law school essays, how many? Forum

[jayashae]

I'm still a little confused as I head into my app cycle. Currently prepping for the October LSAT.

I kind of slowly wrote a personal statement, but I'm a little confused on how many essays usually there are per school. Is it just the personal statement usually or are there like supplemental questions for each university? and how important is it to write them if they're optional

[Auxilio]

I'm still a little confused as I head into my app cycle. Currently prepping for the October LSAT.

I kind of slowly wrote a personal statement, but I'm a little confused on how many essays usually there are per school. Is it just the personal statement usually or are there like supplemental questions for each university? and how important is it to write them if they're optional

Personal statement, and then (if they apply to you) Diversity Statement (only if really necessary), GPA/LSAT Addendum, C&F Addendum. That is all every school requires.

Yale has this odd 250 word thing which you can find out by yourself if you score amazing on LSAT.

For a lot of schools (Although I think it is mostly a lower T14 thing, and tapers off after that but not sure) you will want to submit some version of a Why X (X being the school). Some schools will give you specific topics for this. Main candidates for this are Penn, UVA, Duke, Michigan, Georgetown, Cornell, Northwestern.

[jayashae]

Thank you very much for your response!

[Mack.Hambleton]

Yeah if you don't have any issues to address or are URM then just stick to one PS for all schools and some short (1 page double spaced) why xs for the schools auxilio mentioned

[Calbears123]

For Notre Dame their Why Notre Dame essay seemed almost necessary if you didn't have at least one score above their 75th.

[Dmitry]

SPAM

[FirmBiz]

I'm still a little confused as I head into my app cycle. Currently prepping for the October LSAT.

I kind of slowly wrote a personal statement, but I'm a little confused on how many essays usually there are per school. Is it just the personal statement usually or are there like supplemental questions for each university? and how important is it to write them if they're optional

A few schools require an optional statement of interest

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

read instructions.

after that, write a "why x" to each university feigning interest. just make sure it doesn't read as if it is feigned.

[Clemenceau]

read instructions.

after that, write a "why x" to each university feigning interest. just make sure it doesn't read as if it is feigned.

+1

I would be generous with the why x essays. Penn uva and duke at a bare minimum, but honestly writing why xs from ccn down is probably a good call if you have the stomach for it. A lot of schools were heavy with the waitlists this year. I got WL from a few lower t14s that are typically generous with money and it was frustrating bc it gave me fewer chips to negotiate with. Couldve been my numbers that caused the WL, but I still feel like a why x would've helped.