Book excerpt: You've finally finished your personal statement and it's perfect! There's just one thing to consider before hitting the "send" button - will it meet the admission team's expectations? How will you know? CASPA guidelines are vague - "Write a brief statement expressing your motivation or desire to become a physician assistant." School websites aren't generally more helpful. Do they want to hear that you've dreamed of becoming a PA since you were five and loved your toy stethoscope? Are they interested in your volunteer work at a homeless shelter? Will it help that you've been a science nerd since 9th grade Biology? How should you tell your story? Should it read like a textbook, a novel or something in between? The fact is there hasn't been much guidance. Until now. Admissions directors and faculty from PA programs across the country have shared their thoughts on personal statements - what they hope to see, what they wish they'd never see, and tips to make an essay shine. When compiling this book, we realized that access to insider information is just the first step to writing a winning personal statement. That's why we teach you everything you need to know about essay writing, from form to finesse, with step-by-step tips and examples. This is your all-in-one guide to writing the ideal personal statement for Physician Assistant programs anywhere in the country.