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So, I have spent years doing immigrant rights work on the US Mexico Border (advocating for the rights of people without legal status and providing direct humanitarian aid to needy people crossing the border) and have also spent a lot of time working on Palestine Solidarity stuff including a bunch of the time in the area. I could write a pretty compelling PS about either of these things (or both) which include themes like leadership skills, commitment, self-starting, setting and accomplishing goals, and so forth. Also I am interesting in law school primarily to obtain specific skills to continue doing this work and similar work so it would make sense to talk about this.

HOWEVER, I realize that both of these issues are pretty controversial, and I certainly don't want to come off as dogmatic or crazed...

I am thinking that I should write a more generic and weak and safe PS about playing the trumpet or something to send to the safety schools, and then a stronger but potentially alienating PS about one of the above topics to send to the reach schools (top 6 and boalt) on the idea that my admission there is going to be a crapshoot anyway and maybe the stronger but more dangerous topic helps...

Does this seem like a reasonable plan? Overthinking it? Stay away from these topics entirely? Does anyone have specific ideas about which schools are most likely to hate these topics and which might kind of like them?

I see no danger in these topics, don't waste your time trying to write two. Just write one kickass one about the topics that clearly really matter to you

I think either topic could be great. I'm sure they could be written in a way that offends or alienates, but it'd take some pretty extreme language. I think the border one sounds particularly interesting.

I think that adcomms have to be open-minded enough to understand that there are two sides to these issues. Also, the majority of schools are liberal-leaning, so it's likely to be more positive than negative. Definitely better to write about a more compelling topic and risk ticking someone off than to write about something boring.

these topics sounds promising. stay away from specific religious/political views and you'll be fine. the topic is important but it's what you do with it that really matters

These topics aren't automatic non-starters, but the devil is in the details. Regardless of the ADCOM's (and your own, for that matter) political leanings, you need to present this story in a way that shows your ability to approach the topic from a dispassionate, apolitical position. Obviously these topics are highly charged in some political circles, but if you take the opportunity to present YOURSELF within the realm of the topic, you could have a really strong PS on your hands.

Certainly don't preach to the ADCOM about the topic and don't leave yourself out of the PS in lieu of talking about the issue and you should be able to craft a strong PS on either topic. Try to pick only one though IMO.

The first topic is less likely to offend someone than the second. Both could be done, but the second one would need to be handled carefully.

It also depends on where you're applying. Taking the illegal immigrant topic as an example, I'm sure that Berkeley and UT would look at it completely differently

Given the very limited upside of a PS, I would be hesitant to wade into topics that even slightly risk alienating an adcomm,

Do you really think ad comms would discount the experiences of an applicant who is going out and firsthand providing humanitarian aid? I don't. I think if either of these experiences reflects who you are as a person, then you should be able to write a powerful and convincing statement. I think ad comms would rather hear about this than sports or other cliched subjects.

Like others have said, this is to give insight into who you are as a person. Leave politics out of it.

Write a draft and post it.

NYstate wrote:Do you really think ad comms would discount the experiences of an applicant who is going out and firsthand providing humanitarian aid? I don't. I think if either of these experiences reflects who you are as a person, then you should be able to write a powerful and convincing statement. I think ad comms would rather hear about this than sports or other cliched subjects.

Like others have said, this is to give insight into who you are as a person. Leave politics out of it.

Write a draft and post it.

No, I don't think they would either, but the Palestinian conflict is a very touchy subject, and "avoiding politics" would be like tiptoeing through a minefield. I think the immigration stuff is less likely to be something that would offend an adcom.

Mad Hatter wrote:Given the very limited upside of a PS, I would be hesitant to wade into topics that even slightly risk alienating an adcomm,

I can't imagine how either of those topics would alienate adcomms. I'm sure there are specific ways to write bad PSes about those topics (as there are about any topic), but adcomms aren't looking to judge an applicant's politics - they just want to see how you talk about those politics (or whatever you write your PS about). Adcomms are alienated by badly done PSes, not specific topics.