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let's talk the new CASPA essay
it's better than you think!
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life experiences
I will be honest, I am annoyed they still have the COVID supplemental essay on the CASPA, HOWEVER, I absolutely love the new life experiences essay! I know I know, it is more writing you have to do, but I have noticed a pattern with my clients when working on their applications over the past few months. Whenever we are writing the personal statement, we often cannot fit EVERYTHING we want to include about them. So, items that do not directly pertain to them we end up cutting. It doesn’t meant these items aren’t as important, they just cannot fit in the personal statement.
Now, cue the life experiences essay! THIS is where you can add all of those experiences that have made YOU who you are but don’t necessarily relate to becoming a PA. I have had so many clients tell me about their lives and experiences that have made them the amazing humans they are today - THAT is what should be included in this essay. Now, let’s get to brainstorming!
the question:
brainstorming
I want you to reflect on experiences in your life that have made you who you are. I know this can be hard, but we all grow up in different environments and all of our external variables make us who we are. Your experience may seem “normal” and/or “boring” to you because it is all you know, but each person’s life experience is unique and makes you who you are! This is also a way for you to tell the admission committee more about you as a PERSON, holistically, not as a pre-PA. It is so easy to shape every essay answer about why PA and relate it back to your pre-PA experience, but this shows they also care about you are a whole, not just pre-PA.
how I would handle it
When thinking about what I would do, I would have someone very close to me read my personal statement and ask them what they think is missing about ME. It is so easy to make the personal statement too pre-PA focused and not make it personal enough. So, I would have a friend or family member read it and ask them what about me personally is missing from the statement. Then, I would write a paragraph filling in that gap about me and add it to the life experience section.
I also would write about personal experiences that have made me who I am today as a person, including personal challenges (none pre-PA related!) I have gone through that have made me stronger. I absolutely love that this section does NOT have to be pre-PA related, as many of the life experiences that got us to where and who we are now are well before that process even begins! While you may have touched on this in the personal statement (or not), it is important to expand on these topics if they are an important part of your story!
explaining gaps or “red flags”
You also could use this area to explain any “red flags” you have on your CASPA. Examples of this could include:
Withdrawals
Low grades/GPA
Gap years
Switching careers multiple times
Many applicants will include these explanations in their personal statements; however, they do not always fit nicely or seamlessly. Even when trying to add it, it can come across as forced or random when adding it to the personal statement. Now you have somewhere you can write about and explain any of these “red flags” in detail!
do I need to rewrite my personal statement?
I have had so many clients ask me this question now that this additional question as been added, and my answer is NO! Do not rewrite your personal statement. You have spent so much time and energy on that - INSTEAD I would write about anything you REMOVED from your personal statement or whatever you felt like did not fit seamlessly. I also would NOT duplicate any information, and do NOT copy and paste anything from your personal statement. This needs to be a whole new answer with all new information about you!
now, get to writing!
Keep in mind, you do not need to write a LONG essay (2500 characters max). Just answer the question to the best of your ability and include any additional information about you. What will you share with your classmates? What will you bring to your program? What life experiences shaped you into who you are? Who are YOU, not who are you as a pre-PA.
Good luck, and get writing!!
if you are looking for more…
🖥️ Check out my website to learn more about my services
📲 Follow me on IG for daily pre-PA content