What should I write my personal statement on? [MusicComp] Forum

[MusicComp]

Hello everyone,

I am having some trouble deciding what I should write my personal statement on, and/or if I should write multiple statements for the schools I plan to apply to.

Information about me :

I am a junior (on a 5-year plan) pursuing a Bachelors of Music (B.M.) in Music Composition. My GPA in my major will be a 3.8 (but LSAC GPA will be around a 3.62 when I apply in Fall 2012 [a terrible freshman year]. When I graduate my LSAC GPA should be around a 3.68.

I have three minors: Writing and Rhetoric, Business, and Legal Studies.

My ECs are an internship with Lockheed Martin, and founding and running a non-for-profit organization that teaches children Music, Dance, Theater, Art, and Creative Writing. (Just providing more insight to possibly effect my major).


I fight myself constantly over whether to write a personal statement (narrative-based) on how I started a non-for-profit organization and how it has affected me. The essay would detail the issues I faced while starting it, how I corrected them, and how the company is doing now (teaching over 200 children a year in after-school programs, for free). We have seven instructors and work at three different schools. I would discuss how the organization has helped focus me towards helping others start a company like this (in a non-profit capacity). I had a lot of trouble with the legal issues while founding the company, and had some trouble with the IRS that I will discuss in the statement.

I am also an intern at Lockheed Martin. I am also considering working in corporate law from my experiences as an intern and could possibly write about that as well. The PS would detail how my experiences at Lockheed have given me an insight into the corporate world and how I would like to pursue a legal career in said corporate world.

I have very little interest in "Big Law" firms currently.

The schools I am very interested in apply to are listed below (please know that I am testing quite high on my LSAT, expecting a score in the law 170's) [I know that you can't put any weight on that, but keep it in mind].


Schools:

Michigan Ann-Arbor (Would love it)
Berkley - Boalt (Would also love it)
Vanderbilt - (Would love it)
Boston University - (Entire family is in Boston, and I am from there. My grandfather is also a professor in their graduate and doctoral theology programs, and has been for many years).

Duke - Interested
U Penn - Interested


Any advice that people have would be welcomed.

I am not looking for a "chances" response, as I know I'm a long shot for a T14. I have all of this information posted because I think it will aid any response or opinion. I'm looking for constructive advice about my PS.


Thank you, everyone. I will check this constantly.

[AffordablePrep]

Hello everyone,

I am having some trouble deciding what I should write my personal statement on, and/or if I should write multiple statements for the schools I plan to apply to.

Information about me :

I am a junior (on a 5-year plan) pursuing a Bachelors of Music (B.M.) in Music Composition. My GPA in my major will be a 3.8 (but LSAC GPA will be around a 3.62 when I apply in Fall 2012 [a terrible freshman year]. When I graduate my LSAC GPA should be around a 3.68.

I have three minors: Writing and Rhetoric, Business, and Legal Studies.

My ECs are an internship with Lockheed Martin, and founding and running a non-for-profit organization that teaches children Music, Dance, Theater, Art, and Creative Writing. (Just providing more insight to possibly effect my major).


I fight myself constantly over whether to write a personal statement (narrative-based) on how I started a non-for-profit organization and how it has affected me. The essay would detail the issues I faced while starting it, how I corrected them, and how the company is doing now (teaching over 200 children a year in after-school programs, for free). We have seven instructors and work at three different schools. I would discuss how the organization has helped focus me towards helping others start a company like this (in a non-profit capacity). I had a lot of trouble with the legal issues while founding the company, and had some trouble with the IRS that I will discuss in the statement.

I am also an intern at Lockheed Martin. I am also considering working in corporate law from my experiences as an intern and could possibly write about that as well. The PS would detail how my experiences at Lockheed have given me an insight into the corporate world and how I would like to pursue a legal career in said corporate world.

I have very little interest in "Big Law" firms currently.

The schools I am very interested in apply to are listed below (please know that I am testing quite high on my LSAT, expecting a score in the law 170's) [I know that you can't put any weight on that, but keep it in mind].


Schools:

Michigan Ann-Arbor (Would love it)
Berkley - Boalt (Would also love it)
Vanderbilt - (Would love it)
Boston University - (Entire family is in Boston, and I am from there. My grandfather is also a professor in their graduate and doctoral theology programs, and has been for many years).

Duke - Interested
U Penn - Interested


Any advice that people have would be welcomed.

I am not looking for a "chances" response, as I know I'm a long shot for a T14. I have all of this information posted because I think it will aid any response or opinion. I'm looking for constructive advice about my PS.


Thank you, everyone. I will check this constantly.

A lot of people exaggerate the role that numbers play in the process, and it's smart you're focusing on the PS now instead of wasting time on the LSAT. Schools kind of consider the LSAT a non-applicable useless test that doesn't measure anything in juxtaposition with the PS which is much more like real lawyer work. Sure, some might say you could just pay someone to do the PS for you, but it is important to pay the right people like in law. Take the LSAT if you must, but don't stress too much about it. Make sure to take a course or get a tutor for the PS to ensure it's t-14 material.

[icecold3000]

As the above troll hinted at, your priority should be the LSAT . . . but

how I started a non-for-profit organization and how it has affected me

would be a great topic if written properly. You can tailor this topic for all your applications and also write why x addendums for each school.

[MusicComp]

Thank you, both.

And don't get me wrong, I have a private tutor lined up for winter break and plan to take the Feb. LSAT.

I have some spare time at the moment and thus was just getting some general opinions on what makes, or would make, a better PS.

Thank you, once more.

[freestallion]

The Feb LSAT is too late. If you're taking the LSAT in Feb you should apply the NEXT fall, not this fall.

[MusicComp]

I am applying in the fall of 2012. So, Feb. LSAT in the Spring of 2012 shouldn't be too late, will it?

Sorry for the confusion.

[freestallion]

I am applying in the fall of 2012. So, Feb. LSAT in the Spring of 2012 shouldn't be too late, will it?

Sorry for the confusion.

No, that's not too late if you're applying next fall. But there's no need for you to think of your personal statement a year in advance!

ETA: If you really want to think about it now, though, I think the topic on starting your own nonprofit sounds intriguing.

If you just want to check out other statements and see general advice, read this: http://www.top-law-schools.com/personal-statements.html

[chem]

I am applying in the fall of 2012. So, Feb. LSAT in the Spring of 2012 shouldn't be too late, will it?

Sorry for the confusion.

It won't be too late. Do the non profit, definitely. Everybody has had internships, and stacked up against people who have had work experience it doesnt look as good. Not as many people start NPOs

[MumofCad]

I think you should def write it on starting your own non-profit. Loads of people will have interned in the corporate world, very few will have successfully started and run their own non-profit. The corporate one would tell us more about your internship than you, the non-profit has more room for both - showing yourself as someone who identifies problems and finds solutions, etc.

Plus, I know exactly what you are talking about in terms of the legal issues that arise. It is difficult to navigate without legal help, which of course costs money. I remember when I started a non-profit that dealt with foreign development in a Muslim country after 9/11 what a nightmare it was to navigate the IRS. We had to prove that clean water wells we were digging were not going to in some material way aid Al-Qaeda or other extremist groups - not easy to do when you are operating in the context of an active insurgency in a country without a banking or accounting system of any kind. Fun stuff. I can def see the potential of this tract to say something insightful about the law and why you'd like to study it.

If you write about the corporate world you want to be a part of though...its not as compelling. Why not join the corporate world in marketing or sales or whatever? Its hard to tell from your brief description whether your internship has touched on interesting legal challenges faced by corporations, in which case it would be strong, but going on what you gave us...I say go with the non-profit story. I think there is more substance there that will make you stand out from the pack.

Good luck!

[NiccoloA]

Starting a non-profit shows a lot of drive and that you can (and have) had a real impact on others. This is a good topic, I'm not sure how to frame the PS for each individual school without knowing the schools, but adding the "Why X" should help that.


Not sure how to format that in the PS. Still looking for templates on that myself.

[LawSchoolChampion]

Starting a non-profit shows a lot of drive and that you can (and have) had a real impact on others. This is a good topic, I'm not sure how to frame the PS for each individual school without knowing the schools, but adding the "Why X" should help that.


Not sure how to format that in the PS. Still looking for templates on that myself.

+1

[LoyalRebel]

It is my view that law schools are mainly interested in the reasons why you will succeed in law school. I would recommend focusing on how you will use the experiences in your life and your talents to become successful in law school and beyond. For practical reasons, if I was on a law school admissions council, I would be looking for this more than something about how you want to make the world a better place or something like that. You can't do that unless you get through law school first, right?

That's just my 2 cents.

[$1.99]

how do you have such a low gpa when you are a music comp major

[MusicComp]

how do you have such a low gpa when you are a music comp major

GPA in the major - 3.88

GPA in upper-divisional courses - 3.91

My freshman year was not an academic success. I slacked off, cut class, and as a result, did poorly.

Since then my GPA has been been above a 3.9 every semester, but it still will only balance out to a 3.63 ish by the time I am ready to apply (fall '12).

With that irrelevant tidbit out of the way, I want to thank everyone for their insight into the PS topic, and indeed I agree that the NPO personal statement is definitely the better option in almost all cases.

Thank you guys.

[$1.99]

lol music comp major is such a joke and on the same level as a criminal justice major

[LawSchoolChampion]

lol music comp major is such a joke and on the same level as a criminal justice major

It'd be difficult for me...but I don't write music...

Anyone can do criminal justice...you'd have to be a musician to do music comp...?

[Moomoo2u]

Hello everyone,

I am having some trouble deciding what I should write my personal statement on, and/or if I should write multiple statements for the schools I plan to apply to.

Information about me :

I am a junior (on a 5-year plan) pursuing a Bachelors of Music (B.M.) in Music Composition. My GPA in my major will be a 3.8 (but LSAC GPA will be around a 3.62 when I apply in Fall 2012 [a terrible freshman year]. When I graduate my LSAC GPA should be around a 3.68.

I have three minors: Writing and Rhetoric, Business, and Legal Studies.

My ECs are an internship with Lockheed Martin, and founding and running a non-for-profit organization that teaches children Music, Dance, Theater, Art, and Creative Writing. (Just providing more insight to possibly effect my major).


I fight myself constantly over whether to write a personal statement (narrative-based) on how I started a non-for-profit organization and how it has affected me. The essay would detail the issues I faced while starting it, how I corrected them, and how the company is doing now (teaching over 200 children a year in after-school programs, for free). We have seven instructors and work at three different schools. I would discuss how the organization has helped focus me towards helping others start a company like this (in a non-profit capacity). I had a lot of trouble with the legal issues while founding the company, and had some trouble with the IRS that I will discuss in the statement.

I am also an intern at Lockheed Martin. I am also considering working in corporate law from my experiences as an intern and could possibly write about that as well. The PS would detail how my experiences at Lockheed have given me an insight into the corporate world and how I would like to pursue a legal career in said corporate world.

I have very little interest in "Big Law" firms currently.

The schools I am very interested in apply to are listed below (please know that I am testing quite high on my LSAT, expecting a score in the law 170's) [I know that you can't put any weight on that, but keep it in mind].


Schools:

Michigan Ann-Arbor (Would love it)
Berkley - Boalt (Would also love it)
Vanderbilt - (Would love it)
Boston University - (Entire family is in Boston, and I am from there. My grandfather is also a professor in their graduate and doctoral theology programs, and has been for many years).

Duke - Interested
U Penn - Interested


Any advice that people have would be welcomed.

I am not looking for a "chances" response, as I know I'm a long shot for a T14. I have all of this information posted because I think it will aid any response or opinion. I'm looking for constructive advice about my PS.


Thank you, everyone. I will check this constantly.

A lot of people exaggerate the role that numbers play in the process, and it's smart you're focusing on the PS now instead of wasting time on the LSAT. Schools kind of consider the LSAT a non-applicable useless test that doesn't measure anything in juxtaposition with the PS which is much more like real lawyer work. Sure, some might say you could just pay someone to do the PS for you, but it is important to pay the right people like in law. Take the LSAT if you must, but don't stress too much about it. Make sure to take a course or get a tutor for the PS to ensure it's t-14 material.

Obvious troll is obvious.

[theadvancededit]

As a topic, starting your own non-profit is definitely what you should explore; it would elaborate on your background further (and *maybe* boost your GPA a bit) as well as show your unique drive. Loads of applicants intern at places like LM, but not everyone starts their own business. And, if you don't have interest in big law now, then it doesn't serve you to write your PS about it.

[DocHawkeye]

lol music comp major is such a joke and on the same level as a criminal justice major

You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

[$1.99]

lol you have a 159 and a 3.3 gpa man majoring in music comp at a crap school called coe college? i do know what i am talking about you clown. you have a better chance at using your music comp degree than finding a job after you attend your TTT law school.