In previous blog posts, we’ve written about the most nauseating parts of the law school application process—i.e. collecting letters of recommendation and prepping for the LSAT. This post is about a far more sinister part of the application process—the law school personal statement. As if writing a personal statement for undergrad wasn’t bad enough, you have to write another, more heavily scrutinized personal statement for your law school applications. But don’t worry. This guide will help you write an acceptance-worthy personal statement in no time.
Law School Personal Statement Guide
Table of Contents
- What Is a Law School Personal Statement?
- How to Write a Law School Personal Statement
- Law School Personal Statement Example
- Mistakes to Avoid in Your Law School Application Personal Statement
What Is a Law School Personal Statement?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, we need to take a step back and talk about what a law school personal statement is and what purpose it serves in your law school application.
A law school personal statement is a crucial component of your application that offers a glimpse into who you are beyond your GPA and LSAT scores. It’s your opportunity to highlight your personal experiences, motivations, and everything that sets you apart from other applicants.
An apt way of thinking about the personal statement is to approach it like a profile. [Disclaimer: For those who have never had to fill out such a profile, yay for you.] The goal of a dating app profile is to package yourself in a unique and interesting way while also giving a nod to your accomplishments. From the perspective of someone perusing your profile, you’re just another nondescript collection of personal data and a picture. You have limited space to capture that person’s attention and get them interested in spending more time with you.
The personal statement isn’t very different. To a law school admission officer, you’re just another nondescript collection of GPA, LSAT, and resume accomplishments. They’ll see hundreds of applications more or less like yours. So now what? You need to find another way to capture admission officers’ attention and get them interested in spending three years with you.
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How to Write a Law School Personal Statement
People choose to fill out their dating profiles in various ways. Some tell jokes. Some describe themselves and what they’re looking for in a significant other. Others share something unique about themselves. You have similar freedom when writing your personal statement.
Choosing a Personal Statement Topic
Choosing a topic for your law school personal statement isn’t easy. However, it’s best to decide on a topic before starting to even draft an outline.
Consider what makes you unique or any significant experiences that have influenced your decision to attend law school. Personalization is essential, whether it’s a transformative event or your upbringing that has shaped your ambitions.
Formative Doesn’t Always Mean Life-Changing
Your law school personal statement topic does not need to be some huge life-altering moment.
For example, you could write about a relatively generic topic — such as why you chose to go to law school—but make sure you weave together your unique educational background, experiences, and activities.
Craft a Compelling Narrative
Your goal is to stand out and create a connection with the reader. Engage them with a narrative that is both authentic and compelling, showing why you’re a great fit for law school.
How you accomplish this is up to you. Some applicants tell stories of pivotal moments, while others discuss their educational journey. Regardless, make sure you show, not tell. By weaving a narrative, you create a real, emotional connection with your reader.
You may have some preconceived notions about what kind of candidate law schools are looking for. The point isn’t to convince them that you fit that mold. Your job is to tell them about you. Your personal statement should reflect who you are and convince law schools that you’re who they want.
Should You Tailor Your Personal Statement to Each Law School?
While it’s tempting to use a one-size-fits-all essay, a tailored approach demonstrates genuine interest and research into the school’s unique offerings. All law schools like to see that you have a particular interest in their school. Additionally, some law schools might have specific requirements for their personal statements that you’ll need to abide by.
Tips for Tailoring
- Research the law school. Dig into the school’s website, recent news, and faculty achievements.
- Try to connect your experiences, skills, and goals to specific opportunities, courses, or faculty each school offers.
- Emphasize what you can bring to the school community and how you’ll contribute to its legacy.
- If there’s something that makes you a good fit for a particular law school, that’s definitely something to discuss. However, general comments about how great a school is and how much you want to go there won’t work.
And, this should go without saying, don’t send the wrong essay to the wrong school. Check, check, and double-check!
Editing Your Personal Statement
Your first draft should never be your only draft. Expect to go through multiple rounds of editing and rewrites. Don’t be shy about seeking outside help (kind of like asking for a second opinion before you post a picture of yourself in a fedora to a dating site).
Ensure your personal statement is clear, engaging, and maintains the reader’s interest throughout. Lastly, proofread to eliminate any typos.
Law School Personal Statement Example
Mistakes to Avoid in Your Law School Application Personal Statement
- Avoid clichés. As previously mentioned, you can write about a generic topic, but you must let your individuality and uniqueness shine through.
- Don’t merely list achievements. Your personal statement is not your resume. So, don’t just list your accomplishments. It’s about revealing the person behind the achievements.
- Don’t dish out generic praise. You could describe most top law schools as having “world-class students, faculty, etc.” If you could have simply plugged any school’s name into the sentence, rest assured that admission officers will think you did. In short, keep it specific.
- Don’t call out interests that make no sense in the context of your application. If you have never participated in any activity or group related to the environment, then it is hard to believe that you are interested in the law school’s highly esteemed environmental law offerings.
- Don’t make excuses. If there’s something in your application that looks bad, and you need to explain it, the personal statement isn’t the place to do it. That’s where an explanatory essay comes in. If some significant hardship you’ve faced is a big part of why you want to become a lawyer, then, sure, you can make it your personal statement topic. However, the focus should be on how your experience makes you a good candidate for law school.
Final Thoughts
Crafting an effective law school personal statement is an integral part of your law school application. By capturing your unique voice and experiences, you can create a standout narrative that enhances your application. Don’t rush the writing process and don’t forget to ask for outside help to polish your statement.
If you want more help creating an admissions-worthy law school application, let our experienced Law School Admissions Consultant transform your application. Schedule a free consultation to see if admissions consulting is right for you and your goals.
And don’t forget the most important step in the admissions process — the LSAT! Blueprint LSAT has helped thousands of students increase their LSAT scores by 15 points on average. Whether it’s in a Live course led by expert Blueprint LSAT instructors, in a Self-Paced Course that gives you total control over your schedule and studying, or one-on-one with a tutor, we have the LSAT prep that fits your learning style.
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Further Reading
🪜 A Step-By-Step Guide to Applying to Law School: Applying to law school can feel like a labyrinthine process. Check out this step-by-step guide on how to apply to law school, along with additional resources on how to optimize your law school applications.
📝 How to Get Letters of Recommendation (And What to Do if People Say No): Here is Blueprint LSAT’s guide to all things letters of recommendation—what you’ll need for law school, how to go about asking for them, and finally, what to do if someone says no.
✍️ What Is a Statement of Lived Experience / Statement of Perspective Essay?: Is your law school application asking for a Statement of Lived Experience or a Statement of Perspective? We break down what that means.
