Don`t try to incorporate your life story into your personal statement. Keep your essay focused on a specific topic, thesis, or even a specific point in time. Since your LSAT and GPA carry so much weight, you shouldn`t start thinking about your personal statement until you`ve already passed the LSAT. But while you wait for your results, you can turn your attention to the trial. A clear focus on a specific topic and why it`s important to him. Michael gives clear reasons why it is important for him to prevent domestic violence and improve his community. He backs this up with directly relevant professional and volunteer experiences dating back to high school. If you are reapplying, do not use the same personal statement or letter of intent that you used to apply from the previous law school. A lot of changes in one year in terms of writing ability and the aspects of your experiences and personality that you want to highlight. Also note that you were not accepted due to your previous application, so rewriting your personal statement or letter of intent will be beneficial as it will likely be improved. Using a personal statement or letter of intent from a law school from an unsuccessful application simply doesn`t make sense (although many applicants don`t!). As a law school applicant, you may not have the opportunity to sit down with the admissions committee and explain why you are a perfect candidate for their institution.
But you have the personal statement, and that`s almost as good – as long as you follow these tips. One of the hardest things you can accomplish in a personal statement is to describe not only the first setbacks that are out of your control, but also the early mistakes you need to take responsibility for. The author of this personal statement begins with descriptions of characteristics that most law schools would find problematic at best. But at the end of this introduction, they successfully use an epiphany, a revolutionary moment in which they saw something beyond their lack of early pathological purpose, to clearly mark the point where they focused on law. This opening anecdote or personal hook is where our only litmus test matters most. No one else should be able to tell this story like you can tell this story. Your personal views, your story and your point of view will influence the details that come out. They are much more than your LSAT score, your undergraduate GPA, and your extracurricular activities.
That`s why your personal statement is an important part of your law school application: it`s your chance to contact the law school admissions committee directly and show us your character, what`s important to you and why you`re a good candidate for the school. It`s also an opportunity to stand out in a sea of competitive law school candidates. So don`t let it get lost! Read it carefully: Edit and check your personal statement several times, with the caveat that the spell checker is not perfect. You usually only have two double-spaced pages to justify your application as much as possible. Don`t let the small details of your big picture distract you. Sometimes it helps to have someone you trust review your finished product. The personal statement of the law school is broader in scope than a letter of intent. Here you want to emphasize the following: Remember that you should always maintain the narrative reader you introduced starting with a personal anecdote or hook. Another way to say this is that you have to stay present in the heels of the body.
As with the whole essay, in each paragraph, ask: Am I the only person who could have written this? Or could one of my fellow articling students in Goldman Sachs` legal program have found the same attitude? Hi Ian! Thank you for your question. Each law school has its own length requirements for personal statements, but in general, you should aim for about 2 pages. Please check with the programs of your choice if they indicate their individual length requirements. To complement our advice on how to showcase your law school application, you need to ensure that your personal statement or letter of intent is credible and persuasive as to why you should be admitted. We recommend that many friends, family members, colleagues, professors and BeMo consultants review your returns before filing them. Check out our law school acceptance rate blog for admission statistics for school admission statistics you may be interested in. Every law student blames the large number of applicants, heartless members of the admissions committee, or high GPA and LSAT scores for their lack of success. Visit our Law School Adoption Rates blog to learn more about law school admission statistics in the United States.