Guidelines for Writing a Personal Statement

First, consider your general attitude or frame of mind before you sit down to write. It's very important to know why you're going to law school, to be confident about your abilities and motivation, and to be enthusiastic and eager for the opportunity. Please have the patience to complete the "Personal Statement Warm-up Exercises" section of this site, and read all of the material below, before you decide on a theme for the essay. Try to have an upbeat, positive attitude every time you write. The idea is for your general tone to convey these underlying perspectives. If you are unsure, doubtful, or a little desperate when you sit down to write, that will come through.

If YOU enjoy writing the essay, it will show and your audience will enjoy reading it! So find a topic(s) that really appeals to you. 

Be yourself, not the perfect applicant. Trying to second-guess what a school is looking for is a very common mistake--which they can sense.

Read the following HPPLC documents:

• Writing an Effective Personal Statement For Law School
• Personal Statements
• Law School Admission—Questions & Answers for Juniors and Seniors

BEFORE you begin writing, PLEASE take a few minutes to read all of the tips below! They are not written in stone, but if you decide to ignore any, do so only after due deliberation:

1. READ THE PROMPT ON EACH SCHOOL'S APPLICATION! All instructions for writing the personal statement are potentially different. Be sure you know what topic(s) you should address, and follow their guidelines precisely.
2. Begin with something that grabs the reader's attention; then hold it throughout the essay. Many officials suggest telling a "story" of some kind with a beginning, middle, and end. If admissions personnel agree on one thing concerning the personal statement, it is: "don't bore me!"
3. While the final draft will be 2-3 pages, do not be concerned at all about the overall length in your first drafts. In fact, plan on writing too much at first. Get everything out. It will be much easier to edit and cut down on excess material later.
4. If (when) you get stuck, or develop writer's block: "Freewriting" - writing for a set amount of time without stopping and with no thought to grammar or spelling - may help you start or help you generate new ideas. Write something--anything--to pass through this phase. Consider completing the "Warm-up Exercises" on the prior webpage.

5. Many admission officials want evidence that you are making an informed decision to enroll in law school—that a JD degree fits into well thought-out plans.  With the economic downturn of the last few years, many folks have been spontaneously applying to law school because they can’t get interviews, can’t find a job, don’t want to have to start paying off undergrad loans yet, etc.  The law schools would like to weed out those folks from people like you, who have been thinking about a legal career for some time now.  Make sure your readers will not suspect that your decision to apply is a recent, opportunistic one.

6. It should go without saying that you believe you are capable of doing well in law school--that you are motivated and hard-working; that in law school you will perform better than you did in college; and that you will make an outstanding lawyer. Of course you will! If you feel you have to mention such things outright, it may be interpreted as self-doubt. You should write your statement from the perspective of upbeat confidence in your abilities and motivation, and is probably best conveyed as an unspoken, underlying message of the essay as a whole.

7. Related to the above is the standard advice: "Show, don't tell." In other words, don't merely state: "I'm motivated, will work hard and succeed in law school." Instead, include examples of actual incidents or vignettes from your life, which, after being read, will cause readers to come to the desired conclusion on their own ("Wow--she must really be motivated. And such a hard-worker!"). In other words, give specific examples from real life that support your assertions. Do not rely on "conclusory statements" alone.
8. Do not be too original in your approach. The personal statement is not the time to be clever, poetic, or cute. It is not an exercise in creative writing. It is an exercise in communication. Stick to the traditional essay format. Trying something unusual is risky. Humor, if it works, can be effective--but again, it can be risky.
9. Most experts generally advise against the use of quotations, especially well-known ones, and especially as the title or first or last line (this extremely common device is seen as a tired crutch, a lack of creativity).  If you disregard this advice, do so consciously and thoughtfully. 
10. Do not try to assert that practicing law is just like your hobby, sport, or other leisure activity. It isn’t. 
11. Hesitate in mentioning TV shows, movies, John Grisham books, or other "pop-cultural" reasons for choosing this career.
12. Avoid clichés: for example, that your parents said you "liked to argue" or that you find the law "fascinating."  Think about what is truly unique about your situation, and what specifically distinguishes you as an individual.
13. Avoid telling the committee about the "Law," or what makes for a good attorney or law student. Assume that everyone reading your statement is an experienced attorney. They have firm opinions about such things, and have built professional careers by finding flaws in the legal arguments and analyses of high-powered opponents. They will find flaws in yours. 
14. If you have specific reasons, especially academic ones, tell the school why you picked them, and why attending their particular institution makes sense given your plans-why you would be a good fit. No platitudes-just the facts. (If you can do this in your personal statement, great. But if not, this might be a more appropriate subject for a separate, short letter of addendum-at least for those schools for which you do have explicit reasons for applying.)
15. Keep the statement upbeat and positive. It is usually preferable to explain administrative or more negative factors in a separate, short (usually one paragraph), objective letter of addendum.  Use one such letter for each subject, and limit them to one page each at the very most.  Law schools have no problem with multiple addenda.  HPPLC Prelaw Advisors can help you with any of these items. For example, the following issues would probably best be reserved for a separate letter of addendum:
    • If you had a bad semester grade-wise, or even a bad year, such that your cumulative GPA is not an accurate representation of your current abilities or potential, tell them about it!  They request such information.  Focus on the objective facts, and keep it very brief (perhaps one paragraph, or two--never more than one page). Such facts could be: initial wrong major, lack of focus on academics, personal issues, health problems, working too many hours, poor performance solely in foreign language, a break-up with a significant other, family issues, etc. You are free to express your hesitation in raising such issues, that you don't want to be seen as making excuses--however, such things are real: they do happen and do have their effects. Admission committees want to know if there is a "story" behind any distortion of your GPA.   Be sure to recalculate your GPA omitting the "problem" semester(s), and provide an alternate concrete number for them to focus on.
    • Multiple LSAT scores where one score is 4 or more points higher than the others.  If there is a reasonable explanation, provide it (excess text anxiety, illness, lack of preparation, personal issues, etc.). Again, keep it very brief and objective.
    • Do NOT explain a single low LSAT score UNLESS you can really demonstrate that past standardized tests (e.g., the SAT or ACT) were low (percentile-wise) compared to your actual GPA in college. Try to avoid saying:  "I've always been a poor standardized test taker." Express it as: "standardized tests have never accurately predicted my future academic performance," or "I consistently outperform what standardized tests have predicted..."  Then give them specifics (SAT or ACT scores and your college GPA.  If applicable, consider a brief mention of your GPA in the major, GPA for your last 2-3 semesters, any honors--or any or all of the above). You do not usually need an official SAT report.
    • If you have had any "disciplinary problem" or "indiscretion" with the law-again put your best foot forward, but do disclose IF the application asks about such things. This is true even for incidents that have been expunged or for which you went through pretrial diversion. It is also helpful to take responsibility, to express regret, to stress that you learned from the experience, and (if you can) to assure them that it has not happened again. Most such incidents will not have a negative impact on your chances for admission.
    • If you have several "withdrawals" on your transcript, such that there may be a perceived pattern--an explanation may be in order. 
    • Be brief and objective--and let the facts speak for themselves.  There is no need to tell them how to interpret the information. They have dealt with such matters before, and they will have their own opinions regardless of how you tell them they should evaluate it.  Consider concluding the addendum merely with some verson of: "I hope the committee will take this into consideration."
16. Do not regurgitate your resume. You CAN (and perhaps should) mention one or more experiences that also happen to appear on your resume.  But then go into depth, and talk about the personal meaning and significance of those experiences to you--their impact on your life and/or goals. Evaluate and reflect upon your experiences--do not merely describe them, no matter how impressive or important they may be by themselves. Combine similar achievements to showcase your abilities, talents, and avocations.
17. Proof, proof, proof. Do NOT rely on spell-check! Grammatical or typographical errors are inexcusable. Personal statements should be read by at least two others who know English grammar well. Writing Tutorial Services can be useful, but even they are not perfect. Your statement must be. ANY MISTAKE OR TYPO can raise serious questions about your qualifications, and may result in an immediate denial.   Be extra careful if you are writing at the last minute or desperately trying to make a deadline.  This is not mindless obsessiveness: If you make a careless mistake in your Brief to the Court of Appeals, your entire case may be thrown out and you'll have to explain why to your client and to your firm's partners. This is taken quite seriously. 
18. If you mention the law school in your statement, be very careful to send it to the proper institution!  Such a mistake can result in a denial.
19. If there is a required question about becoming a lawyer, be specific and substantive in your reasons. This is where being self-aware and self-directed is essential. Some of the reasons may seem obvious to you. Present those reasons positively and from your perspective. You may want to become a lawyer because you enjoy the power of words, advocacy, or the role of a constructively engaged expert. You may want to become a lawyer because you have personally witnessed what lawyers can do--and you want to do that work. Avoid generalities.
20. While others have said that you would be a good lawyer, or you have relatives that are lawyers, or you have always wanted to be a lawyer, these facts are not significant by themselves. Unless they are essential to the main theme of the essay, do not include them.
21. Tell your story in your own voice. Speak naturally. DO NOT USE LEGALESE! (This is a principle stressed in law school as well. Legalese is seen as a crutch.) Do not try to impress with your vocabulary. Such statements are not impressive--they are embarrassing. As they say, big words do not denote big minds, just big egos. If the aforementioned testimonial appears incongruous, one is hereinafter counseled to reformulate one's contemporaneous estimation. 
22. Most important: be yourself.  Do NOT try to be the perfect applicant, or to mold your particular background into what you think they'd like to hear (e.g., "rock climbing really enhanced my critical thinking and analytical skills").  They can very easily sense such contortions. 
23. Remember, this is a PERSONAL statement.  Some experts value writers who risk revealing something personal about themselves. 
24. most admission committees pay close attention: your ability to self-assess - to reflect upon your own experiences and draw conclusions from them about your goals, skills, and attributes; your ability to learn from your experiences; your dedication to learning from your mistakes, and your willingness to challenge your own preconceptions; your ability to effectively assess your goals and your reasons for pursing them; and, equally important, your ability to convey this information in a coherent, professional manner.
25. most admission committees pay close attention: your ability to self-assess - to reflect upon your own experiences and draw conclusions from them about your goals, skills, and attributes; your ability to learn from your experiences; your dedication to learning from your mistakes, and your willingness to challenge your own preconceptions; your ability to effectively assess your goals and your reasons for pursing them; and, equally important, your ability to convey this information in a coherent, professional manner.
26. Most admission committees pay close attention to your ability to self-assess - to reflect upon your own experiences and draw conclusions from them about your goals, skills, and attributes; your ability to learn from your experiences; your dedication to learning from your mistakes, your willingness to challenge your own preconceptions; your ability to effectively assess your goals and your reasons for pursing them; and, equally important, your ability to convey this information in a coherent, professional manner.
27. Remember—you cannot write a great personal statement. Such documents are rewritten. And rewritten, and rewritten again. Expect yours to take 2-4 weeks at least. Plan ahead.  Give yourself more time than you will need.  Start it early enough so that you can put aside the "final" draft for a few days and look at it again with fresh eyes.
28. Very important:  be willing to start completely over from the beginning if the final product is not working! But do not delete old drafts. Save everything and label prior drafts carefully.
29. If your essay exceeds the length requirement, simply call the admissions office and ask if your length is acceptable. For 70% of schools there will be no problem. But for 30% it will be an unforgivable error.
30. If you notice a typo or mistake after you submit the statement to a school, call the admissions office and ask how to proceed. For some schools, if your file has not yet been distributed to the admissions committee, they may be willing to hold your file pending their receipt of a correct copy (as email attachment or overnight letter). At the very least, email the school to acknowledge and correct the error.
31. Read the essay "THE PERSONAL STATEMENT:  One Person’s View, of the View," by Collins Byrd, Assistant Deanof Admissions, University of Iowa College of Law , by clicking here.

Thanks to Pamela Bloomquist of Loyola University School of Law, Steven Baron of Boston College, and Rachel Tolen of Indiana University for some of the above material.