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(Personal Statement Examples, Advice, Critique, . . . )
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jd5

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Topic Help

Post by jd5 » Tue Jan 17, 2012 1:33 am

I had been struggling to find a topic for weeks and finally "settled," deciding to write about how, though people had been telling me I would make a good lawyer since childhood, I only realized for myself that law was the right path when I got to college and started taking political science/legal philosophy classes. I'm segueing from that to talk about two legal internships and my current job at an antitrust firm and how they gave me an opportunity to see the legal theoretical problems I discussed in the classroom play out in real life, and also to see how attorneys can make a difference in people's lives. Then some sort of conclusion tying it all together.

Anyway, I can't shake the feeling -- the certainty, really -- that this topic is a cop-out. I'm applying to the T6, where, for you Anna Ivey acolytes out there, they ask for a "personal statement" rather than a "statement of purpose." I feel like it's probably a safe topic for the schools where my numbers are already above median, but it probably won't do the trick at HYS, where my GPA is below median.

Is this topic going to hurt me at schools where my numbers are good? Should I try to come up with something more original for HYS?

Other potential topics:

1. My study abroad experience -- haven't gone with this thus far because I feel like everything I have to say about it will come off sounding trite
2. Internship with a public defender service -- not sure if I have enough here for a whole PS; I'm touching on it briefly in my current PS
3. I played a varsity sport for three years in college. Could talk about the decision to stop playing and how it was a tough transition to go from identifying as an athlete to no longer playing a sport (Real reasons why I quit: I didn't play much, we had a terrible coach, and I wanted to focus on my senior thesis and fraternity involvement). I've been avoiding this topic because I'm afraid it will make me look like a quitter and someone unable to handle a thesis workload while also playing a sport.
Last edited by jd5 on Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

jd5

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Re: Topic Help

Post by jd5 » Tue Jan 17, 2012 2:54 pm

No love? Bumpppp.

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yankees42789

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Re: Topic Help

Post by yankees42789 » Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:01 pm

I generally believe that the idea of a 'topic' for personal statements is a little overrated. IMO, the most important thing you can do in your PS (aside from prove that you can write well) is let the school know who you are, why you want to become a lawyer, and why you'll be a good fit for the school (though this doesn't necessarily entail mentioning specific programs or professors). For me, your first topic seems much more compelling than any of the alternatives you mentioned as it better accomplishes those objectives.

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icecold3000

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Re: Topic Help

Post by icecold3000 » Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:24 pm

Is this topic going to hurt me at schools where my numbers are good? Should I try to come up with something more original for HYS?
The topic is nowhere near as important as the delivery. This topic seems fine, but it is up to you make it original and personal.

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