How do you write a killer personal statement for law school?

Asked by: Hannah Kub Jr.  |  Last update: September 29, 2023
Score: 4.9/5 (61 votes)

Do:
  1. Discuss possible personal statement topics with your pre-law advisor (or someone else) before you invest a lot of time writing.
  2. Choose a narrow topic. ...
  3. Be yourself. ...
  4. Pay special attention to your first paragraph. ...
  5. Keep it interesting. ...
  6. Keep it simple and brief. ...
  7. Proofread.

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.

How do you write a killer opening to your personal statement?

Start with why you chose it, then try and summarise this in one or two sentences. Be original and refer to personal experiences as a way to draw attention. Avoid overused opening sentences, quotes and clichés like 'when I was young…' They want to know about you now, not your childhood or Shakespeare!

How do you write a compelling law school personal statement?

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.

What makes a killer personal statement?

You'll be on the right track if you show your enthusiasm for the subject or course, your understanding of it, and what you want to achieve. Admissions tutors – the people who read and score your personal statement – say don't get stressed about trying to think of a 'killer opening'.

LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS | my personal statement

37 related questions found

What are 3 personality traits of a serial killer?

Serial killers differ in many ways, including their motivations for killing and their behavior at the crime scene. However, attendees did identify certain traits common to some serial murderers, including sensation seeking, a lack of remorse or guilt, impulsivity, the need for control, and predatory behavior.

What words should you avoid in a personal statement?

Here are some words you should remove if they feature in your personal statement.
  • Passionate. Possibly the most overused word when it comes to personal statements. ...
  • Team player. You're a team player and can also work well individually? ...
  • Watching TV. ...
  • Extensive. ...
  • Also. ...
  • Jokes and puns. ...
  • Expert. ...
  • Overly long words.

What should be the opening sentence of a law school personal statement?

The beginning of a solid law school personal statement ought to be intriguing, experts say. "The statement should begin with a strong intro sentence, that summarizes the applicant's goal or tone," Ivy says. "For example, 'I have always been interested in international finance.

Do law schools care about personal statements?

The personal statement, one of the most important parts of your law school application, is an opportunity to highlight your writing ability, your personality, and your experience. Think of it as a written interview during which you get to choose the question.

How long does it take to write a personal statement for law school?

Generally, applicants who are working on their applications part time – in addition to work, school or other time commitments – will need three to five weeks to complete a personal statement. Because the personal statement is open-ended, it can take several drafts to come up with the right subject and structure.

How do you write an introduction for a killer essay?

With this in mind, we need to make sure our introductions are clear, succinct and convey as much information as possible. It's the first thing that a reader sees, so a good introduction should present a coherent overview of your argument and how your argument either adds to/resolves ongoing debates over your topic.

How do you write a killer paragraph?

  1. 7 Clever Ways to Write a Killer First Paragraph. Starting off on the wrong foot can really turn off an audience. ...
  2. Intrigue Them With a Question. ...
  3. Quote a Relevant Personality. ...
  4. Use Shocking Statistics. ...
  5. Start With a Compelling Idea. ...
  6. Lighten the Mood With a Relatable Story or Joke. ...
  7. Keep It Simple. ...
  8. Paint an Image.

How do you write a strong personal statement?

10 Tips for Writing a Strong Personal Statement
  1. Read the instructions carefully. ...
  2. Focus on yourself. ...
  3. Demonstrate your genuine interest and enthusiasm. ...
  4. Start early. ...
  5. Explain any discrepancies in your application in your personal statement. ...
  6. Review good sentence and paragraph structure. ...
  7. Use the active voice.

Who should read my law school personal statement?

You should have a peer, professor, or admissions advisor read your essay. The core question to ask them to evaluate is, “Do you have a good sense of who I am and why I want to attend law school after reading this?” If the answer is no, revisions are necessary. For big changes, rewrite instead of editing.

Should I start my personal statement with a quote?

Don't use a quote.

However, admissions officers generally won't appreciate this, and it will most likely result in eye rolls. They want to hear about the passion you have in your subject through your own words, not somebody else's, so using a quote is the easiest way to waste that precious word count.

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.

Do law schools look at the writing sample?

Although LSAT Writing samples don't receive a score, they are considered by law school admission committees when reviewing individuals' applications. Each law school uses LSAT Writing in its own way. However, most law schools view LSAT Writing samples as an integral part of their admission decisions.

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.

Can you reuse your personal statement for law school?

You don't need to write an entirely new personal statement if you are reapplying to law school. However, at the very least, the last few paragraphs of your previous statement should be updated to address why you didn't attend law school the first year you applied.

What should I prompt a law school personal statement?

Possible topics
  • Hobbies/work/other experiences that have shaped you.
  • How you became interested in the law.
  • Life events that have changed or motivated you.
  • Challenges & hurdles you have overcome.
  • An issue or subject that you feel strongly about and why (just make sure not to “preach”)
  • The growth you've experienced in college.

Can you use the same personal statement for different law schools?

Requirements from School to School

It wouldn't be the wisest decision to submit the same personal statement to all law schools because they're not identical at all! When you apply to law schools via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), each school has its own personal statement requirements and prompt.

What format should my law school personal statement be?

The basic format of a law school personal statement is a double-spaced essay with 1-inch margins. You should use a standard font in size 11 or 12, like Times New Roman, Calibri, Cambria, or Arial. You can also use standard Google fonts with a similar aesthetic, like Roboto.

What makes a personal statement weak?

Choosing a bland topic that admissions committees see over and over again. Overstating the obvious and using clichés. It's very likely that the applicants you are competing with also like science and want to help people. Lying or making up a personal story for your essay.

What is the best closing sentence for a personal statement?

State in your conclusion that “I'm looking forward to learning how to embody [write down the course's values you resonate with], to grow and succeed in [mention your field of study].” There's so much value packed in this simple personal statement ending.

What are clichés in personal statement?

This example shows the problem with clichés—they are general statements that do not add any detailed evidence or unique support to a piece of writing, whether that writing is a personal statement or an academic essay.