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Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I'm wondering what other non-traditional applicants are writing their PS about. I'm having a hard time deciding what is a good topic. Should it be like a lot of the rest about growing up? Should it be about work experience? Should it be about family experience?

I'd be interested in the answer to this as well.

What exactly do you you need to be/do to be considered non-traditional? I am entering law school fresh out of college, but I went to culinary school in the middle of college, and worked for a while as well. So I am 23, but I don't know if that is enough to be considered "non-traditional".

I did a I-want-to-save-the-world essay and talked mostly about my job and a current volunteer activity, but I also discussed some of the more wacky stuff I did when I was younger, like dress up like a caribou and "ticket" SUVs. I thought it was funny and showed how I have matured. I don't think there is one thing you have to write about, but it may be a good idea to play up your maturity and life experience because those are supposed to be the advantages of being non-traditional.

Acfair, I don't think you would be considered non-traditional since you are 23. It is typically used to describe people who are in their late 20s or older, married, and/or have children.

i am way non-traditional (37 y/o) and wrote about how i got interested my current professional field, the variety of experiences i have had getting to where i am (working with unusual populations, rural areas, military service) and why i am making a change now...

don't know how successful it was yet, though

acfair wrote:What exactly do you you need to be/do to be considered non-traditional? I am entering law school fresh out of college, but I went to culinary school in the middle of college, and worked for a while as well. So I am 23, but I don't know if that is enough to be considered "non-traditional".

I think that's an unusual experience and you could write about it, but it sounds like besides that break you're going straight through so I think that's what trad non trad is maybe?

I'm 28, worked for a year after college then joined the army for 4 years, and I have a daughter (technically I have a husband too, but we're working on that)

It sounds like the previous people wrote about work experiences. I was thinking about writing something military related. Another poster from a year ago wrote that sometimes writing a really personal one is good, but I'm not sure

I was told that the older you are the more the "Why Law School" essay makes sense. For most non-trad apps, LS represents some kind of directional shift, so explaining why you're making that shift is worth while.

I'll be 33 when I start, this is what I wrote about last year.

homestyle28 wrote:I was told that the older you are the more the "Why Law School" essay makes sense. For most non-trad apps, LS represents some kind of directional shift, so explaining why you're making that shift is worth while.

I'll be 33 when I start, this is what I wrote about last year.

Did you write about "why law school" from a personal or professional perspective?

mala2 wrote:

homestyle28 wrote:I was told that the older you are the more the "Why Law School" essay makes sense. For most non-trad apps, LS represents some kind of directional shift, so explaining why you're making that shift is worth while.

I'll be 33 when I start, this is what I wrote about last year.

Did you write about "why law school" from a personal or professional perspective?

As professional a perspective as I could take. I was shifting from pursuing a PhD in philosophy to LS. I talked about my dissatisfaction with the abstraction of academia (at least of the kind I was doing) and wrapped it around some experiences I had volunteering.

homestyle28 wrote:I was told that the older you are the more the "Why Law School" essay makes sense. For most non-trad apps, LS represents some kind of directional shift, so explaining why you're making that shift is worth while.

I'll be 33 when I start, this is what I wrote about last year.

I took this approach as well. The experiences I wrote about were professional, but my profession is directly related to law/litigation so it might not be a great guidepost for anyone else.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 22&t=80786

this thread makes it seem like personal is ok too, so I just am not sure what to do.

I'm thinking that I'll do a professional positive one for schools I'm confident I'll get into, and maybe do a more risky personal one for reach schools?

mala2 wrote:http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 22&t=80786

this thread makes it seem like personal is ok too, so I just am not sure what to do.

I'm thinking that I'll do a professional positive one for schools I'm confident I'll get into, and maybe do a more risky personal one for reach schools?

Getting a PS right takes a little while. You might be better off writing one good PS for use at all schools and submitting earlier, especially if your second PS is for stretch schools.

Just a thought.

mala2 wrote:

acfair wrote:What exactly do you you need to be/do to be considered non-traditional? I am entering law school fresh out of college, but I went to culinary school in the middle of college, and worked for a while as well. So I am 23, but I don't know if that is enough to be considered "non-traditional".

I think that's an unusual experience and you could write about it, but it sounds like besides that break you're going straight through so I think that's what trad non trad is maybe?

I'm 28, worked for a year after college then joined the army for 4 years, and I have a daughter (technically I have a husband too, but we're working on that)

It sounds like the previous people wrote about work experiences. I was thinking about writing something military related. Another poster from a year ago wrote that sometimes writing a really personal one is good, but I'm not sure

I'm 28 as well and worked in the insurance industry for 8 years then joined the USMC at 24. When I start LS, I will have been in the USMC for 5 years. There was also a gap in between my associates degree and bachelors degree because of my military service. I'm going with a military theme for my PS because I think it's the strongest possible theme I could use, and I had a lot of life changing experiences because of the military. I'm hoping the non-trad and military experience will be a plus for me.

thementor31337 wrote:

mala2 wrote:

acfair wrote:What exactly do you you need to be/do to be considered non-traditional? I am entering law school fresh out of college, but I went to culinary school in the middle of college, and worked for a while as well. So I am 23, but I don't know if that is enough to be considered "non-traditional".

I think that's an unusual experience and you could write about it, but it sounds like besides that break you're going straight through so I think that's what trad non trad is maybe?

I'm 28, worked for a year after college then joined the army for 4 years, and I have a daughter (technically I have a husband too, but we're working on that)

It sounds like the previous people wrote about work experiences. I was thinking about writing something military related. Another poster from a year ago wrote that sometimes writing a really personal one is good, but I'm not sure

I'm 28 as well and worked in the insurance industry for 8 years then joined the USMC at 24. When I start LS, I will have been in the USMC for 5 years. There was also a gap in between my associates degree and bachelors degree because of my military service. I'm going with a military theme for my PS because I think it's the strongest possible theme I could use, and I had a lot of life changing experiences because of the military. I'm hoping the non-trad and military experience will be a plus for me.

I'm thinking about doing a military theme one also. Do you know what you're doing as a theme yet? an overview or a specific incident?

I'm 38, I have written 3 PS's all of which focus on my achievements concerning career and family that lead me to pursuing law school. I find it amusing reading these posts from younger non-traditional applicants. Guys I know this can all be stressful, just be yourself first and foremost and write with integrity. OP, you have a lot to share make it come out on the paper from the heart. Hope this helps.

I am also doing more of a 'why law school' approach. As an over 30 type, I kind of feel like it's important to tell people why I want to be there. I'm working in personal interest type stuff and work things...kind of doing a 'how my career path has led me to this point'. I am coming from a science background though.

I have to admit, I think the nice part of being a tad older is that I actually *do* have a perspective about why I want to go to law school. In my mid-early twenties I was always somewhat full of crap about my future interests.