Personal Statement Topics Forum

[lawyeah]

I'm still having difficulty narrowing down a topic for my personal statement. For those that have already submitted their apps or have completed writing their ps, do you have any tips? How did you end up choosing a topic? What ways did you go about writing the ps? Also if you don't mind, what is your ps topic? Are you submitting a diversity statement as well?

[edubs003]

I would start with a brainstorming session, coming up with as many ideas as you can think of. From there, look at the topics and decide if they would fit for your personal statement. After narrowing it down to 2-3 topics, sit and write as much as you can about the subject. Don't worry about grammar and storyline structure. Just write! After that, look at what you've written and decide which one would be the best for you. My friend wrote 13 personal statements before deciding on one.

My PS topic is about going to jail for a criminal charge and bouncing back, finishing college, and the changes that I have made along the way. My diversity statement is about getting hit, while walking on the side of the road, by a Toyota Corolla going 45mph and how a family member of mine helped me.

[edubs003]

Also, you probably should have started the PS stuff about 2-3 months ago. It seems easy to crank out but it's actually a pretty long process to create a well written PS. I've spent about 80-100 hours combined for both of my statements. Revisions, Revisions!

[2014]

Do you have an activity, anecdote, book, or anything that really encompasses what it means to be "you"?

It doesn't have to be about how you changed the world if you didn't change the world. They just want to know what makes you tick, and how that shows you are going to be a welcome addition to their class. No one here knows the answers to that other than you.