Scholarship optional essay

[rinkrat19]

In my meeting with an adcomm, she suggested that I write a short (less than a page) supplemental essay on why the scholarship committee should offer me merit-based money, to go along with my (hopefully stellar) LSAT score. Since I'm employed full-time and not actually poor by anyone's definition, she suggested two items to mention: that I will be working through school to pay my mortgage & other living expenses, and that less debt=easier to take a gov't/non-profit job after graduation. Particularly the latter.

So this is my first stab at it (about 2/3 page, which would be fine). Thoughts would be appreciated.

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The main purpose of a job, most people would probably say, is to make enough money to pay one’s living expenses. However, I think that being useful is equally important, and I have felt most useful to the most people when I have been employed in the public sector. Having spent a good portion of my adult life employed by two separate city governments, I feel comfortable in public service. While there are many valuable and rewarding private firm and corporate law careers, I believe that I would be most satisfied with a career continuing either on the government path or with non-profit organizations.

I am determined to attend law school and move on to a legal career, but graduating with a large amount of student loan debt would make my goal of public service harder to achieve. I am employed full-time and self-supporting, including a mortgage which I am solely responsible for. I intend to continue working while I am enrolled in the evening/part-time program.

I cannot, of course, entirely rule out a private firm or corporate legal position, but my years working in the public sector have been extremely rewarding and being able to apply a law degree to my interest in serving the public is my ultimate goal. I hope that when the admission and scholarship committees at Lewis and Clark review my record, they see fit to give me the opportunity to achieve that goal.

[asoli]

It kinda seems forced, like the point is to shame the committee into giving you money, or else lose you to the private sector. Instead, I would write about the personal enjoyment you get from public work and how a scholorship, in whatever amount, would help you pursue that goal. I wouldn't bring up the mortage because everyone has things they have to pay for, including a JD.