A personal statement is a reflection on who you are as a person.
Law school applications can require undergraduate transcripts, GPAs, LSAT scores and even GRE scores. However, all of these data only provide impersonal applicant information. A law school personal statement is one of the best ways to get to know applicants as individuals, not simply as numerical data. These essays are short, but they must reflect you as an individual and be powerful enough to set you apart from other applicants. Therefore, you need to begin the writing process as early as possible to allow yourself the maximum time to prepare your personal statement.
Instructions
1. Understand the guidelines. Most applications require an essay, but schools can differ in their specific requirements for the essay. The more common prompts ask you to explain your interest in law school and what you intend to do with your degree. However, if the school to which you are applying requires more information from you, you need to provide it in order to be accepted. Be well-versed in all the requirements of your school's personal statement so that you can provide everything it needs.
2. Pick a genre. Even though personal statements are essays about yourself, the genre in which you write needs to reflect you as an individual. It also needs to stand out from other applicants' essays. Consider the qualities you believe a successful law student must have. Use these qualities to establish a genre and tone for your essay. For example, decide whether you want to write more passionately, seriously or creatively. Your genre can certainly include more than one of these elements, so think about which ones best define you.
3. Conceive a theme. A law student must be able to focus and prove his case sufficiently and relevantly. Your essay needs to follow the same requirements by focusing on a specific topic. The topic can be as specific as a single instance in your life or as general as your interest in law. Make sure that the topic you select is one that you can elaborate on at the required word length.
4. Draft your essay. Don't try to write a perfect essay from the beginning, as putting too many restrictions on your writing will inhibit creativity. Also, don't worry too much about word count, as information can be added or removed later. Focus on the theme and genre and let your ideas flow. Remember that this is a personal statement, so the more personal you make it, the better it will be. Incorporate pertinent information about yourself so the application committee can feel like they know you.
5. Revise your essay. Read over it yourself first to determine what major content changes, such as addressing the prompt fully or adding new information, need to be made. Then, focus on more superficial issues, such as grammar and word count. If you are a current undergraduate student, seek assistance from your university's writing or career centers. You can also ask a friend, colleague or educated professional to help. Having someone else look at your writing is an important step in revision, as they can offer feedback for issues you might have overlooked.
6. Draft a final copy that includes all necessary revisions. Look over your personal statement at least once more to make sure it is exactly how you want it. Submit it before the submission deadline.
Tags: personal statement, your essay, about yourself, applications require, from other, from other applicants, other applicants