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Mr. Archer · Post by **Mr. Archer** » Sat Nov 19, 2016 2:36 pm

You'll need to start over. The only salvageable part is about your upbringing/time working in a factory, although that needs a lot of work. All the parts about "why law" actually make you look like a really bad candidate. You're saying law is really just a third option after you decided you couldn't do other careers, and you're just looking for a stable career.

Mr. Archer · Post by **Mr. Archer** » Sat Nov 19, 2016 2:37 pm

chargers21 wrote: I tried to keep it short on purpose, as I didn't want to ramble on.

Also, keeping things short doesn't necessarily mean you're not rambling.

chargers21 · Post by **chargers21** » Sat Nov 19, 2016 3:16 pm

lnsl123 · Post by **lnsl123** » Sat Nov 19, 2016 3:49 pm

chargers21 · Post by **chargers21** » Sat Nov 19, 2016 4:10 pm

Mr. Archer · Post by **Mr. Archer** » Sat Nov 19, 2016 4:17 pm

chargers21 wrote:
Mr. Archer wrote:You'll need to start over. The only salvageable part is about your upbringing/time working in a factory, although that needs a lot of work. All the parts about "why law" actually make you look like a really bad candidate. You're saying law is really just a third option after you decided you couldn't do other careers, and you're just looking for a stable career.
I don't have some great story about why I want to be a lawyer. I mostly want a good career, which is why I went to college in the first place. I also don't have any real extracurricular things to talk about since I've been in college. Do you have any recommendations for someone who has basically done nothing besides go to class and get good grades? I hold no leadership positions. I have been a TA for two classes, but I wouldn't say that either one influenced my decision to go to law school or had a great impact on my personal self.

You don't have to write a story about why you want to be a lawyer. You could write about your parents' financial situation during your upbringing and you working in factory, something teenagers generally don't do. It could just be a PS about overcoming your economic situation and having a strong work ethic that would help you succeed in law school. But this would actually need to tell a story and show something about you. That's the point of the PS: to tell the admissions committee about you. It's also a writing sample, so you'll need to work on the presentation a bit as well. You might want to go look at examples of personal statements to see that the topic doesn't need to be "why law."

Saying things about just wanting a career/financial stability doesn't do anything for you. A career/financial stability is something everyone wants. You're not dishonest by not specifically stating those things. If you kept saying you didn't care about a career/financial stability, that would be dishonest.

chargers21 · Post by **chargers21** » Sat Nov 19, 2016 4:32 pm

Mr. Archer · Post by **Mr. Archer** » Sat Nov 19, 2016 4:42 pm

chargers21 wrote:
Mr. Archer wrote: You don't have to write a story about why you want to be a lawyer. You could write about your parents' financial situation during your upbringing and you working in factory, something teenagers generally don't do. It could just be a PS about overcoming your economic situation and having a strong work ethic that would help you succeed in law school. But this would actually need to tell a story and show something about you. That's the point of the PS: to tell the admissions committee about you. It's also a writing sample, so you'll need to work on the presentation a bit as well. You might want to go look at examples of personal statements to see that the topic doesn't need to be "why law."

Saying things about just wanting a career/financial stability doesn't do anything for you. A career/financial stability is something everyone wants. You're not dishonest by not specifically stating those things. If you kept saying you didn't care about a career/financial stability, that would be dishonest.
A few of the personal statement prompts say to mention why I want to go to law school. Does that matter?

You can tie that into the PS, but it doesn't have to be a topic or be mentioned at all (mine did not). You could tell a story about a character trait. Then, at the end, have a conclusion about how that trait will benefit you in law school/during a legal career. Or, you could tell a story about a life event and explain how you want to help people in similar situations, which has driven you towards the law. You could write about something completely different. All personal statements don't have to be the same. Just look at the different kinds and get an idea of the story:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/personal ... mples.html

There's also tips on how to write a PS:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/guide-to ... ments.html

chargers21 · Post by **chargers21** » Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:02 am

chargers21 · Post by **chargers21** » Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:04 am

cavalier1138 · Post by **cavalier1138** » Tue Nov 29, 2016 6:26 am

chargers21 wrote:Btw, I do understand where people were coming from about me making myself look bad. Geesh, what was I thinking. Omition > honesty. No great reason for attending law school? Just leave it out. Talk about my strengths and background.

I don't think that was quite the takeaway people were going for...

If you don't have a great reason for attending law school, then maybe you shouldn't be applying to law school at this point in time.

chargers21 · Post by **chargers21** » Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:08 am

cavalier1138 · Post by **cavalier1138** » Tue Nov 29, 2016 12:36 pm

chargers21 wrote:
cavalier1138 wrote: I don't think that was quite the takeaway people were going for...

If you don't have a great reason for attending law school, then maybe you shouldn't be applying to law school at this point in time.
Well I have a general interest in law and the desire for a respectable career. I would also like to make some money. I don't have some "help people" motive behind any of my career desires. The type of honest reason I have doesn't exactly jump off the page. If you are wondering, I have little to no desire to work in any other field that my current degree would allow me to work in. I truly want to be a lawyer, I just don't have some nice-sounding reason for wanting to be one.

Helping people isn't the only "nice-sounding" reason to go into the law. But the fact that you can't articulate reasons beyond a respectable career and the salary should be cause for reflection. Being a lawyer (or doctor, or anything really) shouldn't be a backup plan for when your current career isn't working out. You're going to be making a three-year commitment to school, followed by a very long career. If you just want the money, fine. But I don't think that'll sustain you for as long as you think (see every thread on these forums about biglaw burnout).

chargers21 · Post by **chargers21** » Tue Nov 29, 2016 1:11 pm

chargers21 · Post by **chargers21** » Wed Nov 30, 2016 3:40 am

chargers21 · Post by **chargers21** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 6:52 pm

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