Columbia personal statement

[fosgfp]

When applying to Columbia through the medical school, the application says the word limit for the personal statement is 500 words. Does anyone know if this is correct? It seems awfully short. I emailed but have yet to receive a response.

[Kitkat]

I know that for the program that I am applying to it is also 500 words, but that is in one of the science departments, not through the medical school.

[fosgfp]

yeah, to clarify, I am doing a bio PhD (not MD), but biomed sciences are through the med school

[virion]

Yes, Columbia has a notoriously short word limit on theirs. I don't remember their application too well (I eliminated them from my list back in the summer), but do look around for any other writing submissions that are required in the app. I say this because U Penn appears to have a 500 word personal statement, but you soon realize that there is a second 1000 word research experience essay. Some schools just break things up differently, but I haven't heard about anything besides the 500 word essay for Columbia.

[fosgfp]

Thanks... I've scoured all around and haven't found another essay... Also still waiting for an email response but haven't heard anything. What field of biology are you looking at?

[solorenegade]

I'm applying to the same dept in Columbia Univ and I wrote exactly 500 words on the pers statement. Upenn wanted 500 and Cornell Weill was tacit about asking for 500 words.

On the other hand...you have schools like CUNY graduate center and Temple University that require a maximum of 32,000 characters...I'm thinking about sending my masters thesis with my personal statement lol

[deundertaker]

Hey guys, seems there's a lot of competition, I am also applying to the same PHD program. 500 word limit is ridiculous, I will ask my PI's opinion on the word limit since he was the dean of SP&S. I really don't wanna shorten my PS.

[fosgfp]

Hey guys, seems there's a lot of competition, I am also applying to the same PHD program. 500 word limit is ridiculous, I will ask my PI's opinion on the word limit since he was the dean of SP&S. I really don't wanna shorten my PS.

Great! Let us know what s/he says!

[virion]

I've been told that unless the directions make the limit sound especially strictly enforced, that going 10% over should be okay, more than that is risky. I'm not sure why certain schools (seems to be an Ivy thing) have this limit, but if your statement is ~1000 words I do not think you should submit it without trimming it significantly.

[Genomic Repairman]

Hey guys, seems there's a lot of competition, I am also applying to the same PHD program. 500 word limit is ridiculous, I will ask my PI's opinion on the word limit since he was the dean of SP&S. I really don't wanna shorten my PS.

You realize that because there is so much competition and they do get so many applications, they shorten the personal statements so they don't have to read the great American novel of everyone's lives. And it also saves you time from having to write it.

[fosgfp]

Heard back, 500 words it is. Darn! Cutting down can be harder than just writing...

[solorenegade]

Heard back, 500 words it is. Darn! Cutting down can be harder than just writing...

Tell me about it man...cutting my 860-word general personal statement was tougher than writing it. I took out some words/sentences that I would have paid $100 just to keep.

[solorenegade]

Heard back, 500 words it is. Darn! Cutting down can be harder than just writing...

What did you hear?! Tell us tell us tell us

[fosgfp]

She just said keep it to 500 words, a little over won't hurt but try to keep it around that length

[deundertaker]

I just talked to my PI, and he said:" Keep it close to 500 word, but it is okay to go over that limit a little bit".

[solorenegade]

Oh dear...why did everyone just remember to apply to this Columbia program this season?! I want less competition lol

[deundertaker]

Oh, just another feedback from my PI. I sent my personal statement to my PI and after he read it, he told me just leave it as it do not cut it down. My PS is about 1000 words, he said a good 1000 word PS is totally fine for the committee members. He also said :"I am only aware of length when an essay is difficult to read." So if you are confident about your long PS, dont worry about it. This is just an advice from my PI.

PS. My PI was the DEAN of Columbia school of Physician and Surgeon, and was one of the committee members who to review and interview students. I will totally trust his words.

[solorenegade]

Oh, just another feedback from my PI. I sent my personal statement to my PI and after he read it, he told me just leave it as it do not cut it down. My PS is about 1000 words, he said a good 1000 word PS is totally fine for the committee members. He also said :"I am only aware of length when an essay is difficult to read." So if you are confident about your long PS, dont worry about it. This is just an advice from my PI.

PS. My PI was the DEAN of Columbia school of Physician and Surgeon, and was one of the committee members who to review and interview students. I will totally trust his words.

I trust in God but I lock my car too

[deundertaker]

I trust in God but I lock my car too

Well, Good luck anyways.

[fosgfp]

Arg, don't know what to do. I really can't see cutting my statement beyond 1000 words. Getting it to that length was hard enough.

I emailed one woman who is the coordinator for my specific program (neuro) and she said keep it around 500 words.

But then I emailed the general program and the assistant dean wrote back that any length was fine.

Does anyone know who actually reads the application?

[solorenegade]

Well, Good luck anyways.

Thanks! You too!

[deundertaker]

Arg, don't know what to do. I really can't see cutting my statement beyond 1000 words. Getting it to that length was hard enough.

I emailed one woman who is the coordinator for my specific program (neuro) and she said keep it around 500 words.

But then I emailed the general program and the assistant dean wrote back that any length was fine.

Does anyone know who actually reads the application?

I have no idea at all, it is pretty random. every year the committee members change. my interpretation of 500 word would be fit your PS into one page single space. GL

[solorenegade]

@fosgfp...I see that you are applying to Penn too...how did you manage to write your research statement without giving any important data away? I've been writing and rewriting mine every other day

[deundertaker]

@fosgfp...I see that you are applying to Penn too...how did you manage to write your research statement without giving any important data away? I've been writing and rewriting mine every other day

I am applying to UPenn too. So it should be like a projection description/summery: overall goal of this project, the significance of this project, critical tech and experimental design, important research results and their implications for related research. You do not have to present a lot of experimental data.

[solorenegade]

I am applying to UPenn too. So it should be like a projection description/summery: overall goal of this project, the significance of this project, critical tech and experimental design, important research results and their implications for related research. You do not have to present a lot of experimental data.

Thanks buddy, but the thing is that for one of my experiences, I am not even allowed to talk about the research not to talk of the results I got. If I do...my ass would be sued by the people I work for. I'm not even allowed to take my notebook home or even put data on my personal flashdrive.

But the other research, I can talk about my results but it probably wont get approved by my PI for submission. I can bullishly send out the data to Penn...but it will most likely comeback to hunt me.

EFF EMM EL!