Can a personal statement get you into law school?

Asked by: Javon Hill  |  Last update: November 4, 2023
Score: 4.8/5 (8 votes)

When it comes to admissions, your law school personal statement is not as impactful as your LSAT scores or undergraduate GPA. Still, a personal statement can be the deciding factor when you are neck and neck with other applicants.

Can a good personal statement get you into law school?

Law school personal statements are important because they can turn what would have otherwise been a certain rejection into an offer of admission. They help admission committees get to know you in a way they couldn't from other pieces of your law school application.

How much does your personal statement matter for law school?

That's why your personal statement is a critical part of your law school application: It's your chance to address the law school admissions committee directly and show us your character, what's important to you, and why you're a great fit for the school.

What do law schools look for in personal statements?

The personal statement is your chance to REFLECT upon your life and show the law school admissions committee who you are as an INDIVIDUAL. Tell the Admissions staff something about yourself, your experiences and your life. Use vivid, descriptive prose with the intent to draw readers in and keep them interested.

Do law schools fact check your personal statement?

Finally, this may go without saying, but don't stretch the truth or out-and-out lie in your personal statement. Law school admissions committees will be able to tell. And yes, they will check. Once you have a personal statement topic in mind, set aside some time to write—and just let yourself go.

LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS | my personal statement

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What not to say in law school personal statement?

Lofty, pretty words that come off as vague should not be included in your law school personal statement. Be specific and look for overly abstract phrasings. If you notice one, try to determine if it's necessary and if so work on clarifying the point you are trying to get across.

Do law schools look at your Instagram?

A study conducted by Kaplan Test Prep revealed that 43% of law school admissions officers have Googled or looked up applicants on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Furthermore, 37% said that they have found something online that negatively impacted an applicant's chances of admission.

What makes you stand out in law school applications?

Extracurricular Involvement

Law schools want to admit motivated, energetic students who get involved and try to improve the campus—and world—around them. The admissions committee will be looking at your undergraduate extracurricular activities to get a sense of how involved you might be on their campus too.

Should I put my name on my law school personal statement?

Your personal statement needs to include a header that has your name and your LSAC number. This will be crucial for admissions officers to identify your documents if they get mixed up.

How long should you spend on law school personal statement?

Law school applicants should plan to spend time brainstorming their topic, developing outlines, writing, proofreading, and revising their personal statements before submitting them. It can take law school applicants 2-4 weeks to write a good personal statement.

Can you use the same personal statement for every law school?

So, writing one essay to send to every school won't suffice. While you can write a barebones essay on one topic to serve as a skeleton, make sure to tweak and expand on it to suit each school's specific question. Some of the prompts are more open-ended than others.

When should I start writing my personal statement for law school?

Because your LSAT and GPA carry so much weight, you shouldn't begin thinking about your personal statement until you have already taken the LSAT. But while you wait for your scores, you can turn your attention to the essay.

Does law school require a lot of essays?

In law school, you will be reading and writing a ton.

So you can crush all the course work to come. Rather than essays, you'll be primarily writing case briefs/summaries, which break down and analyze a particular legal case.

How do I make myself stand out for law school?

Be sure to include every relevant activity you participated in during and after college in your résumé too. Whether you were a college athlete and/or a volunteer at the local soup kitchen, you should highlight those activities. Even your hobbies can be helpful in making your application stand out.

How do you brainstorm a personal statement for law school?

(2) Do you have any hobbies or unique talents? (3) What are some work experiences you've had? (4) What are some volunteer experiences you've had? Page 2 (5) What are your favorite books, movies, and/or authors? (6) Which relationships in your life are most important to you? (7) Name an individual(s) who inspires you.

What should not be included in a personal statement?

What Not To Put In A Personal Statement
  • 1 Claims With No Evidence.
  • 2 Skills Or Extracurricular Activities Irrelevant For Your Course.
  • 3 Poor Grammar And Spelling.
  • 4 Failures And Regrets.
  • 5 Sentences That Lead Nowhere.
  • 6 Quotes That Don't Fit.
  • 7 Facts With No Context.
  • 8 Made Up Stories.

How much do personal statements matter?

Personal statements are especially important if you're trying to get on a very competitive course, where you need to do anything you can to stand out to admissions tutors.

How many law schools should I apply to?

How Many Law Schools Should I Apply To? Your best bet is to apply to a minimum of two reach schools, two match schools, and three safeties.

Which GPA do law schools look at?

Some people do well in their major GPA but have a low overall GPA because they performed poorly in their required general education courses. Unfortunately, law schools largely care about your overall GPA.

Does LSAT matter more than GPA?

Just how important the LSAT relative to other elements of your overall application package varies a little from school to school. However, generally, your LSAT score alone is thought to be anywhere from twice as important as your GPA to four to five times as important!

What is the average LSAT score?

Data Summary. The average LSAT score for first-time takers was 151, according to scores tracked from 2006-2013. During this period, second-time test takers had the highest LSAT average score of about 152. The average national LSAT score for full-time, first-year JD enrollees for fall 2022 was about 159.

Can introverts go to law school?

For example, introverted law students and lawyers can choose to focus on types of practice that don't require a lot of court appearances, like tax law or estate planning, and also learn to be more comfortable making arguments when needed.

Can you get rejected from law school?

One factor is the abundance of applicants to top law schools, according to J.D. admissions experts. Nevertheless, every applicant who applies to a range of schools is likely to receive at least one rejection.

Do law schools look at GPA trends?

Keep in mind that law schools look at your application in full — not just your score and grades. An upward grade trend can offset a mediocre or poor GPA, as can a strong LSAT score. Similarly, consistently outstanding academic performance and a strong GPA can offset a less competitive LSAT score.

Is it bad to use quotes in personal statement?

Keep your paper original and valid, leave the quotes in their books and movies. Quotes almost always do more harm than good when they are used in your Personal Statement. They might trigger a plagiarism checker, take up valuable space, and are so cliche they make your writing less credible with their very presence.