The Essay
The personal statement is in lieu of an interview and is an
opportunity for law schools to look beyond the objective aspects of
the application and discover something about you as an individual.
The subject of the essay can vary between schools but many leave
the applicant with significant discretion. An example is the brief
provided by Harvard Law School:
"Applicants present themselves, their backgrounds, experiences,
and ideas to the Admissions Committee in a Personal Statement.
Because people and their experiences are diverse, you are the best
person to determine the content of your own statement. It is for
you to decide what information you would like to convey, and the
best way for you to convey it. Whatever you write, readers will be
seeking to get a sense of you as a person and as a potential
student and graduate of Harvard Law School. In this context, it is
generally more helpful to write what you think readers should know
to have a better sense of who you are rather than writing what you
think the readers want to read."
Other schools may be more specific and ask that you write about
a specific achievement or experience. Some may even provide a title
question. If the school does set specific requirements then you may
have to write more than one personal statement but you should be
able to write just one, or in some cases, two statements.