. Then read it again with each of these categories in mind. Read it for details to see if you might have some extra you can take out. Then read it slowly, 2-3 sentences at a time, checking for options to shorten and combine. Finally, use that ctrl + F function to pick out words or phrases that you might be able to revise.
SHOW NOTES
Episode 26 Show Notes: applicationinsider.co/podcast-source/ep26
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