If you’re applying to law school, your personal statement is an opportunity to showcase your passion and motivation. It should help set you apart from other applicants while demonstrating you will be an attentive student and effective lawyer.
Personal statements typically should be two pages in length. However, you should double check each school’s guidelines and instructions.
1. Focus on the most relevant information
As you draft your first rough draft of a personal statement, try not to worry too much about length or grammar; simply get everything down onto paper. Once that is complete, reread and make edits based on its objectives.
Keep in mind that the admissions committee has already reviewed your resume and work history, so the purpose of your personal statement should be to offer new insight they cannot find elsewhere in your application. In other words, your statement should focus on your most unique experiences, challenges faced, and lessons learned.
When applying to law school, discussing your involvement in social justice movements throughout your life is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate it in your personal statement. On the other hand, if you have a diverse background and wish to pursue schools with diversity missions instead, writing up those experiences separately might be better.
2. Be concise
Personal statements should be two to four pages in length, typically. A narrative-style approach is best when answering any specific question; this allows you to draw readers in while explaining why law school is essential in your career development goals.
Commence with an interesting anecdote or quote that grabs the reader’s attention. Discuss briefly your academic and professional experiences that demonstrate you’re ready for law school; explain your passion for advocating justice drives your desire to study law; then end on this note of hopefulness and optimism.
Be mindful of your tone when speaking about yourself as admissions committees look for applicants who will fit well within their community. Do your best to avoid cliches and colloquial language that might come across as arrogant or pretentious, and ensure your writing is clear and concise before proofreading thoroughly.
3. Be specific
Personal statements provide the chance for applicants to showcase their individuality outside of what has already been written on other parts of their application. A strong law school personal statement serves as an opportunity to share experiences, perspectives and insights that don’t appear elsewhere such as grades or resumes.
If there’s something relevant to the program that captivates your interest, include it in your personal statement as it shows that you have invested yourself and would make an excellent addition to the law school community.
Many schools provide applicants with specific instructions or prompts regarding what types of information to focus on when writing essays for admissions applications. For example, law schools typically ask prospective law students to write about any experiences that influenced their decision to pursue law; others seek more general information regarding your interest in their particular program and why. It’s wise to abide by any instructions as closely as possible.
4. Be memorable
Personal statements allow law school admissions committee members to get to know you beyond just your numbers or resume. It is crucial that they find you appealing, while finding you suitable for their program.
Use your essay to demonstrate how your experiences have shaped you, your qualities and the person behind your GPA and LSAT scores. Create an essay that highlights how your experiences have formed you as a person who can overcome challenges while leading others and working well under pressure.
If your life hasn’t been full of dramatic, life-altering events, a “montage structure” is an effective way to craft an essay that stands out. This approach takes elements that seem disparate from both your personal and professional backgrounds and connects them through common themes or threads; ultimately your essay should stand out due to its clarity, concision, and engagement power.
