Personal statement workshop
A focused, six-lesson guide to planning, drafting, and revising your personal statement for AMCAS, AACOMAS, and other health professional school applications.
The application is a lifeless thing — a few sheets of paper and a few numbers. The personal essay is the best way to breathe life into it.
Student download
Personal Essay Workshop Student Guide
Download a concise guide with the workshop takeaways, revision checklist, AI-use caution, and SDN tools that can help while you prepare your application.
Workshop lessons
Build your essay in stages
Start at lesson one if you are early in the writing process, or jump to the stage that matches the problem you are trying to solve right now.
The Audience
Understand who reads your essay and how much work your personal statement has to do.
02What Admissions Committees Look For
Connect motivation with evidence from your experiences.
03Brainstorming a Topic
Generate material from your experiences, goals, traits, and influences.
04Choose the Theme
Approach common themes without falling into generic answers.
05Introductions
Choose an opening that draws the reader into your essay.
06Editing Checklist
Revise for substance, structure, interest, and proofreading.
Related resources
More essay help from SDN
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