The better personal statement question? Forum

[HuskyHopeful]

So I am in between two personal statements.

The first being my struggles with Lyme disease and how I overcame/learned to deal with my symptoms. (Perseverance theme)

and the second being not getting a loan for my last semester of college and having to live out of my car and bum food off of people. (Determination/Perseverance/Preservation theme)

[Cobretti]

So I am in between two personal statements.

The first being my struggles with Lyme disease and how I overcame/learned to deal with my symptoms. (Perseverance theme)

and the second being not getting a loan for my last semester of college and having to live out of my car and bum food off of people. (Determination/Perseverance/Preservation theme)

I think I would do the second one. What stands out about that one is you could have walked away but you didn't so it shows you won't walk away when it gets rough in law school. I'm sure lyme disease has been a big part of your life and a big problem for you, and it could definitely be mentioned in passing, but I think because you can't walk away from lyme disease it doesn't show the same willingness to to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals.

just my 2 cents

[collegebum1989]

I agree, mention the lyme disease but focus on the second topic.

The way I would see it as a reader is that the topic about writing about having a disease and overcoming it is a obvious choice most people would make. By mentioning it but not fixating on it, you send two implicit messages to the reader: (1) that you're not writing a traditional "I had a disease and overcame it" essay, an (2) that you really did overcome it since it didn't affect your life so drastically for you to focus on it in your PS.

The second essay is stronger because it reinforces everything in the first topic indirectly without having to say it. Just my opinion though.