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Certain schools don't have a required length on their personal statements; what is the average length that these schools would accept. Right now, I am at 2.5 pages, is that ok?

princeofegypt wrote:Certain schools don't have a required length on their personal statements; what is the average length that these schools would accept. Right now, I am at 2.5 pages, is that ok?

2.5 is fine--I kept it to 2 because a lot of schools limit it explicitly to 2.

Mine was about 2.5. Just be sure that your format is reasonable, if you're sending to a school with no limit, and you're already onto a third page anyway. I've seen a lot of people mess around with font size, etc in order to cram a PS into 2 pages (even for schools that don't state a limit, just so they can send the same one around everywhere), but I've also heard from an admissions rep that it's irritating when they give no limit and people still feel the need to do that. So: 2.5 pages is fine, but make it 1-inch margins, double-spaced, and 12-point font (11.5 or 11 at the absolute smallest, if you're trying to keep it from going onto a fourth page).

2-2.5 page (no more than that), at size 12 font. Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Garamond will do.

theadvancededit wrote:2-2.5 page (no more than that), at size 12 font. Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Garamond will do.

DEFINITELY not arial. ALWAYS nice font with serifs.

Curious1 wrote:

theadvancededit wrote:2-2.5 page (no more than that), at size 12 font. Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Garamond will do.

DEFINITELY not arial. ALWAYS nice font with serifs.

I second that. The only thing arial should be used for is old school AOL ims. I just stick with Times New Roman for everything, as boring as that may be.

Kess wrote:

Curious1 wrote:

theadvancededit wrote:2-2.5 page (no more than that), at size 12 font. Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, or Garamond will do.

DEFINITELY not arial. ALWAYS nice font with serifs.

I second that. The only thing arial should be used for is old school AOL ims. I just stick with Times New Roman for everything, as boring as that may be.

I think the font on this site is arial. But that's what sans-serifs fonts were invented for, reading on the internet. Serifs confer a more serious, professional tone. Stick to Times New Roman for everything. I did it for all except my resume, which was in Garamond--a little more eye-catching.

2 pages unless a school specifically says more is okay.

Shoeshine, you're saying if there is no explicit limit to keep the PS to 2 pages? Because others have said 2.5 is acceptable, and I want to make sure my PS isn't discarded because I broke some lenght requirement.

princeofegypt wrote:Shoeshine, you're saying if there is no explicit limit to keep the PS to 2 pages? Because others have said 2.5 is acceptable, and I want to make sure my PS isn't discarded because I broke some lenght requirement.

"Admissions officers dread files that land with a thud"

princeofegypt wrote:Shoeshine, you're saying if there is no explicit limit to keep the PS to 2 pages? Because others have said 2.5 is acceptable, and I want to make sure my PS isn't discarded because I broke some lenght requirement.

This is exactly what I am saying.

I have a suspicion that it needs to be long enough to express your personal story, but not so long that the adcomm reads it and gets board.


This seems to conform to the 2 pages (double spaced).