Students enrolled in PREP 1105 participate in a curriculum designed to help them explore career options in medical and allied health fields as well as to hone their skills for a successful matriculation into graduate school or post-baccalaureate certification programs.

They have been working on a key part of any application process, the Personal Statement.

Students developed a personal statement over several weeks.  Today, each group formed a “selection panel”, reading and scoring the statements.

Dr. Sharp handed out statements, identified only with a number, and scoring rubrics.  Students were asked to study the statements and consider how well they met the following criteria:

• Were the directions followed?
• Was the statement well formatted and easy to read?
• Did the essay “hook” the reader with interesting, personal, or unique content?
• Did the essay provide depth and detail with the selected experiences used for support?
• Did the essay evoke a mental image of the applicant’s personality?
• Was the essay free of grammatical errors and in standard English?
• Did the essay employ a formal writing style?
• Did the applicant demonstrate that he or she has a realistic knowledge of the chosen profession?

Students were encouraged to generate constructive criticism (and to have a thick skin!)  Essay scores will be returned soon and students will revise their statements accordingly.

A very useful exercise!