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.
Photo Credit : Axel Buhrmaan
