2 More Tips to Improve Your Personal Statement to Dental School

Elevate Your Storytelling by Showing, Not Telling

“Show, Don’t Tell” is common advice for writing a personal statement. Here’s one way to check that you are showing, not telling:

After writing your first draft, take a minute to review your word choices. Are you overusing “resume lingo”? Double check for trite words that you can replace, like these:

  • “experience”
  • “leadership”
  • “analytical skills”
  • “determination”
  • “responsibility”
  • “work ethic”

You don’t have to directly tell the reader what you have accomplished; instead, adjust your writing to show your strengths through storytelling. Put simply, your writing should paint a picture that reflects your skills without needing to overtly state each of these traits.

Support Your Claims with Details

Interesting details make a Personal Statement more dynamic! For example:

  • If you share that you are a team player, give an example and tell the reader why.
  • If you mention that you went to an EMT school, give the official name of the program and share what you learned from this experience.
  • If you volunteered at a clinic, add specifics like where, when, and how you got connected.

These small tweaks can give the reader more details into why you are a great fit for their dental school.

The Team and DentalStatement.com

The Team and DentalStatement.com

The team at DentalStatement.com is committed to helping applicants write exceptional personal statements as they prepare to apply to dental school.

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