Aside from your resume and recommendation letters, another essential part of your application package to law school is your personal statement. Oftentimes, it is your personal statement that will make or break your chances of getting into law school. This is why it pays off to invest time and effort in your personal statement. This article will cover some of the mistakes that people commonly make on their law school personal statements.
Writing an extension of your resume
A common mistake that is made on personal statements is merely extending or repeating the information given in the resume. Remember that your resume and your personal statement are two separate and different requirements. Your resume should highlight your achievements, experience, and training. The personal statement, on the other hand, should talk about how you have developed as a person through these experiences that you have had.
Exaggerating, boasting, and lying
Sure you want to present your best qualities when you are applying to law school, but this does not mean that you should exaggerate, boast, or lie about who you are and what you have accomplished. The fastest way to get your application rejected is to get caught submitting dishonest information about yourself. Admissions evaluators are trained well and have extensive experience, making it easy for them to spot dishonesty of any sort. Being honest is an admirable and respectable trait that can help admissions committees make an unbiased and sound decision.
Equating your goals with money
Many people even enter into law school hoping that it will lead them to financial stability and a wealthy lifestyle. Still, there is no reason to mention your intention of getting rich through your law education. Instead, try to talk about your objectives and goals in light of the justice and equality that law strives to keep in place. Besides, admissions committees are already aware of the high salaries that many lawyers earn. Mentioning money as a reason for entering into law school may give the impression that you are materialistic or that you have your priorities mixed up.
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Movies about law school experience could be considered as informative materials. People interested in law schools should be able to watch such flicks to give them a clear picture of how is law school like. Aside from checking out online source for sample law school personal statement, applicants who are about to write their admissions essay could also use these movies as a source of background information. To give you an idea of these law school movies, here is a list of the top five flicks that law school enthusiasts must watch.
Paper Chase
Paper Chase is a 1973 film by director James Bridges. The movie was based on John Jay Osborn, Jr.’s novel. The Harvard Law School student, Hart (portrayed by Timothy Bottoms), is the main focus of the movie. Hart became his Contract law professor’s opponent. The situation gets worse when he finds out that the girl he is dating is actually his professor’s daughter. The Paper Chase has been reviewed as one of the best all-time movies depicting law school life.
The Pelican Brief
This movie was based on John Grisham’s novel. Julia Roberts portrays the lead character named Darby Shaw. Shaw is doing a research about the death of two Supreme Court justices when she finds out that the death was caused by several men of high stature. Shaw gives the title of her research as The Pelican Brief. But although her research unveils interesting details, it causes the death of her professor Thomas Callahan. The movie focused more on Shaw’s quest to run for her life.
The Trials of Law School
The Trials of Law School features the lives of the University of Oklahoma College of law students. The 87-minute film delves onto the different hopes and aspirations of the students. This film focused more on how law school students managed to juggle their personal life and law studies. It is a definite must-watch film by anyone who is planning to pursue a law degree.
Legally Blonde
Elle Woods is the least person you would think to enter the world of law school. This president of a sorority known for its good-looking members does not possess the usual traits of a law school student. This movie has been considered as a surprise box office hit. The positive sales have even led to a sequel.
Reversal of Fortune
Claus von Bulow is convicted for the attempted murder of his wife. To get him out of jail, he asks Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz to help him. The movie focused on the work that Dershowitz and his students did in preparation for von Bulow’s court trials.
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Being admitted to law schools could really be tough. But this does not mean that you have to back out from the challenge. There are ways which could help you go through the law school admission process. As a matter of fact, you could maximize the use of the law school admission requirements. Your sample law school personal statement, in particular, could be your passport to your dream university.
Your law school personal statement could be used to make yourself unique. You could use check out sample law school personal statement and use it to write about your very own experiences and activities that you had in your college days. Such situations could demonstrate your skills and traits. To help you in this aspect, read the following tips. The information below might give you an idea of how you can use your personal statement to convince your readers.
Don’t cram.
Give yourself enough time. There is a big risk that you won’t be able to think logically if you are time-pressured. So to avoid such occurrence, prepare your personal statement for law schools way ahead of time. You may wish to view different kinds of sample law school personal statement for you to get an idea of the common themes for this requirement. Admissions committee members have a knack for spotting admissions essays that have been hurriedly done. If you give yourself enough time to craft your essay, it will show in the final result.
Reflect.
It is easy to cite personal experiences that could improve your law school application standing. But you also have to provide information that could make you stand out. So, cite the experiences or the situation you have encountered that could show your determination and other relevant skills.
Reason out.
The things you would write in your sample law school personal statement must be able to show how you have decided to get into law school. You could state that getting a law degree has been your long-time dream. You could also share something about the person that have inspired you to take a degree in law.
Organize.
The flow of your sample law school personal statement must be smooth. Never write in circles. It would just turn your readers off. Organizing could also be an opportunity for you to review the coherence of your statements. You could also make an outline prior to writing your sample law school personal statement.
Edit.
The sample law school personal statement could give you an idea of what the admissions committee members are expecting from their applicants. So it is important to step your best foot in when you write your own personal statement. Reread your essay to make sure that you don’t have typographical and grammatical errors. Editing could also give you the chance to delete and add information. Coming up with a personal statement that has impeccable English convinces your readers that you are serious about law school.
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Law school applicants are not only preoccupied with writing an impressive sample law school personal statement. The financial cost of law school studies could also be one of the concerns of law school applicants. There are people who understand such a situation. That is why there are institutions that provide law school scholarships to people who they think are qualified.
If you want to get a law school scholarship, read the following list of organizations and institutions that offer such grants. The information below might help you find the law school scholarship program that you are looking for.
American Bar Association
The ABA gives legal opportunity scholarships to outstanding ABA-accredited law school students. The successful students would receive $5,000 per year. The association could also opt to renew the scholarship provided that the beneficiaries have maintained a satisfactory academic performance.
American Counsel Association
Third year law students with good academic performance could apply for the ACA scholarship. The nominations for these scholarships must be submitted by your law school dean.
Alabama Law Foundation
This organization offers the Cabaniss, Johnston Scholarship to Alabama law school students who are studying at ABA-accredited universities. Second year law students who can show civic involvement and financial need should consider applying for this scholarship.
Columbian Lawyers Association of Westchester County, Inc
The association awards the Carl A. Vergari Scholarship to students who rank in the upper half of their class. The students seeking this scholarship must also be willing to reside in Westchester County.
Erie County Bar Association
Law school students residing in Erie County could very well apply for the Erie County Bar Association Scholarship. Students who can demonstrate their financial need could fill out the online application form provided by the association.
Krugliak Wilkings Griffiths & Dougherty Co., L.P.A.,
This company awards the Samuel Krugliak Legal Scholarship to currently enrolled law students who are studying in ABA-accredited law schools. The applicants must have resided or are currently residing in Wayne, Carroll, Holmes, Tuscarawas, Mahoning, Summit, Columbiana, or Stark counties. The organization is also looking for applicants who intend to practice law in the region of Stark County.
Minority Corporate Counsel Association
The Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship is being offered by the Minority corporate Counsel Association. The scholarship is created for US law school freshmen students who are from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Orange County Hispanic Bar Association
This association awards the Wally Davis Scholarship to qualified Hispanic law school students from Orange County, California. Applicants who belong to the upper half of their class are qualified for this scholarship.
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There are people who decide not to practice law even if they have already done a lot of law-related tasks. Some people have gone through the whole law school experiene – writing a good sample law school personal statement, getting into law school, and finishing a law degree – only to find themselves wanting to explore other options. If you are one of them, no need to sweat. A lot of graduates have encountered the where-do-I-go-from-here dilemma. If you think that you can’t live up to your law school personal statement because you don’t want to practice law anymore, you don’t have to worry. The things that you have included in your sample law school personal statement would not go to waste because there are other career options for law graduates like you.
Teach.
As a person who has first hand experience in writing a sample law school personal statement, applying to law schools, and finishing a law degree, you are a very credible law “expert.” Getting a teaching post in law schools could be your career option. You could also teach law-related undergraduate courses such as Legal Studies and Criminal Justice. You just have to prepare yourself to take graduate studies. Academic institutions prefer candidates who have finished their Master of Law (LL.M.) or Doctor of Juridical Science (in the US).
Protect the environment.
A law degree means that you have full understanding of policies concerning the environment. You could act as an environmental advocate, environmental policies consultant, technological programs hazard specialist or coastal zone resources manager. Companies employ people who are adept in legal procedures concerning the environment to make sure that they don’t violate any policy.
Manage businesses.
Your law school training will put you in an advantageous position when applying for corporate positions such as property administrator, program analyst, corporate manager, and grants management specialist. Your knowledge in legal procedures could make you an ideal candidate for management positions.
Be involved in media.
Your extensive legal knowledge could very well make you a good law correspondent or a legal editor. Law students like you are very used to reading voluminous amounts of reading materials. Use it to your advantage.
Do something different.
Ascertain your interests. It is very likely that you can pair law school education with your strengths. Your educational skills could help you land research jobs or other similar positions. Your knowledge in policies and regulations could help you get positions in real estate, human resources and employment, financial services, and law enforcement.
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Serious law school aspirants start their journey way before they write their essays or take their LSATs; they weigh the relevance of each extra-curricular activity to their eventual law school applications. Suffolk University Law School says that next to the statement of purpose or admission essay, your extra-curricular activities are the best way to stand out.
Law school personal statements may help you get that slot, but your resume is the first to be measured against law school standards. When you look good on paper, you already establish credibility for when they read your statement of purpose. Here are some extra-curricular activities you may want to invest in before applying for law school.
Leadership positions
While law isn’t always about leading, leadership experience portrays you as a go-getter who isn’t afraid to take action. Community service and charity work are particularly impressive. When you read well-written sample law school personal statements, you’ll notice that many of them discuss extra-curricular activities involving leadership positions.
Debate and public speaking
According to Wellesley College, wit and argument are crucial to the practice of law. And the best way to develop these traits is by joining a debate team. Officials can tell a naturally articulate person just from reading his or her application essay. Look for sample law school personal statements that can help you creatively write about your debate and public speaking experiences.
Volunteer work
Many sample law school personal statements focus on volunteer work, and for a good reason. Volunteering shows the panel that you are committed to interests outside the academic realm. If you worked as a volunteer art teacher, go ahead and say it in your application essay. Aside from leadership positions, many good sample law school personal statements include volunteer work as examples of extra-curricular activities.
Student newspaper
Working for the school paper will give you the skills you need not just for your law school personal statements, but also in your LSAT, future classes, and the legal practice itself. Try to get into field reporting—it’ll train you in organizing ideas for your admission essay. Many sample law school personal statements also include involvement in student newspapers in the discussion.
Remember, your extra-curricular activities can make your essay interesting as you write it and read sample law school personal statements.
Writing your own essay with the help of sample law school personal statements
To help you get started, it’s best to search the Internet for sample law school personal statements. There are many sample law school personal statements in the Internet so you have to make sure that the sample law school personal statements you read can really help you write an essay that’s effective, concise, and different from all the other essays. Look for sample law school personal statements that are free from grammatical or typo errors, and those that aren’t filled with opinions. Sample law school personal statements should help you write an essay that’s all about you and your goals as a future lawyer. Read and evaluate several sample law school personal statements and see which narrative styles and mood will suit you best.
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A career in law is really challenging and enjoyable. But the decision to get into law school could be a serious undertaking. This is why you have to first ascertain why you want to become a lawyer.
Determining reasons could give you a clear perception of what you really like to do. Also, you could use the reasons in your sample law school personal statement. To give you an idea, read the following best reasons for becoming an attorney. The statements below might be of help in your law school personal statement. Take the time to understand them before you include the reasons in your law school personal statement.
“After reviewing all my options, I have seen that a career in law would suit me best.”
Considering your skills and interests is one of the best ways to make a decision. This means that although you have given other programs thought, you have still decided that a law degree would very much fit all your personal traits.
“I really enjoyed my work in a legal organization.”
Having the chance to intern at a legal organization could prep you for law school. Aside from this, the experience will definitely give you an idea of what it is like to become an attorney. If it is applicable, cite this reason in your law school personal statement. It might give your law school personal statement a persuasive and convincing tone.
“I have talked with lawyers about their job, and I feel that I would enjoy their work.”
First-hand bits of information are very credible. Talking with lawyers will give you the chance to closely look at the life of an attorney – the schedules they keep, the demands of their job, and their passion for the profession. It could also be a preparation for the ups and downs of a lawyer’s life.
“I have read informational materials about law, and I want to take part in people’s legal battles.”
Doing research means that you know and understand the path you are taking. Ideally, people must know what they can do with their profession. So, determining your purpose is a great step to becoming an attorney.
The above-mentioned reasons are not the sole criteria that people wanting to become an attorney use. There are still a lot of good reasons that you could put in your law school personal statement. Just remember that the main objective of a law school personal statement is to provide additional information about yourself. So, the reasons you would cite in your law school personal statement must be realistic and practical.
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Sample law school personal statements are one of the best tools for writing your own application essay. They won’t write your statement of purpose for you, but they’ll give you ideas you may not have come up with on your own. But while sample law school personal statements are all over the Web, not all of them are actually helpful. In fact, many people still commit common mistakes after reading a dozen admission essay samples. It’s your job to know what sets bad sample law school personal statements apart from the good ones. Here are some things you should watch out for.
Sample law school personal statements with spelling and grammar mistakes
Law is a field where the smallest verbal slip can send your whole argument down the drain. Admissions panels expect you to have a good grasp of grammar and get your point in a clear and concise manner. Even with a perfect LSAT score, a less-than-perfect application essay can give away your weakness. Sample law school personal statements with grammatical slips, typos, and other technical mistakes are probably written by amateurs and may not be very reliable.
Sample law school personal statements with weak introductions
According to the University of California at Berkeley, law school officials can make their judgment only seconds into your admission essay. This means that your introduction can make or break your entire application. Sample law school personal statements should hold your interest longer than the first paragraph. Watch out for words like “worthwhile,” “meaningful,” and “dynamic”—these words are empty and don’t really say much. Instead, narrate your experience and show them what makes it worthwhile, meaningful, or dynamic.
Sample law school personal statements with opinions
The Boston College guide puts it best: Your admission essay should be an image of you. Law school personal statements are a statement of purpose, not a position paper. Avoid sample law school personal statements that start with opinions or discussions of current issues. Instead of offering your take on various social issues, tell them how such issues have affected you and influenced your decision to study law.
Sample law school personal statements with legal jargon
Some sample law school personal statements use legal terms just for the sake of doing so. Law schools aren’t impressed with jargon; after all, it’s their job to teach you that. Your academic ability is measured by your LSAT and transcripts, not your knowledge of Latin phrases. If you have to talk about a legal experience, don’t be afraid to speak in your own language.
Remember, not all sample law school personal statements will give you a viable statement of purpose. It’s still your job to screen sample law school personal statements to see which ones can actually help. After all, law school personal statements are not just about how well you write, but also how well you can defend your point—no matter how small.
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Thousands of law school applicants struggle to write their law school personal statements every year. But let’s face it, not all of us have a way with words, and even an impressive LSAT score cannot make up for a badly written statement. That’s why sample law school personal statements are all over the Internet: they serve as guides and give you an idea of what goes into law school personal statements. Here are some ways you can use sample law school personal statements to write your own application essay.
1. Sample law school personal statements help you recognize themes.
Law school personal statements follow one of several major style themes, such as thematic and chronological. The elements of these themes can be confusing, and many applicants end up using both styles and losing their own ideas in the process. Reading and evaluating sample law school personal statements can help you recognize these themes and decide which one will work for your own admission essay.
2. Sample law school personal statements give you ideas for your introduction.
The introduction is the most important part of any admission essay. In an attempt to grab the reader’s attention, many students turn to overused quotes and phrases as their intros. But such clichés are the best way to get your application essay rejected, even if you have stellar LSAT scores. Sample law school personal statements can give you a fresh take on introductions to help you keep the reader’s attention towards your statement of purpose.
3. Sample law school personal statements help you select a tone and mood for your essay.
Law school personal statements can be humorous, serious, or dramatic, but each mood suits a different story. You don’t write about losing a parent in the same tone as a fun day at the park. Look for sample law school personal statements that tell stories similar to your own, and see how they create the appropriate mood and use specific narrative tools. Just make sure that you don’t copy off ideas from sample law school personal statements.
4. Sample law school personal statements show you what specific schools look for.
Each school has its own standards when it comes to law school personal statements. Some simply want a statement of purpose, while others expect you to get creative. Some schools actually provide tips and samples of law school personal statements on their websites. These sample law school personal statements can give you a good idea of what they’re looking for in law school personal statements in terms of theme, tone, and content.
Sample law school personal statements are made to help you write your own, but they won’t do the work for you. Aside from evaluating sample law school personal statements, you’ll still need to put in a few hours perfecting your essay—it’s the only way you can make it stand out from the thousands of law school personal statements out there.
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