Does your PS have to address "Why lawyer/law school?" Forum

[meegee]

Wasn't really sure where to post this. For personal statements, do you have to eventually tie it into one of the following ideas:
"And that is why I want to become a lawyer" or "And that is why I want to go to law school" or "And that is why I want to go to School X."

Often times, a lot of topics for personal statements are about overcoming some sort of obstacle. It's great in that it shows how you overcame some sort of adversity, and it shows some personal qualities about you, but how would you tie that into one of the above? Hypothetically (none of these happened to me, just something off the top of my head) if you wrote your personal statement about your mother dying of cancer, or your brother's drug addiction, or a relative who died during 9/11, or some sort of natural disaster that left you homeless, how would you tie that into one of the above? "My mother's cancer was really heartbreaking. Tears were shed, flowers wilted, birds perched on her window to watch her draw her lasts breath, and there was snowfall the following day after she passed away, in the middle of August. And that is why I want to be a lawyer."

Is it necessary/required to make your personal statement somehow address "why lawyer/why law school?" Or is it enough just to write a personal statement that talks about your personal qualities and characteristics that make you different from other applicants?

[t-14orbust]

no

[hephaestus]

It doesn't have to. In fact, probably better to make it more interesting and personalized.