The law school personal statement is something probably every law school applicant struggles through. Part of the problem is that there is no good feedback mechanism for the person statement. No one who has written a personal statement and gotten into law school can say with certainty that their statement was great or even good. The only thing that someone who has successfully gotten into law school can say is that their personal statement was adequate.
The admissions process is like a black box. You put a series of inputs — LSAT score, LSDAS GPA, personal statement, diversity statement, LOR(s), ect. — and then get a binary, maybe ternary, output in two to four mouths. A lot of what goes on inside this box is unknown. From the results of others combined with web sites like law school numbers what is important — LSAT and LSDAS GPA — can be reasonably assessed but beyond that the details of less important factors remain relatively unknown.
Despite the enigmatic nature of the law school personal statement I still feel that I am in a good position to offer advice on it. I have been engaged in the law school admissions process for 2+ years. Over this time I have read pretty much everything that is out there. I have read many real personal statements, in books and on TLS. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly.
DIVERSITY
I think the best place to start is diversity. I have observed many people say that they have nothing to write about because they are not unique. I think a lot of people put the concept of diversity on a pedestal and feel like they can never live up to the diversity that law schools are looking for.
Part of these feelings are grounded in reality. The fact is most of the time “diversity” is code for a specific group of minority applicants. In that case you either have it or you don’t. But when it comes to the personal statement I don’t think that definition of diversity is as fitting. Sure, a statement about some financially challenged, oppressed minority rising to greatness despite the cards being stacked against him/her is a compelling story but most people are not that person.
Lets say, hypothetically, that the compelling story I mentioned above is the ideal personal statement. Put yourself in the shoes of a law school admissions person. Why would you want to admit that person (from reading the essay)? It would not be because that person is a minority. The admissions committee already knows this. It’s a question on their application. The important part is that 1) the minority person has effectively communicated that he/she has a unique perspective to add to the class and 2) has demonstrated character by overcoming adversity. The minority part of the story just makes it a better story — that’s it.
Even though the above example was a rare situation the important parts — the parts that lead to admission — were things that virtually anyone can communicate. Everyone has a unique story and a unique point of view. Everyone (hopefully) has some strong and positive character traits. Your story does not need to be as profound as the example above. Remember that the story is just a vehicle to communicate the important stuff.
If you still don’t think you are unique try thinking in terms of stereotypes. Start by stereotyping yourself, maybe make a mind map of your stereotype. Then think qualities that you have that break the stereotype. You can then use those qualities to create contrasts between yourself and the stereotype that illuminate your personal diversity.
STORY
Like I said above — your story is just a vehicle to communicate the important stuff. It is important to see your story as a communication device. A good personal statement communicates clearly and effectively to the reader.
In this case your reader is an important person so consider his/her situation. The reader is an admissions officer who has read hundreds if not thousands of personal statements. If you were him/her how would you want someone to communicate to you after having previously read hundreds of essays? You would probably want the language to be simple and precise. This means absolutely no fluff. Make every single word count.
The reader is under no obligation to read your whole essay and even if he/she was he/she could still zone out. Thus, your story should encourage the reader to keep going. Employ a literary device and use detailed imagery to make the story interesting.
Imagery brings me to my next point…
SHOW DON’T TELL
A good personal statement tells the reader nothing. It communicates specific things that you want it to communicate but it does not explicitly tell the reader these things. Employ imagery to show the reader the things you want to communicate.
Imagery is a powerful tool. Words alone have little impact and are easily forgotten. Imagery however will make your story more personal and consequently more memorable. The imagery you use should paint a detailed picture of who you are as a candidate while showing all the qualities you possess that make you worthy of admission.
CONSIDER THE SCHOOL
It is important to consider the school you are applying to. Generally all personal statement prompts are the same but some have different requirements. Some schools have length requirements, try to follow those. There are also some schools that want you to talk about certain things. A good rule of thumb to read over the prompts for each school you’re applying to and then write a general essay that you can modify for schools with special requirements.
Another aspect of considering the school your applying to has to do with your content of your statement relative to your chances of getting in. Generally your statement should not be that controversial. If you must be controversial be sure to tone it down for your safety school. I remember hearing of someone who did not get into any schools despite having a safety that he should have gotten into. After reading his personal statement the reason for all of his rejects was clear — he used a racial slur in an arguably acceptable but far too controversial manner. Generally, if on numbers alone you should get into a school, your job on the personal statement is to not screw up.
PROOF
Finally, find people to read your essay before you send it in. People who will be biased towards you, like friends or family members should be avoided. Try to find people to proof your essay who will look at it objectively and tell you what you need to hear.
———————-
That’s my advice on the personal statement. Like with my LSAT advice, take it with a grain of salt. I don’t have all the answers and the above is just my take on the process. At the end of the day it is a “personal” statement so make it your own, use common sense and you should be fine.
