Law
School Personal Statement Guide
| The Admissions Essay Prep Leader shares essay writing strategies and samples that will help you gain entrance to your first choice law school. For more free essay writing advice and for help with your admissions essay, visit EssayEdge.com. |
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Whoever first said that you should worry only about the things you can control was not helping to ease the concerns of the student writing his or her application essay. By that criterion, the student-writer should be very worried indeed. The scariest aspect of the admissions essay is that you have total control over it. With EssayEdge's help, however, you will learn to see the essay-writing process not as a daunting obstacle, but as a stimulating opportunity. When you send out your application, you will-in theory-have nothing left to worry about, knowing that you have capitalized on all the means available to you.
The law school personal statement, more so than essays for other graduate programs, resembles the kind of essay you wrote for your college applications. The topic is often completely open-ended. This freedom intimidates many students who prefer to have guidance and a clear notion of what admissions officers are looking for. Your goal must be to avoid depending too heavily on preconceptions and to focus instead on what you have to offer. The set of qualities that law schools are looking for is even broader than what business or medical schools seek. In sum, law school admissions committees want interesting, confident, and successful people.
What makes the essay such a useful measure is that it represents you on two fronts: the substantive details of your experiences, as well as the style and approach with which you present them. Both aspects can and should say a great deal about your abilities and qualities. You should also keep in mind that law schools weigh writing skills even more heavily than other programs, because their course of study is so writing-intensive. Your writing must demonstrate clarity of thought, the ability to think analytically and logically, and a talent for engaging communication.
The number one mistake that applicants make is to stick to formulas and, therefore, end up blending in with everyone else. The purpose of this guide is not to teach formulas, but rather to give the necessary direction for you to create an original and effective essay. EssayEdge will teach you how to choose appropriate topics and themes, how to structure your essay as a coherent and flowing piece, and how to convey your ideas in engaging and active language.
When writing your law school personal statement, you should reflect on three fundamental questions:
1.
How am I different from all the other applicants?
2. Why do I want to be a lawyer?
3. What are my qualifications?
Some applicants aim to answer all three of these questions with an issue-based essay, in which they demonstrate the ability to dissect a complicated topic, along with personal enthusiasm for a specific cause. For assistance with this kind of essay,
click here.