Advising

PRE-LAW ADVISING

The LSA pre-law advisors will read your statement by appointment for ideas and organization. The Newnan LSA Advising Center also runs personal statement workshops each semester. (handout) 

The Career Center, 3200 SAB, 764-7460 has daily walk-in advising where your statement may be read for ideas and organization with no limit on your visits! It is best to get several opinions about your statement as you want to understand how it is received by a variety of readers.

Law School Statement Topics

Personalize your law school personal statement as much as possible by including concrete examples of your characteristics and specific details of your experiences. Show, rather than tell, the reader about yourself and your accomplishments.

  1. Write about an event or issue of particular importance in your life.
  2. Write what is unique about you or what interests and excites you.
  3. Write about coursework, experiences, or research related to your law career or legal interest, such as completing a thesis, working with a professor, or volunteering for a legal aid or clinic.
  4. Write about why a particular law school or program fits your goals. Extensive knowledge about that law school or program is essential for this to truly succeed.
  5. Write about overcoming any difficulties or adversity in your life. This may include difficulties faced in your personal life, academic life, or in your local or college community. Be sure that you explain how this contributed to developing qualities that will make you a good candidate for law school.
  6. Examine a tragedy in your life (loss of a parent or someone close, a severe accident) or a triumph (recognition for your outstanding performance, overcoming a disease, awards for excellence). Discuss how you have grown from this experience, and again, be sure that you explain how this contributed to developing qualities that will make you a good candidate for law school.
  7. Write about the most important course, professor, or event that happened to you in college.
  8. Write about your passions, ideals, or favorite hobbies and how they are related to your choice to attend law school and become a lawyer. [1]

    For additional essay development and two essay examples go to Law School Personal Statements Advice:   http://www.top-law-schools.com/statement.html

If you are still unsure about what you should write or where to begin your personal statement, try some of the following activities. Expand one or more into a theme for your law school personal statement.

  1. List your personal skills and consider how they will make you an asset to the law school or legal community.
  2. Have a friend or colleague do a mock interview with you regarding why you are interested in applying to law school. Your answers to their questions may trigger new ideas.
  3. Review all the pivotal or remarkable experiences that you have had throughout your life. Examine how these experiences have directed your life or your decision to apply to law school.
  4. Have you ever volunteered or served a cause of great importance to you? Write about that experience.
  5. How has a mentor or experience, a particular book or quote, changed the direction of your life? Write about that life-changing event.
  6. Have you assumed a leadership role in any arena, such as a club, sports team, or work? Write about what goals or ideals led you to seek these leadership roles, or what you learned and accomplished as a leader.
  7. Write several adjectives that characterize you, and then write a short paragraph explaining how these words describe you. [2]

[1] http://www.top-law-schools.com/statement.html

[2] http://www.top-law-schools.com/statement.html

To Litigate or not to Litigate?

by Chalmers H. Knight
9/09/03

Admissions of a director

By Sarah C. Zearfoss
Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions, University of Michigan Law School

U.S. law school applications will provide direction on the personal statement

Each U.S. law school application will provide direction on the personal statement. Below are some examples:

Application-Review Process for Admission and Role of Personal Statement

Advice on Personal Statements, by Charles Roboski, Associate Dean, Admissions & External Affairs Ave Marie Law School