The “Why Law School?” essay allows you to clearly and concisely convey your interests and enthusiasm for law to prospective schools, while helping them understand your qualifications as well as any extracurricular experiences you bring into their understanding of broader law school experiences.
Start with what stands out to you – such as an outstanding program, esteemed faculty or notable achievements – then create a compelling narrative to demonstrate its relevance to your career goals.
1. Be specific.
Columbia Law School requires only two pages for their personal statements, so applicants should take care when deciding how much information to include. The most successful personal statements are concise yet still manage to grip the reader through compelling narrative.
This personal statement begins with compelling description and takes readers seamlessly through to a first-person narrative. They incorporate cultural aspects to demonstrate how experiences have helped mold them into an adaptable, driven student.
Finally, the author emphasizes their accomplishments without boasting about them or appearing arrogant. They place these achievements within a larger drive to help others, emphasizing how this experience fits with law school values. This shows that they conducted sufficient research into what law schools want in applicants and made their essay stand out against more generic, overused examples.
2. Be yourself.
To create an effective law school personal statement, the key lies in being true to yourself. Avoid overdoing it with cliches and overt sarcasm – admissions officers want to see your individuality shine through your essay!
This writer successfully conveyed a sense of passion without going too far, while at the same time not blaming others for their challenges – something which is important considering they will likely come across people they dislike in legal environments.
Emily clearly displays her deep commitment to public service through her essay. Additionally, she can articulate the effects of mental illness on both her education and work experience – while this may not explain away Emily’s low GPA in admissions eyes, it does help contextualize it and demonstrate her dedication. Emily clearly has an eagerness for law as evidenced in this way.
3. Be honest.
An effective way to show your interest in law school is through storytelling that shows how your experiences and goals align with those of the institution. For instance, if a school emphasizes perseverance and empathy as core values, perhaps telling a tale about training for a marathon taught you the significance of persistence while volunteering for Habitat for Humanity taught you compassion.
Avoid being too lofty in your essay; admissions officers will know if your statements don’t ring true and may call into question the validity of your entire application.
This writer does an exceptional job at exploring difficult experiences without making them seem negative or blameworthy, while showing their understanding of the bigger picture by detailing how their experiences and values have contributed to shaping them as a well-rounded student. This piece serves as an outstanding example of “show, don’t tell”.
4. Be specific.
Your law school personal statement is your sole opportunity to demonstrate your writing ability before admissions reviewers, who are keenly aware of format rules. They will quickly detect any deviations from standard submissions.
This student begins their essay with engaging description, leading readers into an intriguing first-person narrative. Additionally, they manage to articulate their passion for law with mature understanding; showing they possess a holistic view of its daily challenges and unpredictability.
They then successfully take accountability for their early pathological aimlessness by detailing how epiphanies enabled them to change their mindset and behaviors, leading them to find hope for themselves again. Their final paragraphs tie back neatly to the opening anecdote by showing how their values match those of Harvard Law School and that they would make an excellent fit within its program – something admissions officers look for when reviewing essays of applicants.