Tough PS Topic Forum

(Personal Statement Examples, Advice, Critique, . . . )
Post Reply
Anonymous User
Posts: 427954
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Tough PS Topic

Post by Anonymous User » Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:34 pm

I am hoping someone can give me some advice on my PS topic. I have been struggling to come up with a topic that truly represents me or would add something to the law school community. I had been writing about being from a small town but it didn't feel like it had any depth to it. So I started writing about something super personal but has shaped who I am today. In high school I played football for 4 years I was there, I had five concussions and 2 within a months time in my senior year and at the time other than the immediate side effects of having a concussion everything was fine, but shortly after I graduated I became distant, "not myself", and depressed. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with depression that my doctor explained to me was probably the result of the multiple concussions I had. While I struggled to admit I had this issue and deal with it the experience has made me more determined (as studying in the beginning was difficult), allowed me to know that its okay to ask for help, etc. I want to phrase this as although I had this experience, that is now completely under control four years later its a defining life event for me. This is a taboo topic but is it something I can talk about or something to avoid entirely? Thank you for your help!

QContinuum

Moderator
Posts: 3594
Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 9:52 am

Re: Tough PS Topic

Post by QContinuum » Tue Sep 18, 2018 10:10 pm

First, I don't think that, in 2018, it's taboo to talk about football-induced brain trauma.

That said, IMO the best PSs tell a compelling "why law" narrative. Did your recovery play any part in drawing you to the law? What do you plan to do with your J.D.?

User avatar
Pneumonia

Gold
Posts: 2096
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2012 3:05 pm

Re: Tough PS Topic

Post by Pneumonia » Wed Sep 19, 2018 12:15 am

The problem with this idea isn't that you're talking about football-induced TBI or depression. It's that you're talking about something that happened in high school. Learning to cope with depression can be a compelling PS. But the interesting part is how you learned to deal with it, not how it arose in the first place. I don't think it's impossible to do well, but my advice would be to keep considering alternate topics.
QContinuum wrote: That said, IMO the best PSs tell a compelling "why law" narrative.
This is true, but the fact is that most people don't have compelling "why law" narratives. Better to have a good non-law PS than an average why-law PS.

Post Reply

Return to “Law School Personal Statements”