Applicant Email 5-20-09

Dear Applicants,

Reminders:
If you want to check to see what letters have arrived or what is in your file, DO NOT email hprc@ase.tufts.edu but rather call 617-627-2000 or email studentservices@ase.tufts.edu. here are 8 people who answer the latter email box and they can check the database to see what is there. Keep in mind that the minute a piece of mail is sent to us, it does not appear on the database. It must first be received here and then entered on the database. Inquiries of this nature to the hprc@ase.tufts.edu email address will not be answered.

Also, notify hprc@ase.tufts.edu of your interviewer’s name and the day and time of your interview. If you do not, then your file will not be ready for your interviewer. All students should have secured an interviewer by now.

If you withdraw from the process or change your interview date, please notify hprc@ase.tufts.edu.   

Submit all materials to your HPRC file via hard copy if at all possible. Email is accepted but hard copy is preferred. Be sure to put your name on the top of each and every page of material you submit.

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The rest of this email focuses on the essay. Next email will be on the centralized applications and tips for completing them.  THE ESSAY/PERSONAL STATEMENT

You will all have to write an essay or personal statement for your applications. We ask you to provide a good draft of that essay to us prior to your HPRC interview. The AACOMAS, VMCAS and AADSAS essays ask specifically about your interest in their professions while the AMCAS essay is more open-ended. In all cases, you want a well-written, personal essay that provides insight into the person who you are, and what your goals in life are.

In the Dowling Resource Library, under the Health Professions section, you can find a binder with essays. They are written by past Tufts students whom I asked if I could use their essays as good examples. Feel free to come and browse through this binder. We are currently investigating if we can scan them and make them available to you that way. There is also a book called Write for Success (which you can purchase yourself at www.naahp.org/publications)

Carol is available to critique your personal statement (but not subsequent secondary application essays). If you want feedback, please do the following:

1 – Bring in or send your essay WITH YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS ON THE DOCUMENT to Carol.

2 – Let her know what the best method of returning it is: snail mail, fax, (provide specifics) or pick-up. Right now, there is no scanning but we are looking into this.

3 – Remember that you do not need a perfect essay for your HPRC file – just a draft. We want you to be writing, and we want to see what is important to you. You will have time to fine-tune it after your interview if you need to make changes. Good luck as you proceed through the application process.

Carol and Shirley