Writing a Personal Statement – Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center

General Information

All law schools require applicants to submit a personal statement.
Most law schools do not require interviews.
- The personal statement is an alternative way to evaluate your application outside of your numbers (LSAT/GRE score and GPA).
The best opportunity to showcase:
- Who you are
- Your strength as a writer
- Establish a theme for your entire application
Share with admissions committees about yourself, your experiences, and your life.
Use vivid, descriptive prose with the intent to draw readers in and keep them interested.

Instructions for your personal statement may be open and non-specific.

Page and/or word limits for the personal statement differ by school, so it is essential to follow each school’s requirements.

Before Writing

Check your school’s requirements for the exact word count or page limit.
Check your school’s specific prompt/question.
Tailor your statement to each law school.
- “Given my interest in [field], I am particularly excited about the prospect of attending [school] and participating in [etc.].”
- Name a particular certificate, class and/or professor you are interested in.

As you write your personal statement, answer the key question: Why law school?

Make sure to tie your personal statement back to:

What would you like the admissions committee to know about you? Is there a particular theme you want to convey to the reader?
What traits and motivations do you have that cannot easily be gleaned from your other application materials?
Why do you want to go to law school? What motivates you?
Have you shown through concrete examples how you are prepared for law school (academically, socially, etc.)?
Have you considered why you are applying to that particular law school (e.g., special programs, joint degree opportunities)?
What have you done/are doing to prepare for a career in law?
What personal qualities do you want to emphasize?
What are your interests?
What are your future plans beyond law school?
What personal challenges have you faced?
What are essential parts of your background?
Why are you applying to this particular law school?
Is there a particular theme you want to convey to the reader?

As You Write

Who you are matters more to law schools than who you were 4-5 years ago or more.
Page length/word count does not matter in the rough draft stage.
Keep it “personal.”
- Subject matter should focus on you, not your family or society in general.
- Define features of your persona that set you apart from the crowd.
Keep in mind who your audience is:
- Admissions committees include experienced law professors, admission representatives, and current law students.
- Are you someone who would be a likable addition to that law school’s student body?
  - Show why in the personal statement.

- Avoid chronological recitation of significant events in your life.
- Avoid letting different job position experiences and duties overshadow yourself.

- Avoid not being specific and talking around issues without giving details.
- E.g., “I had a rough time but overcame obstacles…”

Do not try to cover too many subjects – find a theme and stick with it!
Do not be anyone but yourself.
Do not use artificial intelligence to write your essay. If you are caught, your application may not be further reviewed.

After Writing

Start to trim down your personal statement to meet the word limit or page requirement.
Have others review your personal statement.
- Pre-Law Advising Center can review that your theme and organization are appropriate.
- Family / Friends can review to see that your “voice” is authentic.
Grammar and spelling matters!
Be concise!
Evaluate the following:
- What is the tone of your personal statement? Is it professional?
- Does each section, paragraph, and sentence flow together in a cohesive essay?
- Is there anything in the content that might offend your reader?
- Does the personal statement accurately portray who you are as an applicant and a person?

Additional Essays

Additional Resources