Diversity Statement necessary?

[samolly]

I have been working on my personal statement and my diversity statment. I am an older student (30+), AA female. I started by making an outline of my personal statement and an outline of my diversity statement, listing bullet points of topics I wished to cover in each. I started writing the personal statement first, but found it hard not to take items from the diversity statment talking points, because describing parts of my life made no sense without adding 'the race factor'. I've taken so much that I don't have much left to talk about in a diversity statement. So my question is that if your personal statment highlights your diversity, is a diversity statment needed? I also am wondering if I need a GPA addendum because the reason for my low grades is touched on in my personal statement. Or am I just throwing too much into the personal statement and need to separate?

[ArchRoark]

Consensus is that if you include diversity into your PS then there is no need to rehash it in a separate essay.

Personally, I would consider against weaving a GPA addendum into your PS. I think I read something from Asha's blog (current Yale dean) that suggested against this as well.

[rundoxierun]

Im not writing a seperate DS, Im writing it into my PS. Basically, Im using my PS to reveal things about me that arent in my basic application materials.

[Flett]

My PS hits my racial/cultural points that might typically be considered to be DS material in addition to some "Why Law" points. I do not plan on writing a DS unless it is specifically asked for in the application as it is all covered in the PS. If a DS is specifically asked for I will most likely use different/new material to avoid redundant statements.

Also, I will not be mentioning my own GPA issues in my PS for pretty much the same reasons Tiva has already mentioned. We're better off by submitting an addendum for the GPA than squeezing it into a PS, especially in your case. As an older student you almost certainly have better things to write about in your PS such as life experiences (in addition to "the race factor"). Take advantage of that! =)

$.02