Law School First Draft (Topic Concern) Forum

[kjones7]

Hi,

So I've just begun trying to write my personal statement and I am having a tough time trying to figure out what to right about. I'm more interested in critiques about the topic rather than the actual grammar (though those comments are also appreciated). I have some concerns of my own but I want to see what other people's are.

Thanks!

Life is a series of dichotomous decisions. Often times, important decisions will begin with several choices but the tough choice comes when you only have two options remaining. It is like taking a multiple choice exam and being unsure of the answer. It may be easy to eliminate the first two or three choices but when it comes down to the last two, the decision becomes more difficult. Of course there are many factors to every decision, and ignoring these factors leads to the false dichotomy fallacy, but at its simplest, each choice is “this or that?” Yes or no? When I have faced dichotomous decisions in my life, I have been able to make the tough choice in order to accomplish my goals.

I faced one of these dichotomous decisions my sophomore year of college. I had to choose between being president of my sorority and studying abroad. Each choice had its benefits. Running for president was the next logical step on the path I was on within the sorority. I would have run uncontested because my sisters trusted me with the task. On the other hand, studying abroad was an integral part of my major and a critical cultural experience. While either choice would look good on a resume, I had to choose what was best for me and there was simply not enough time to do both. Ultimately I chose to study abroad. Studying abroad was the choice that would benefit me the most in the long run because when it came to sorority life, I had already gained everything I could from the experience.

As a freshman, I was thrown into a position in the sorority that typically was taken by juniors. My predecessor had left the position in shambles. We were on probation and facing the possibility of having our charter revoked. I had a massive undertaking ahead of me of cleaning up our chapter. That year, I created a new attendance system when I realized the previous one was no longer effective. That system is still in place almost five years later. Also, the President, the VP Finance, and I were able to get our massive debt under control by instituting a new system of rewards and punishments for chapter member dues. By the end of my first semester in office, the chapter’s probation was revoked and we were no longer at risk of losing our charter. The sorority gave me leadership skills I would not have been able to gain in the classroom and it gave me the opportunity to enhance my problem solving skills. So while leaving the sorority was one of the hardest things I had to do, I had gained everything I could and accomplished all the things I set out to do. I had to take the next step of my college career, and that was studying abroad. Looking back, I know that I made the correct decision.

The next major dichotomous life decision I face is whether or not to attend law school. While this choice was not as difficult as the one above, it required no less thought and consideration. Law school was not always my plan but rather it was a goal that I have grown into. However, I have not come to this decision lightly. I know the path that lies ahead of me is long and difficult but I also can see all the rewards ahead of me. Law school is an intellectual challenge I am eager to take on. Since graduating, I have been working full-time and I have been able to see what I want and do not want from my long-term career. Above all, I want to be stimulated. Each day, I want to face new challenges and new opportunities. Stagnation is not something I want in my future career. Pursuing law will give me the intellectual stimulation necessary to a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Life is full of tough decisions and more often than not, the tough decisions are deciding between one of two options. I have made those tough decisions in the past and been pleased with the results and I know that this is another one of those situations. Law school is an enormous undertaking but I am willing and ready to accept the challenge and not only succeed but thrive. I have never been afraid to make those tough decisions in the past and I will not be afraid to make them in the future either.