In a word: passion. If you are one of the few students for whom serving others has always been a core belief, you will certainly find an innovative and engaging way to make this the guiding principle of your personal statement. Don`t overdo it – don`t fall into poetry or sublime philosophy – but certainly let your passion guide you (well. keyboard). At each stage, this student recounts her ups and downs, challenges and successes with an extremely serious and sincere set of altruistic values invoked at the beginning of her statement. Law school admissions committees don`t really value monomania, but they value intense and sustained engagement. Although the law school`s personal statement is not limited to following the instructions of the essay, you should always consider basic formatting and length restrictions. Most law schools require a 2-page personal statement, but the length can range from 2 to 4 pages. Georgetown, for example, recommends a 2-page personal statement, but specifically states that there is no official minimum or maximum. In general, length does not make a personal statement any better. Long, meandering sentences and tedious descriptions will only detract from the impact of your ideas, especially considering the number of thousands of pages admissions committees have to sift through each year. We`ll start with an example of a great statement that is «completely individual,» but also highlights the confidence, professional skills, and writing skills that law schools are looking for. Feel free to use it as a template for your own statement (but don`t plagiarize of course!).
If you choose to go to law school, be prepared to deal with a lot of bureaucracy. The management of documents and, above all, their design is one of the tasks of this profession. So what do you need to write a good personal statement in law school? It focuses on one issue: justice for immigrants. Each paragraph aims to show how enthusiastic the student is about this area of law. Personal statements – even for law school – often begin with a personal anecdote. It`s short, memorable and relevant. It quickly defines the overall theme. By limiting the focus of his essay to a single general topic, the author can go deep through a careful and vivid description, weaving emotional and psychological weight.
The personal statement is not a standard 3-paragraph academic essay with a one-time thesis statement, but it conveys a similar effect by presenting a central purpose organically without simply letting the «point» of the piece slip. Expressing privilege in the face of adversity is something that very few students should even try, and even fewer can actually do. But that`s exactly what the author of this personal statement does in his second paragraph, describing how the ease and comfort of their education may have been a source of laziness or distance, often for particularly wealthy students, but instead served as the basis for their ongoing commitment to addressing the inequalities and hardships of those who feel less well off. Describing how you became an empathetic and dedicated person, how you selflessly worked in volunteer experiences, and generally focused your academic life on a career in law to help others – all of this is incredibly moving for an admissions committee and can help you discuss your determination and understanding. Why you want a career in law. Overcoming adversity is a common theme in personal statements for all disciplines, but with law school personal statements, students are often able to take advantage of unique dramatic, difficult, and decisive experiences that involved interaction with the law. It can be difficult to discuss such emotionally heavy experiences in a short letter, but as this personal statement shows, with care and focus, it is possible to sincerely show how your early struggles paved the way for you to become the person you are now. It`s important to avoid sensationalism, but you shouldn`t hesitate to open up to your readers about the negative experiences that ultimately led you in a positive direction. I see myself using my law degree for social justice.
I have seen first-hand, through my volunteer work and personal experience, that women and children affected by HIV/AIDS, adolescents living with mental illness and addiction, the LGBTQ community and many others need much more support than they are currently receiving. [Also] I have benefited tremendously from philosophy, both spiritually and intellectually, and I hope to continue my studies in the combined JD/Ph.D. program in philosophy at the University of Toronto. I was barely 18 years old, but I had already lost hope for education, respect for the law and faith in society. I dropped out of high school, went back to Tacoma and got a job loading trucks at the cemetery. From then on, I was only looking for accessible occupations: an apartment, a car with shiny wheels and a noisy stereo and personal jewelry. My friends and I made angry rap music to vent anger at the society that didn`t take beer. Admissions officers process thousands of student profiles each year. If candidates have a large gap in grades, the choice is easy. What if they have similar statistics? In this case, a personal statement becomes a dealbreaker. Invest so much time and thought in writing this short text. Imagine that you are already one of the candidates with similar scores and that the committee is looking for significant characteristics.
Admissions committees already have a strong idea of your academic performance from your transcripts and test scores, so it`s usually best to avoid discussing them in your personal statement. However, you can contextualize these things – if you have an insightful or meaningful story about how you won an award, or how you enjoyed or learned the work that earned you the award, consider talking about it. Overall, however, it`s best for admissions committees to assess your academic qualifications and accomplishments from your transcripts and official documents, and give them something new in the personal statement. Remember that this is not a poetic competition. If you fill the text with fancy words, it will not leave the desired impression.