Top Law Schools

If so, how exactly did you use it? Source it, etc?

Would you recommend/not recommend doing this?

Thanks guys/girls.

IIRC, the general consensus is that 99% of the time, you do not want to have a quote anywhere in your PS, let alone set off at the beginning.

paratactical wrote:IIRC, the general consensus is that 99% of the time, you do not want to have a quote anywhere in your PS, let alone set off at the beginning.

In the TLS personal statement section, they have number 7. Begin with a meaningful quote.

They say "It's difficult to master, but when done well, it can be satisfying for the reader."

But you say no. That's good because this is why I posted this question, I want to hear these opinions. Thank you for taking the time to chime in.

The vast majority of the time it will come off as cliche. There are exceptions, but they are rare. Generally don't do it, but if you think you have one of those exceptions then have it critiqued to see if you are right (though you probably aren't).

Unless it's very specific and relevant, I wouldn't quote. You have such a limited space for your PS already, why waste some of it? Just take the idea of the quote and reword it to suit your purposes.

Agreed with poster above. 99% of the time this comes of badly. It only works when 1) the quote is really unique and different, and 2) your entire essay builds around and relates to it. Whatever you do, do not quote Robert Frost, Thomas Edison, or any US President.

Just don't do it.

I like quotes...I've quoted - near the end, it sort of rounds out what I'm saying and backs it up.

thesybarite wrote:I like quotes...I've quoted - near the end, it sort of rounds out what I'm saying and backs it up.

No.

We'll see...

Quotations as an opening are extremely cliché. Everyone and their mother did this for their 7th grade English paper. Just don't.

d34dluk3 wrote:Quotations as an opening are extremely cliché. Everyone and their mother did this for their 7th grade English paper. Just don't.

d34dluk3 is completely correct, the only person you should quote is your mother.

Some of my high-school students did this for their undergraduate personal statements. Give it a shot.

Ok, I'm not going to do it.

LOL

sophia.olive wrote:

d34dluk3 wrote:Quotations as an opening are extremely cliché. Everyone and their mother did this for their 7th grade English paper. Just don't.

d34dluk3 is completely correct, the only person you should quote is your mother.

Ironic, because I'm opening my PS with a conversation between myself and my mother.