Quick PS Topic question Forum

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kylemba

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Quick PS Topic question

Post by kylemba » Thu Aug 30, 2012 3:57 pm

Should I include something about why I majored in finance in UG and got an MBA and why now I want to go to law school? I don't want to give the impression that I don't know what I want to do... or do adcoms not think that much into why you're applying?

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Liquox

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Re: Quick PS Topic question

Post by Liquox » Thu Aug 30, 2012 4:50 pm

give it a sentence or two but no more than that. the ps should let admissions ppl see you during daily life.

as a side note, a bunch of people i know wrote statements contradicting the impression their resume gives off. (4.1 guy wrote about playing tennis, business analyst girl wrote about going to church, high lsat low gpa splitter wrote about some complex math theory he's working on) maybe try that?

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kylemba

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Re: Quick PS Topic question

Post by kylemba » Fri Aug 31, 2012 9:22 am

Liquox wrote:give it a sentence or two but no more than that. the ps should let admissions ppl see you during daily life.

as a side note, a bunch of people i know wrote statements contradicting the impression their resume gives off. (4.1 guy wrote about playing tennis, business analyst girl wrote about going to church, high lsat low gpa splitter wrote about some complex math theory he's working on) maybe try that?
Thank you for your reply.

My first draft tells a story about how my father became very ill and had to leave his job, leaving my family with no income. He later applied for disability insurance and social security, was denied both and was taken advantage of due to loop holes in the legal system.

Long story short we pulled together and made it through, but it changed our lives forever.

I'm trying to tell the story in way that shows how I made it though a hard time and at the same time had an event that sparked my legal interest.

Seem legit?

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rinkrat19

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Re: Quick PS Topic question

Post by rinkrat19 » Fri Aug 31, 2012 9:31 am

kylemba wrote:
Liquox wrote:give it a sentence or two but no more than that. the ps should let admissions ppl see you during daily life.

as a side note, a bunch of people i know wrote statements contradicting the impression their resume gives off. (4.1 guy wrote about playing tennis, business analyst girl wrote about going to church, high lsat low gpa splitter wrote about some complex math theory he's working on) maybe try that?
Thank you for your reply.

My first draft tells a story about how my father became very ill and had to leave his job, leaving my family with no income. He later applied for disability insurance and social security, was denied both and was taken advantage of due to loop holes in the legal system.

Long story short we pulled together and made it through, but it changed our lives forever.

I'm trying to tell the story in way that shows how I made it though a hard time and at the same time had an event that sparked my legal interest.

Seem legit?
Potentially, but remember that the essay is supposed to be about YOU, not your father. Everything you talk about has to be filtered through the prism of how it affected YOU. Otherwise the adcomms might wonder why your dad isn't applying for law school instead of you.

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kylemba

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Re: Quick PS Topic question

Post by kylemba » Fri Aug 31, 2012 9:51 am

rinkrat19 wrote:
kylemba wrote:
Liquox wrote:give it a sentence or two but no more than that. the ps should let admissions ppl see you during daily life.

as a side note, a bunch of people i know wrote statements contradicting the impression their resume gives off. (4.1 guy wrote about playing tennis, business analyst girl wrote about going to church, high lsat low gpa splitter wrote about some complex math theory he's working on) maybe try that?
Thank you for your reply.

My first draft tells a story about how my father became very ill and had to leave his job, leaving my family with no income. He later applied for disability insurance and social security, was denied both and was taken advantage of due to loop holes in the legal system.

Long story short we pulled together and made it through, but it changed our lives forever.

I'm trying to tell the story in way that shows how I made it though a hard time and at the same time had an event that sparked my legal interest.

Seem legit?
Potentially, but remember that the essay is supposed to be about YOU, not your father. Everything you talk about has to be filtered through the prism of how it affected YOU. Otherwise the adcomms might wonder why your dad isn't applying for law school instead of you.
Thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to do that.

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kylemba

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Re: Quick PS Topic question

Post by kylemba » Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:42 pm

Just thought of another question for you guys. In undergrad I started a non profit organization where I organized people and raised money to reach the goals of our organization. This is what I wrote about in my PS for admission to the MBA program that I am in now. Do you think this might might a more compelling PS since it shows leadership, giving to the community, and it is entirely about me? Or does the childhood struggle I mentioned above sound better?

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Re: Quick PS Topic question

Post by christinenyoung » Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:50 pm

I recommend you read Anna Ivey's Guide to Law School Admissions. You can get the eBook from Amazon for a couple bucks, well worth it. A lot of the essays she talks about in the book don't mention law school even once. The way she made it seem - she didn't want a persuasive essay on why you want to go to law school - she just wanted to know about you.

It depends on the prompt of course, but some PS give a very broad topic. Avoid making unnatural references to law or law school in your essay.

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Liquox

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Re: Quick PS Topic question

Post by Liquox » Wed Sep 05, 2012 1:16 am

kylemba wrote:Just thought of another question for you guys. In undergrad I started a non profit organization where I organized people and raised money to reach the goals of our organization. This is what I wrote about in my PS for admission to the MBA program that I am in now. Do you think this might might a more compelling PS since it shows leadership, giving to the community, and it is entirely about me? Or does the childhood struggle I mentioned above sound better?
honestly i like the other idea better. your cv/resume should mention the nonprofit, but to write a whole ps on it seems excessive especially when law schools already see your mba. also, it seems like every other person writes about working nonprofit/abroad/some combo of the two.

about the first idea, it's strong but tricky. if you can't avoid dwelling on your father's misfortune, do so in an analytically, dispassionate way. avoid statements like "it's not fair/ they ripped him off"; stick to facts "they offered ____, which was enough to ____ but not enough to _____". if you can find and present the root of the problem in an organized fashion, it would let the law schools know you can overcome personal bias and be a successful attorney.

good luck man.

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kylemba

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Re: Quick PS Topic question

Post by kylemba » Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:52 am

Liquox wrote:
kylemba wrote:Just thought of another question for you guys. In undergrad I started a non profit organization where I organized people and raised money to reach the goals of our organization. This is what I wrote about in my PS for admission to the MBA program that I am in now. Do you think this might might a more compelling PS since it shows leadership, giving to the community, and it is entirely about me? Or does the childhood struggle I mentioned above sound better?
honestly i like the other idea better. your cv/resume should mention the nonprofit, but to write a whole ps on it seems excessive especially when law schools already see your mba. also, it seems like every other person writes about working nonprofit/abroad/some combo of the two.

about the first idea, it's strong but tricky. if you can't avoid dwelling on your father's misfortune, do so in an analytically, dispassionate way. avoid statements like "it's not fair/ they ripped him off"; stick to facts "they offered ____, which was enough to ____ but not enough to _____". if you can find and present the root of the problem in an organized fashion, it would let the law schools know you can overcome personal bias and be a successful attorney.

good luck man.
Wow great advice! Thank you!

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kylemba

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Re: Quick PS Topic question

Post by kylemba » Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:52 am

christinenyoung wrote:I recommend you read Anna Ivey's Guide to Law School Admissions. You can get the eBook from Amazon for a couple bucks, well worth it. A lot of the essays she talks about in the book don't mention law school even once. The way she made it seem - she didn't want a persuasive essay on why you want to go to law school - she just wanted to know about you.

It depends on the prompt of course, but some PS give a very broad topic. Avoid making unnatural references to law or law school in your essay.
Thank you ill be sure to check it out!

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