Suggestions on Writing Topics Forum

[gambelda]

It appears that most PS' have a major theme or story to them - some event that was paramount to the individual's understanding of the world or some major passion that the person has in life...

My question is what should I write about? I'm a white male from a middle-income family who has lived an absolutely normal life. I've never taken major risks, I've never had any major failings, I've been a good student, and in general....I have no REAL idea what I want to do with my life in the long-run.

In other words....my life hasn't been much to discuss. Any suggestions on what I could talk about?

The only thing that I can remotely think of is that I'm a creative person and I've always loved music/the arts. I was in a touring band for 5 years during college that was mediocre and we did a few national/international tours. Pretty much it. Would applying the want to be a lawyer in the creative entertainment field be an interesting enough topic?

[paratactical]

1) If you write your essay about wanting to be a lawyer for bands, the law school is going to realize how little you know about the actual employment opportunities in the legal world.

2) You sound like you're not ready for law school.

I've never taken major risks, I've never had any major failings, I've been a good student, and in general....I have no REAL idea what I want to do with my life in the long-run.

If you really have no idea what you want to do with your life in the long-run, if being an attorney might not be the answer, you might want to hold off on law school and work for a few years to get yourself sorted.

[gambelda]

I think you overgeneralized my statement. I would never want to "be a lawyer for bands" That is the lowest consideration of the legal professions relation to the entertainment industry. To give you a better perspective, the legal topics and issues that I would be confronted with by working in the legal department of a group such as BMI would be something I would be very excited about.

[ach24]

.

[kayljsh]

I had a very similar dilemma, and I ended up writing about something relatively simple. Its definitely not a huge event/tragedy/whatever that I had to overcome.

I know that on this board you can end up reading a lot of PS that are all about death/cancer/being dirt poor, and I really admire the people who have been through stuff like that and come out okay on the other side, but its not a BAD thing that some of us haven't! It doesn't make you a less interesting person just because you have a good life.

I think you can definitely write about being in a band. Nearly all the schools say the PS should simply be something they won't find elsewhere in your application. I would bet that few other applicants really toured with a band. You could certainly tie it to being interested in music copyright law or something like that, but I don't think thats totally necessary.

[bk1]

It doesn't need to be some life-altering event. Small events can easily make for great PS's if written well.

[Steppinchoi]

It REALLY isn't what you write about, it's how you write it

[Excellence = a Habit]

I definitely agree that the PSs I read on TLS make me feel like everyone else has an amazing story to tell, something tragic or incredibly acheivatory (yeah...). In the end (well, at least for now - my topic has changed 3 times in the past week) I am just writing about how I think a law degree will get me where I want to be career-wise (tying it to the work experience I have already). Pretty boring, I think, but if it's well-written, honest and reasonable, I hope it at least won't hinder my acceptance anywhere.

Writing about your band could be a good idea. You could also consider writing about how you approached a large assignment in college - a paper or project that meant a lot to you. Or experience in a leadership position in an extracurricular or a sport? Or a book or movie or quote that has meant a lot to you for some intellectual reason.

Good luck. We boring people have to band together.

[ShuckingNotJiving]

It appears that most PS' have a major theme or story to them - some event that was paramount to the individual's understanding of the world or some major passion that the person has in life...

Huh? So you have no passions? About anything? This is not computing.



Maybe you could write about how you've, independently, created your own definition of normalcy, one that apparently includes being in a band and touring internationally for five years. Because, like, anyone who's anyone does that. So mainstream and lame.



I kid, bc no one can tell you what to write about. One can, however, make suggestions to whatever you've written if you offer it for critique.

[123xalady]

It REALLY isn't what you write about, it's how you write it

this is the truth. According to my research (reading interviews with the deans on TLS - they just want a sincere, straightforward essay that can give them a sense of they way you think and who you are.