PS Statements: When nothing is ever good enough. Forum

[lillawyer2]

Writing my PS now, before I really crack down for Sept. LSAT. Does anyone feel inspired and start writing, love what they wrote; it reflects them perfectly then some time passes and they think its utter crap or it doesn't measure up to admission committee standards?

I get that all the time. I'm wondering at what point I should shut off the noise and just compose. lol

Darn, there used to be a time where I thought everything I wrote was perfect. What happened to that person!!!!!!??????

[34iplaw]

Writing my PS now, before I really crack down for Sept. LSAT. Does anyone feel inspired and start writing, love what they wrote; it reflects them perfectly then some time passes and they think its utter crap or it doesn't measure up to admission committee standards?

I get that all the time. I'm wondering at what point I should shut off the noise and just compose. lol

Darn, there used to be a time where I thought everything I wrote was perfect. What happened to that person!!!!!!??????

I wouldn't strictly worry about hammering anything specific out. If something comes to you that has some potential, just hash it out. Don't worry too much about grammar and such or fleshing out every detail. After a week or so, take another look at it. See if the idea speaks to you.

[lillawyer2]

Writing my PS now, before I really crack down for Sept. LSAT. Does anyone feel inspired and start writing, love what they wrote; it reflects them perfectly then some time passes and they think its utter crap or it doesn't measure up to admission committee standards?

I get that all the time. I'm wondering at what point I should shut off the noise and just compose. lol

Darn, there used to be a time where I thought everything I wrote was perfect. What happened to that person!!!!!!??????

I wouldn't strictly worry about hammering anything specific out. If something comes to you that has some potential, just hash it out. Don't worry too much about grammar and such or fleshing out every detail. After a week or so, take another look at it. See if the idea speaks to you.

Thanks! I'm working on something and its starting to come together.

Is there any particular heading a PS needs to have: name, date or title?

Thank You!

[Hildegard15]

I rewrote my PS from ground zero 5 times because I kept hating it. But from each draft I was able to find parts I liked which made my subsequent versions better. Don't worry if you don't like the first draft of your PS. Just keep grinding. You have plenty of time.

[34iplaw]

Writing my PS now, before I really crack down for Sept. LSAT. Does anyone feel inspired and start writing, love what they wrote; it reflects them perfectly then some time passes and they think its utter crap or it doesn't measure up to admission committee standards?

I get that all the time. I'm wondering at what point I should shut off the noise and just compose. lol

Darn, there used to be a time where I thought everything I wrote was perfect. What happened to that person!!!!!!??????

I wouldn't strictly worry about hammering anything specific out. If something comes to you that has some potential, just hash it out. Don't worry too much about grammar and such or fleshing out every detail. After a week or so, take another look at it. See if the idea speaks to you.

Thanks! I'm working on something and its starting to come together.

Is there any particular heading a PS needs to have: name, date or title?

Thank You!

Honestly, I haven't the faintest idea. I kind of doubt it, but I think it would be a valid question for an adcom or I'm sure that someone at LSAC can address it.

I'm glad to hear! Just keep at it. In the end, a good PS doesn't really require a lot of actual time writing. Yes, you need to proofread it a lot and get other eyes on it, but it's a process that benefits from time spread out [at least for me]... just keep at it and let it evolve!

I rewrote my PS from ground zero 5 times because I kept hating it. But from each draft I was able to find parts I liked which made my subsequent versions better. Don't worry if you don't like the first draft of your PS. Just keep grinding. You have Lplenty of time.

100% agree this is the right mentality for a personal statement. Don't be too set on anything. Spend a little time on it here and there for a long time. Basically, I sort of use it as a study break at times or when I need a change of pace. I just started, but I haven't looked at most of my previous drafts yet.

TL;DR; I don't think a great personal statement can be created in a few hours of intense focus. Some could, but I think it would be beneath their capability. Personal statements benefit from time, distance, and introspection... none of which lend themselves to just spending a lot of compressed time on it. Most of my drafts take a few minutes to write, but I may be a bit more unusual in that respect.

[lillawyer2]

I rewrote my PS from ground zero 5 times because I kept hating it. But from each draft I was able to find parts I liked which made my subsequent versions better. Don't worry if you don't like the first draft of your PS. Just keep grinding. You have plenty of time.

Thank you! I am not alone!

I literally trash and burn every ps I write. I think I have a keeper now, well a draft. We'll see how long this lasts.

[lymenheimer]

Thank you! I am not alone!
I literally trash and burn every ps I write. I think I have a keeper now, well a draft. We'll see how long this lasts.

Like Hilde, I did multiple drafts. I worked on 5 drafts to get my PS for last cycle. Then I didn't like it for this cycle and went through another 17, most of them to a full page or more (some with similar elements) before I settled on the one that I knew I wanted to apply with. I would get in a writing mood and then get tired, come back to it a day later and then not like the direction or substance. I wrote my current PS (of course in draft form) over a day, then liked it enough when I came back to it the next day that I revised it until it was how I wanted it.

[bgt1995]

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