Personal Statement Length?

[NewYorker100]

Applying for Derm next month. I just copied my PS into ERAS and it's about ten lines over one page, 750 words total. Is this too long? How essential is it to have the PS fit exactly on one page? I'm trying to figure out whether I should cut more; I'd like to avoid this if possible. Any input/advice would be appreciated!

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[asmallchild]

Applying for Derm next month. I just copied my PS into ERAS and it's about ten lines over one page, 750 words total. Is this too long? How essential is it to have the PS fit exactly on one page? I'm trying to figure out whether I should cut more; I'd like to avoid this if possible. Any input/advice would be appreciated!

I would cut the PS so that it fits 1 page. Instructions are instructions and you don't want to be removed from consideration over something as trivial as "the personal statement was too long".

Ask a few trusted friends or advisors on their advice for your personal statement. I wasn't in academics for too long but the personal statements I liked the best were always more on the concise side.

 

[dermie1985]

Yes! Definitely fit on one "ERAS" page if you can!
Some reviewers won't even flip over, so the lines on the 2nd page may not even be read.

 

[zanzizic]

Nobody wants to read more than one page.

The personal statement is one of those things that usually cannot help a mediocre candidate much, but it can really sink a good candidate if s/he comes across as a weirdo. Make it good and well-written (you’d be shocked how many have poor grammar and the like) and non-controversial. Don’t try to win an essay competition by doing something avant-garde. In my experience, program directors are conservative in the sense that they just want to see that you’re a normal person who wants to do derm and not a crazy basket case they’ll have to babysit for three years.

 

[NewYorker100]

Thank you all for your input! If anyone knows of a way to tweak the eras font and margins to get it to fit that would be much appreciated

 

[TMP-SMX]

Thank you all for your input! If anyone knows of a way to tweak the eras font and margins to get it to fit that would be much appreciated

Yes by reducing your word count

 

[MOHS_01]

tl; dr

 

[RhesusPuffs]

I started off with 750 words because google told me 750-850 fits on one ERAS page. I ended up having to cut it down to 550 to fit it to one ERAS page. I think 500-550 words is about right

 

[Dral]

I was complimented more than once about how my PS was only between half and 3/4 of a page. Short but sweet is the key.

 

[RhesusPuffs]

Do programs screen applicants based on pages? My PS is 1 page, but ERAS shoots out 2 pages with the second page being completely blank. Not sure what to do.

 

[asmallchild]

Do programs screen applicants based on pages? My PS is 1 page, but ERAS shoots out 2 pages with the second page being completely blank. Not sure what to do.

I would find a way to amend your personal statement so that it is one line shorter and a 2nd page is not added

Again, no one knows if anyone is really that strict about the personal statement (and if they are, do you really want to be a resident there for 3 years?)

But still, that has to be one of the worst reasons to be eliminated from consideration. I'm sure there must be one sentence or a combination of words that can be abbreviated so your formatting issue becomes a non-issue.