personal statements vs Diversity Statements? Forum

[DoctorLaw]

I been hearing about diversity statements on this forum but I am still unsure what it is about? Can anyone fill me up on this?

and does it depend on each LS if they require either one or both?

Thank you

[curiouscat]

A diversity statement is a brief (~1 page) essay about how you'd add to the diversity of the entering class, submitted in addition to your PS. Most commonly, people write about things like race, disability, economic background, and LGBT status, but some people have written diversity statements on other ways they add diversity (e.g. international experience). Most law schools don't require a diversity statement, but they generally welcome one if it adds to your application (generally submitted as an addendum). HTH.

[3v3ryth1ng]

A diversity statement is a brief (~1 page) essay about how you'd add to the diversity of the entering class, submitted in addition to your PS. Most commonly, people write about things like race, disability, economic background, and LGBT status, but some people have written diversity statements on other ways they add diversity (e.g. international experience). Most law schools don't require a diversity statement, but they generally welcome one if it adds to your application (generally submitted as an addendum). HTH.

This.

Also, I just want to say that diversity statements saved my sanity. If you've got some diversity to offer, they're almost like a second PS!

[DoctorLaw]

A diversity statement is a brief (~1 page) essay about how you'd add to the diversity of the entering class, submitted in addition to your PS. Most commonly, people write about things like race, disability, economic background, and LGBT status, but some people have written diversity statements on other ways they add diversity (e.g. international experience). Most law schools don't require a diversity statement, but they generally welcome one if it adds to your application (generally submitted as an addendum). HTH.

I read online that sometimes people add the diversity statement within their PS, like they just write a paragraph talking about their uniqueness

is that true?

thanks for the info btw

[jeremydc]

Well, my personal statement is a mixture between the two. I felt that being Hawaiian should be in my PS because my culture is a huge part of who I am. I was debating on focusing the DS on how poor I was but in my eyes, that is no reason to play the sympathy role. Many people grow up poor and do amazing things so I figured it was best to just add a sentence about it in my PS.


I assume that a well written PS that incorporates diversity would be better than separating the two but I also would like to know others opinions on the issue.

[curiouscat]

Lots of people have a diversity-themed personal statement (for example, someone might write their personal statement about how, say, living with a disability or growing up in poverty influenced their decision to become a lawyer). In that case the PS works as a diversity statement of sorts.

I don't know about just throwing a "diversity paragraph" into the PS. If it ties in naturally to the themes you're discussing in your PS, it might make sense to weave that in, but you don't want to look like you just randomly plopped in some extra lines for the sake of having some "diversity content" in your PS. You'd have to think about whether what you're trying to say would work better integrated into your PS or standing on its own in a separate essay.

Jeremydc - I don't think one option is necessarily better than the other. Sometimes people want to touch on topics that don't connect very well to their personal statement, in which case a separate essay is useful. Either way, a diversity statement shouldn't attempt to play the sympathy role. That's usually pretty off-putting. The idea is to show what unique perspectives/ideas/characteristics/experiences you can bring to the entering class and how they would enrich your work as a law student/lawyer.

[jeremydc]

Thanks for input