Great Numbers, no idea for personal statement Forum

[Pancakes12]

So I'll be graduating this year with a degree in Mathematics and Economics. I have great numbers, so I'm hoping for HYS. But I've hit something of a roadblack in writing my PS. I've gathered quite a few softs in college, but they're all the basic college leadership positions. One notable achievement is the founding of my university's first undergraduate journal of economics, but I don't think I could structure an entire essay out of that.

One idea I had focused on my growing up on a farm in a very rural area and then moving to the city for college. I would talk about how this changed my views on life and both me question and appreciate these two very distinct ways of life.

Lastly, how much of the personal statement needs to focus on the "why law school" question?

[rinkrat19]

A List of Things Your PS Should Tell Adcomms

1. This is who I am as a person.
2. This is why I want to go to law school. (optional, unless the essay prompt specifically asks for it)
3. This is why I'd be good at law school. (not as optional, but can be implicit)
4. I write really well.
5. I am capable of following instructions.

People worry too much about explicitly explaining "Why I want to go to law school" in their PS. My theory is that, barring an essay prompt that specifically asks for it, you don't really need to address it. Just don't leave the reader wondering "Why on EARTH is this person going to law school instead of [X]??"

Don't worry about having your essay totally mapped out before you write it. Just bang something out so you're not staring at a blank page. See if there's anything good in it. Keep those bits. Don't delete the other bits, just move them to the bottom of the file out of sight. Write more words attached to the good bits. See if any sort of coherent theme is forming. If not, bang out some more words and see if they connect to the good bits you already had. Are there more good bits that you want to keep? Any theme yet? Maybe if you wrote about [this event], it would connect [this bit] with [that bit], and you could describe [this thing] in your intro to draw the reader in.

[Pancakes12]

Thanks, these are some great tips! What do you think about the specific idea I addressed in my post? Is this type of thing overdone?

[rinkrat19]

Thanks, these are some great tips! What do you think about the specific idea I addressed in my post? Is this type of thing overdone?

IMO, there's really no such thing as a good/bad/overdone topic; there's just well-written and not. It sounds like something that could work.