How much does your personal statement matter for law school?

Asked by: Curt Haley  |  Last update: September 12, 2022
Score: 5/5 (49 votes)

It doesn't matter much. Those two things--your LSAT and GPA- will matter much much more than writing the world's best essay. As I mentioned before, your law school essay is worth very little in the grander scheme of your application.

How important is your personal statement 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.

Do law schools care about personal statements?

Most law schools require a personal statement. Others may allow a diversity statement and/or an addendum. Submit ALL statements that apply to you. Tell an interesting, informative story and personal story about yourself in 700-1400 words (double- spaced).

Do you need a different personal statement for each law school?

1. Be specific to each law school. You'll probably need to write only one basic personal statement, but you should tweak it for each law school to which you apply. There are usually some subtle differences in what each school asks for in a personal statement.

Do personal statements matter that much?

You may think that your personal statement won't matter as much to unis as your grades and experience but a great personal statement could make all the difference between you and a candidate with the same grades. Sure, your application might not reach that deal breaker stage.

Law School Personal Statement: Do's and Don't's

26 related questions found

Is it OK to lie in your personal statement?

Firstly, and most crucially: never, ever lie in your personal statement. If you do, it will almost certainly come back to haunt you. Don't make up qualifications or pretend you've read books when you haven't (even if you've read little bits of them).

Do universities actually read your personal statement?

There are some reports of unis not reading personal statements but by and large they will read it if they are considering your application”. “Every personal statement will be read by someone to check that the applicant is applying for the right course” explains PQ.

How can I make my law school application stand out?

  1. Prepare a strong application. ...
  2. Choose your college major carefully. ...
  3. Aim for a high college GPA. ...
  4. Be strategic about your extracurricular and work experiences. ...
  5. Be strategic about your extracurricular and work experiences. ...
  6. Study hard for the LSAT or GRE. ...
  7. Submit a solid resume. ...
  8. Demonstrate strong writing skills.

What makes a good law personal statement?

Aim to use short, polished sentences in your statement, rather than overly wordy ones. Keep the language simple. You only have a short space to make your point, so it is vital to be clear, while communicating your enthusiasm for law. Superfluous text will detract from the impact of your piece.

What do top law schools look for?

The best law schools around the world require top grades from their applicants. Top grades doesn't mean good grades. It means outstanding grades! Data from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) shows that you should have a GPA of 3.59 and an LSAT of 162 or more to get into one of the top 10 law schools.

Can I use the same personal statement twice?

Yeah you can if you are reapplying the year after if you were unsuccessful the first time round, they don't say it is plagiarism if the same person sent the same statement twice, seeing as you wrote it the first time round. Obviously if you changed your statement they will still check.

How long should a law school application personal statement be?

Depending on the law school, your personal statement will range in length from 300 to 1000 words. Most law schools require personal statements that are two to two-and-a-half pages, double-spaced, with one-inch margins and 12 point font.

What GPA do law schools look at?

Dear Grade Point Analysis: Initial evaluation of your application will be based on your cumulative GPA and LSAT score. Thus, your 3.3 GPA – or 3.5 if you improve it – will be what admissions committees consider.

How many letters of recommendation do you need for law school?

Writing a Good Recommendation Letter. Letters of recommendation are a required component of nearly every law school's application, and most law schools require 2 or 3.

How do you show interest in law?

Interests that'll boost your legal CV
  1. What to avoid. ...
  2. Figure out what you're missing. ...
  3. Sporting activities. ...
  4. Volunteering. ...
  5. Visiting law seminars. ...
  6. Writing a blog. ...
  7. Member a club or society.

How do you end a personal statement for law school?

Conclude your personal statement for law school with a passionate vision for your career. Ultimately, the admissions officers are looking for an answer to the question, 'Why do you want to become a lawyer? ' Every paragraph of the essay should imply this, but we recommend stating this directly in the conclusion.

What attracts you to the idea of studying a law based course at university?

Studying law offers the opportunity to develop a range of skills and explore many aspects of human life. It gives you the chance to sharpen your mind, strengthen your understanding and deepen your experience across the full range of humanities and social sciences.

Can a 3.0 GPA get into law school?

So generally, if you're trying to get into the top schools, a GPA below 3.6 will be considered low. But to answer the question what GPA do you need to get into law school, any law school, then the answer is at least a 2.5. That is realistically the lowest GPA you can have to get into law school.

What matters most in law school admissions?

Your GPA and LSAT score are really important

Your undergraduate GPA and Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score will be two of the most important components of your law school application. The LSAT is offered six times a year (beginning in 2018), and it is administered by the Law School Admission Council.

Is LSAT more important than GPA?

While LSAT is the most important factor, GPA is still significant. When you get down into schools lower in the rankings (outside the top 10 schools), numbers alone become an even better predictor of how likely you are to get into a specific school. LSAT is still the more important number than GPA.

What should you avoid in a personal statement?

7 Things to Avoid in Your Personal Statement
  • Whining. Don't whine in your essay! ...
  • Someone else is the hero. ...
  • Reads like a resume. ...
  • Lack of focus. ...
  • Leaves out personal growth. ...
  • Overcomplicated language. ...
  • Incorrect grammar or spelling.

How much do universities care about personal statement?

For Some courses personal statements are looked at relatively closely generally because the course is one where predicted grades don't tell the full story ... the other time a personal statement might be key is if you end up in the fight for the last few offers /places or are teetering on the 'yes ' vs ' maybe' or ' ...

Can you plagiarize a personal statement?

2.3 If a personal statement shows 60% or more of plagiarised matter, the application will be considered by Admissions but the applicant will be informed of the detected plagiarism and the seriousness of this offence.

Should I put my name on my personal statement?

THE HEADING FOR YOUR STATEMENT

In the absence of any guidelines provided by the graduate school, your heading should include the name of the document you are submitting (e.g., “Personal Statement”), the school and department for whom you are writing it (e.g., “Ohio University College of Education”), and your name.

Can I copy someone else's personal statement?

IMPORTANT: When writing your personal statement, it's vital you remember not to copy from anyone else's personal statement (not even just a sentence!). Not only is wrong and unfair, but any plagiarism will be detected by the UCAS Similarity Detection Service.