Applying to Law School: Why Personal Statements Matter So Much

You have made it this far through your planned trajectory to being a lawyer. What’s next in your journey is one of the hardest steps: getting into law school. Prestigious schools across the country are inundated with applications every year; why should they choose you over another? What makes you so special? This is where the personal statement comes into play. 

Law school personal statements are an integral part of the application and should never be taken lightly. Your statement helps admissions committees understand who you are and gauge if you will be a credit to their school. The committee looks at several different elements of your personal statement for law school. This will help them decide whether or not you should be shortlisted for admission. 

Who You Are

Personal statements are a chance to show the admissions committee who you are. They want to know what kind of person you are, and they can’t know that if the statement isn’t about you. Schools want to know if you are worth taking a risk on. Do you have the skills needed to succeed in law school—beyond a handful of test scores?

Highlight your strengths and values and how they apply to be a lawyer. Demonstrate your personality and range for creativity. Also, show you can think outside the box. Schools don’t need anything revolutionary, but they do need a statement that is uniquely you. 

Why Are You Pursuing Law?

Why you are applying is just as important as who you are. Make sure your statement clearly expresses your academic and professional goals. Show the committee that you are dedicated to this career choice, not just casting about aimlessly for a degree that might make good money. 

Tell the committee about your passions, why you are pursuing law, and any legal fields you hope to specialize in. Incorporate what inspired you and any volunteer or paid work you have done that correlates. Be genuine in your passion and dedication. A committee can spot the lack of sincerity. 

Why Choose You?

Personal statements for law school are one of the most important mediums for convincing a school to choose you. Applicants don’t have to be superheroes or geniuses for an admissions committee to accept them. It is important, though, to show you are worth their while.

Schools want to know: are you capable of growing and learning from your mistakes? Make it clear you are the type of person to overcome challenges—instead of quitting the second, things get tough. Use your statement to let them know you are worth the investment. 

Gauge Your Writing Ability

Schools use personal statements for more than identifying uniqueness. Your statement is used to gauge your writing ability. A very important part of working with the law is communicating clearly and concisely in your writing. A lot of the work lawyers do, and for which they are well-compensated, is written: briefs, motions, letters, contracts, and more.

Admissions teams often rank poor writers low on their admissions lists or even reject them outright. A well-written statement showcases a dedication to doing the work necessary to succeed in law school and as a lawyer. It also allows you to prove your logical thought processes and capability. This is especially important if you have a few less-than-desirable grades or test scores.  

It can be daunting to face something as important to your law school application as the personal statement. Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone. Personal Statement University takes the time to teach you how to stand out from the crowd. We have streamlined the process of finding relevant facts about your background—to shape a narrative that is uniquely you.