Successful Personal Statements Law School

Your personal statement is perhaps your first opportunity in life to flex some of your latent lawyering skills.

”Composing a personal statement is the most challenging part of the law school application process for many aspiring law students.

In order to stand out from the crowd and improve your chances of admission to your top choice program, avoid variations on the following three themes in your personal statement.

Or perhaps you were inspired by the example of a professor or teacher, and that inspiration has carried you forward to this day.

If it has, then write about it, making sure to relate that writing or professor’s example to your life in tangible ways.

Your job is to advocate in the most effective way possible on behalf of your own law school candidacy.

To “win” this case, you have to convince the judge and jury (the admissions committee) that your candidacy is compelling enough to gain admission.Sometimes a college or even high school course steers you towards a life in the law.It could be a hands-on government experience during a college independent research course, or a science class that covered the intersection of science, policy and the law, or a term paper that explored law, policy or politics.You’ve taken the LSAT (and hopefully scored well), built a strong academic record in college and pursued internships that prepared you for a career in the law. Bear in mind that law school Admissions Committees (Ad Coms) read thousands of these essays per year, and come across the same overused themes and logical fallacies.When you begin to compose your personal statement, your mind blanks.By the time you fill out your law school applications, you can no longer change some aspects of your case, like your grades or your LSAT.Yet it is the way in which you advocate on your own behalf that can make the difference in persuading the admissions committee that your candidacy is compelling.Whatever that memorable academic experience, write about it and its impact on your career goals.Sometimes a book, a speech or even a quote can change the arc of your life.Start by asking yourself some key questions and reflect on the answers honestly.For example: If you follow the steps outlined above, your personal statement will be unique reflection of your personality and will clearly demonstrate why you would make an excellent addition to the incoming class of law students at your top choice school.