LOCI: Mention Recent Personal Tragedy and Growth? Forum

[ChemistryMatters]

I'm a URM but more significantly (at least to me) I come from an abusive and disadvantaged home (In my DS I wrote about how as an adult I realized the significance of being an URM on my family's situation). Too make a long story (somewhat) short:

My grandfather was murdered in July 2010. His murder was related to my extended family's series of lifelong bad decisions. There are elements to this story that made the situation particularly horrible. It is a fairly famous case in the state where it occurred -- there have been press conferences and news cameras and I've been photographed and all that.

I was engaged and planning a wedding during this time as well.

I did not mention this in my applications because I did not want to the AC to get the feeling that my family is so crazy that it would prevent me from focusing on law school.

The issue is this: I hit a real low after the murder but since then I have grown as a person more than I could ever have imagined. I went so low that I knew something had to change once and for all. I have renewed faith in a higher power, went through with my wedding and feel a whole new sense of clarity. I have begun volunteering at my place of worship, tutoring math and chemistry and even leading a group for other women there.

Would you recommend mentioning all this craziness (in an objective as possible way) in an LOCI as a significant development that is relevant to pursuing a law degree?

Thanks!

[Sandro]

I mean, this seems like a perfect PS - I doubt it would do much if anything as an LOCI this late in the cycle. If you could work it into an effective LOCI why not , just seems tough to me.

[Knock]

No.

I agree. Also you don't need to post this twice: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=153380.

[ChemistryMatters]

Thanks for the feedback. I posted it twice bc I think the responses for those in the URM forum could possibly be different from those in the general TLS population.

I wonder if there is a way to highlight the reasons for the relatively recent increase in my involvement in the community other than that I want to get into law school (i.e., that it's due to sincere changes in my life -- not a cheap way to get into LS)?

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Sounds like you have a good plan, topic, and outline for your LOCI. It would have been great if it was your PS topic as other people stated. My PS was about how I watched my mother die in the hospice in July 2010. I got in everywhere that I applied. It wasn't a "please let me in, I am grieving" PS, but it was about what I learned and how I grew. I think people liked it