Back in 2012, seemingly out of blue, a significant, new addition appeared on the AMCAS®. Applicants were being asked to identify their most significant extracurricular experiences (up to three) and support their choices with more writing. The instructions stated:

This is your opportunity to summarize why you have selected this experience as one of your most meaningful. In your remarks, you might consider the transformative nature of the experience, the impact you made while engaging in the experience and the personal growth you experienced as a result of your participation. 1325 max characters.

Now the Most Meaningful Paragraphs are par for the course, but applicants routinely make a few avoidable errors in crafting them. Here are tips to craft your best work:

1) Don’t merge the descriptors with the Most Meaningful Paragraphs because they are separate sections: You can complete descriptors for up to 15 activities with up to 700 characters each, plus up to three Most Meaningful Paragraphs of up to 1325 characters each. The fact that these are two different tasks might seem clear to some, but every year, I get AMCAS drafts to edit that include this error.

2) Do not use patient anecdotes in your Most Meaningful Paragraphs: Most medical school applicants have patient vignettes to share, which means that a patient story does not distinguish an applicant from the masses of other candidates. Also, these patient stories can sound trite or even condescending.

3) Don’t repeat what you have written in your descriptor. The Most Meaningful Paragraphs are an opportunity to delve deeper into your achievement. Let’s say you are showcasing your experience as a biochemistry teaching assistant. In the Most Meaningful Paragraph, give concrete examples of what you taught, to whom, how often, using what techniques. If you were promoted to head TA or asked to come back the next semester, showcase teaching achievements that propelled you to get the position. Did you get excellent teaching reviews from students? Did you offer an unconventional way of learning the difficult material? If so, what was it? By delving deeper, you can truly demonstrate the “transformative nature of the experience, the impact you made while engaging in the experience and the personal growth you experienced as a result of your participation.” Make sure to pick at least one of those three topics and answer it in the Most Meaningful Paragraphs. 

Bottom line: The Most Meaningful Paragraphs are an opportunity for you to demonstrate your distinctiveness and worthiness for medical school. Don’t waste this chance to further your candidacy.