Law school personal statement tips
We’ll save you a lot of time by summarizing the important things about law school personal statement tips. We find most law school applicants need help learning how to write a personal statement this is viewed favorably by the selection committee.
Law school personal statement tips
- Visit this website, scroll down to the section on Personal Statement Advice, and read it. Now.
- Don’t write an autobiography or summarize your resume. Instead, write about your unique qualities and experiences, and how they will contribute to the law program to which you are applying. Pause for a second and reread this. There is a difference between the two, and make sure you are crystal clear on the difference. If you are still unclear, send us an email and we’ll help you understand the difference.
- Write multiple drafts. Never write one version of your paper. Write your first draft today. Take a break for 24 hours and then come back to it. Count the number of times you will think to yourself, “How could I have written such garbage?”. Even the best writers use multiple drafts to arrive at a final version.
- Use a professional proofreading service after you finish your personal statement. If you need scientific proof why it’s impossible to accurately edit your own writing, read this.
Exploit your personal stories – the good, bad, and the ugly ones
While you may think you have a boring life, your unique trips, challenges, and experiences are what separate you as an individual. Take a few hours to daydream about your life. What challenges did you face growing up? What trips did you make that left a mark on your conscious? Which people along your journey influenced your present way of thinking? What mistakes did you make that you wish you hadn’t?
These stories will help you craft a law school personal statement that is unique to you and reflects the things you can bring to the program that no one else can.
Leave out the dramatics
People confuse public speaking with personal statements. Public speakers often open their speech with an element of drama or surprise. They are able to anchor this story back to the main theme of their speech. This seldom works for law school personal statements. The selection committee that will read your personal statement understands that such elements of surprise are not the way people usually write. More importantly lawyers who open briefs never use such an element of surprise (it only happens in the movies). Be objective and direct like a lawyer. You will score more points with the selection committee member.
Include your resume
Is this required? No. However, including a resume shows the selection committee member your thoroughness and due diligence.
Author
Gramlee is a proofreading and copyediting service that employs professional editors. We edit with your audience's amygdala in mind. If you don't know what that means, we invite you to visit www.gramlee.com, scroll to the bottom, and read the small paragraph on Readability. We promise it's a worthwhile read that may even change your outlook on writing.