The difference between law school and college essays

Law school personal statements are different from the admission essay that got you into college. For one thing, they’re much shorter—typically two or three pages—but the rules are a lot more rigid. You can’t expect good results from hastily written law school personal statements, even with standout LSAT scores. In fact, it’s common for aspiring lawyers to work on their law school personal statements for weeks or months on end.

Tips on how to use sample law school personal statements

For many applicants, sample law school personal statements offer a good solution. Sample law school personal statements give you a general idea of the general tone and content of your application essay. But many applicants lose their own ideas in the process, and some even end up stealing the whole piece. There are certain rules to using sample law school personal statements while keeping it entirely your own. Here’s a quick guide to help you out.

1. Write down your own ideas. Before actually writing your admission essay, you should have at least some idea of what you want to say. Otherwise, you’ll end up expressing the exact same thought as the sample law school personal statements—and you’ll sound like a dozen other law school personal statements before you. Besides, law school personal statements are a statement of purpose, and it makes no sense to pass off someone else’s goals as your own.

2. Find more sample law school personal statements. Get at least three sample law school personal statements  and read them all thoroughly. Take note of differences in tone, format, and content presentation. You’ll find that law school personal statements can take on a variety of forms, and it’s up to you to combine different elements and come up with your own style.
3. Create your own outline. After deciding on a tone, plan out how you will express your ideas. Remember, your application essay is a statement of purpose, so arrange your paragraphs around two or three of your main goals. Don’t focus on things that are already clear in your transcript and LSAT scores. Again, take sample outlines from several sample law school personal statements to get a better range of options.

4. Find sample law school personal statements from the schools you’re applying to. If you’re eyeing a particular school, check out their site to see if they have their own sample law school personal statements. Some schools, such as Purdue University, offer sample law school personal statements to help applicants with their essays. These sample law school personal statements are obviously more credible, and they show you what that particular school is looking for.

Sample law school personal statements are certainly helpful, but they won’t do your work for you. It’s extremely important to use your own thoughts and express them in your own way. While sample law school personal statements can save you a bit of time, in the end, it’s still your writing that will get you that slot.

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