Disability Reveal? Forum

[A. Nony Mouse]

I think PSes can definitely hurt.

[rpupkin]

im generally of the belief that a PS will either help or have no effect at all--and when it comes to topics like this, i feel significantly stronger about that.

That's clearly your assumption. If you're right--if personal statements and diversity statements and supplemental statements are all upside--then applicants would be well advised to file as many supplemental statements as possible.

But I don't think your assumption is right. A poorly done statement can hurt the applicant. Keep in mind that some folks have overcome some pretty serious adversity in their lives, and adcomms are reading about those experiences every day. If you try to convert your own unremarkable experience into "overcoming adversity," you can come off as self-absorbed or immature. I'm not saying that's what would happen in the OP's case. But it is a risk.

[vcap180]

im generally of the belief that a PS will either help or have no effect at all--and when it comes to topics like this, i feel significantly stronger about that.

That's clearly your assumption. If you're right--if personal statements and diversity statements and supplemental statements are all upside--then applicants would be well advised to file as many supplemental statements as possible.

But I don't think your assumption is right. A poorly done statement can hurt the applicant. Keep in mind that some folks have overcome some pretty serious adversity in their lives, and adcomms are reading about those experiences every day. If you try to convert your own unremarkable experience into "overcoming adversity," you can come off as self-absorbed or immature. I'm not saying that's what would happen in the OP's case. But it is a risk.

im speaking purely about personal statements - i dont know the first thing about diversity statements.

and yes, of course they CAN hurt, that is why i said "generally". but i do think you'd have to be more than a little tone-deaf for a personal statement to have serious negative implications on your chances of admission. and again, i think this is particularly true when considering the type of issue that OP is talking about.