Top Law Schools

Here are two perspectives from very popular law school admissions books:

Anne Ivey, [i]The Ivey Guide to Law School Admissions[/i] wrote:If your essay is truly personal, it sounds awfully strained when you slap on a concluding paragraph talking about why you want to go to School X. The vast majority of personal statements I've read concluded this way, and that kind of ending was always transparent. I knew that applicants simply substituted the school name in every essay, and, to make matters even worse, lots of people mixed up their essays and told me how badly they wanted to go to Columbia or Cornell. If law schools ask for a personal statement, they don't expect you to make token references to their program.

Ann Levine, [i]The Law School Admissions Game[/i] wrote:Personal statements conclude somewhat formulaically, which is better than a cute ending, trust me. Lawyers make their arguments, conclude clearly (not cleverly), and get out. Your personal statement should be the same. The body should make your case, and the end doesn't need to repeat, echo a cute opening, or bring anything full circle. It should end with something about law school. Pretty much every time. Pretty much without exception.

The quotes bear on slightly different issues. Ivey is talking about mentioning school X, whereas Levine is talking about mentioning law school in general. But I don't take Ivey to be suggesting that personal statements should end with "something about law school" either, and some example essays she gives in her book do not.

Who's right?

(sorry if this has been asked to death)

Note that "it sounds awfully strained when you slap on a concluding paragraph talking about why you want to go to School X" and "It should end with something about law school" are clearly consistent. The former concerns statements about why you want to go to a particular school (which you should generally not include) whereas the latter concerns statements about why you want to go to law school in general (which it says you should include, which may be too strong, but still).

Hand wrote:Note that "it sounds awfully strained when you slap on a concluding paragraph talking about why you want to go to School X" and "It should end with something about law school" are clearly consistent. The former concerns statements about why you want to go to a particular school (which you should generally not include) whereas the latter concerns statements about why you want to go to law school in general (which it says you should include, which may be too strong, but still).

Ivey doesn't make a direct statement as to the latter, but as I suggested above, it's implied, particularly considering her exemplary sample essays don't mention law school in their conclusions at all.

Is it really true that you should categorically avoid dedicating a paragraph to "why x" in your PS for schools that don't give supplementary "why x" options? What if I sincerely do have good, specific (but not great) reasons for wanting to go to school x?

Is "I see myself at school x because of opportunities afforded by specific club name a, specific clinic b, and unique attribute c" really seen as cookie-cutter?

Chronic underthought wrote:Is it really true that you should categorically avoid dedicating a paragraph to "why x" in your PS for schools that don't give supplementary "why x" options? What if I sincerely do have good, specific (but not great) reasons for wanting to go to school x?

Is "I see myself at school x because of opportunities afforded by specific club name a, specific clinic b, and unique attribute c" really seen as cookie-cutter?

It should tie in with the rest of your statement. If your statement is about how you want practice _____ law, you can organically mention how you want to attend X law school for their _____ law clinic and/or Professor Whatshisface.

IMO you should include a bit of "why x" in your PS, but don't make it a cut-and-paste job.

So far I'm on my third draft with each having a different conclusion, and this one's conclusion is why law school. I was nervous to include it at first, but I'm not anymore because it flows. If why law school doesn't flow with your PS then slapping one on would sound strained. I currently need to really rework my entire conclusion but the general content of it will stay the same. My structure is:
pre-college -past
college -present
college -present
college -present
law school -future

Post script - swapping statements just pm me

I just finished reading two of HLS' 55 admitted student PS books and many essays mention why the applicant wants to go to law school/HLS in particular at the end of the essay. Anna Ivey is just one person with a particular style she likes. Wouldn't put too much into it.

You are overthinking this. Just write various drafts and stick with what feels natural. People should be able to give you good feedback on whether something feels forced. No writing strategy is categorically better. Clear pros and cons to any approach, but I do strongly agree with the view on not including why x in the PS.

This essay is about you and ANY words that switch away from that focus are not even close to unique. Pretty sure that adcomms are not overly concerned with hearing how great their schools are. Maybe your PS is ideal in a way that you could be specific for your top choice or two, but save the why x space for optional essays. You cannot really bring that in well so it is just outside the scope of what you should be writing.

Agree with Anne Ivey. Law school personal statements that end with "why law school" or "why this law school" often seem forced & insincere. But it really depends upon what one thinks a law school PS should accomplish. In my opinion, it should let the reader know, understand & like the writer.

It is better, IMO, to show interest in a school by requesting a brochure and emailing the admissions office with well thought out questions to show interest than by putting the name in your personal statement.