Okay, I understand that applying to law school can be a scary proposition and you’re looking for all the help you can get, and that’s why you’re scouring the internet and bookstores for sample law school personal statements.
Well stop.
You don’t need samples to show you how to write your law school personal statement. Each and every application you are completing tells you exactly what you need to know. The school has defined the rules, including the length of the law school personal statement, what topics should be covered, and often what topics should be avoided.
But, many ask, shouldn’t I look at what others have done to give me an idea of how to do it? While this is usually good advice, and is something I frequently do in my legal practice, I strongly believe that it is something to be avoided when dealing with the law school personal statement.
The main reason you should avoid reading personal statement samples from law school is that they all look the same, and you run the real risk of looking the same if you follow those samples. In every area of life, the great reward goes to the outstanding people, not the good, or even the great. To stand out, you need to do things differently from everyone else.
The problem is, everyone is afraid they’ll blow their law school application by not giving the admissions committee what they expect. This kind of thinking probably won’t hurt you, because 99% of the personal statements law schools review are exactly the same. However, such a thought will definitely not help you because you cannot stand out if you look like others.
Let’s face it, if you’re shooting for the moon and trying to get into a law school that won’t accept you based on your grades and LSAT scores alone, then turning in a bland personal statement isn’t going to do anything for you. You have to do something to set yourself apart, and the personal statement is one of the few areas where you have the opportunity to do that.
I’m not recommending you go crazy and violate the rules set by the school, but I do recommend that you use those rules as your boundaries and create something truly personal and different. By avoiding the same samples everyone else is reading, you have a better chance of falling for the sheep you’re competing with.
Your goal is to get into a good law school and it is my job to help you achieve that goal. One of the most important tips I can give you is to encourage yourself to stand out, so make that personal statement yours and not someone else’s.
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