Hi friends! Long time no personal statement post! PTCAS updated their essay for the 2020-2021 cycle, so I figured I’d give you guys my initial thoughts on the essay prompt and share a few tips to help you get started on crafting a winning essay!
PTCAS Essay Prompt: Every person has a story that has led them to a career. Since there are a variety of health professions that “help” others, please go beyond your initial interaction or experiences with physical therapy, and share the deeper story that has confirmed your decision to specifically pursue physical therapy as your career.
In my opinion, I think this is a great essay prompt! It is way better than the one I had to answer when I applied in my opinion: “What is professionalism in the context of being a student in a doctor of physical therapy program?”…yea bleh. This prompt isn’t too vague; it’s just specific enough so that you know exactly what admissions committees are looking for, but you still have free range to make it personal and add your own flare.
1. Answer the prompt, period.
I know this may seem obvious, but I have edited many essays for pre-PT students, and have come across essays that didn’t even answer the prompt. This is a sure-fire way to stop someone from reading your essay, so follow directions, and try not to deviate too far from the prompt.
2. Wanting to “help others” is not enough.
Almost everyone wants to be a physical therapist because they want to help people, or because they had an awesome physical therapist when they were injured. While this is great, admissions committees want to hear why you want to become a physical therapist (which is why they explicitly included this in the prompt) as opposed to an MD/DO, a PA, an OT. Really think about WHY you want to help people. What are your passions? Pull from your life experiences (healthcare and/or non-healthcare related) to make your essay more personal.
3. What is your story?
Everyone has a story. Like the prompt requires, you must go beyond your initial experiences with physical therapy. Did you have a really impactful patient? A family tie? A childhood experience? Whatever it is, tell it! Your story will always be enough. This may require a bit of brainstorming (and deep thought), and that’s fine. Remember that admissions committees aren’t looking for this extravagant story though, they just want to know you and why physical therapy is the right fit. This is your personal statement…make it PERSONAL!
For example, my “PT story” includes the lack of representation for Black women in academia in general, but especially in the physical therapy profession. I began my essay discussing my first real experience with representation: receiving a Holiday Barbie doll that was Black every year for Christmas as a child. This was a piece of my story, and I used it to explain why physical therapy was the career choice for me, and how it made me a great applicant.
4. Make sure your essay has structure.
You need to have an introduction (with a captivating opener to engage the reader), and a conclusion to bring your essay full circle. I began my essay with a childhood memory (as mentioned earlier), but you could begin with a quote (kinda cliché, but you could make it work), a question, a general idea, or something else. You want to grab the reader’s attention immediately!
5. Show, don’t tell!
Use lots of examples. Show your story, don’t just tell it. The reader must be able to visualize your words, so that your story can come to life. You can achieve this by having a “theme” that you incorporate into your essay.
Alright guys, I hope this was helpful, and is a good start to helping you craft an awesome essay. Remember that I am available for editing (this essay, supplemental essays, and resumes), so click here if that is something you are interested in! Also feel free to check out this post for more tips on writing your essay(s)!
Special thanks to my sweet friend Yusra. She wrote a post like this on a past PTCAS prompt, and it inspired me to write one with my thoughts for this year’s prompt!
Hi, thank you so much for these helpful tips! Do you think it best to discuss one personal experience when writing the personal statement or is it okay to talk about more than one?
You’re so welcome! And I think it is okay to discuss more than one, just not too many!
Hello, I was wondering if you could just glance over my essay and let me know if the structure is fine?
Hi, I offer editing services under my “shop/services” page!
Wonderful insight! These tips gave me some great ideas for my essay after weeks of being lost with this prompt. Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome, good luck with everything!
Awesome thank you!
What do you think is an appropriate length for the essay. The maximum word limit is 4500 but I’m afraid of writing too much that it might loose the interest of the reader and too little that the reader may not see my personality/experience detail.
You should definitely try your hardest to hit the 4500 CHARACTER limit!
Hello, I am having the hardest time starting on my personal essay. I know exactly what I want to say, I just do not have right words at the moment. When I first read your tips, I had the perfect flow going but now I am stuck.
Hi Alicia! My biggest piece of advice for when you are stuck is to take a break. Coming back to your essay later with a fresh pair of eyes can be a game changer. I hope this helps!
Hey girly! Thank you so much for all the info! It’s been really helpful exploring your blog! I’m a little confused on the how often the prompts change for the personal statements. Is it every two years that a new prompt gets put out?
You’re so welcome! And yes typically they change every 2 years!
Thank you so much for all this info! It’s been super helpful as my college also did not have a Pre-PT club. When writing the PTCAS essay, is it okay to use “PT” instead of physical therapy or things like “PT school”? I am right over the 4500 character limit and am trying to cut some things out! Thank you for all of your help!
You’re so welcome Sarah! Yes, that is totally fine!