Here's how ya choose law school personal statement topics

Steve here again. Today, I'm showing you how to choose your law school personal statement topics (without getting stuck) with some more tips borrowed from the LSAT courses: --- METHOD 1.) The "write-it-out-and-get-feedback" way. METHOD 2.) The so-easy-a-5-year-old-can-do-it way. Imagine if you came across one of these essay topics on your law school application and didn't know what to do with it: "Because applicants and their experiences differ, you are the best person to determine the content of your statement." (Harvard actually says this, btw!) There'd be a 99% chance you'd get tossed in the big "reject" pile. WHY? Because you didn't know the best way to answer it! So, here's how to make sure you get off to the right start: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- METHOD 1.) The "write-it-out-and-get-feedback" way.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- List five potential essay topics and write a paragraph on each. See which flows most naturally. The one that does just might be your best. But don't trust yourself. Because, obviously, you think whatever you write is wonderful. Or awful. (Typically, one of the two, right?) Seriously,  you're too close to the subject (I mean, you're writing about yourself, so you're obviously a little biased). A much BETTER way to set yourself up for success is to have LOTS of people review your drafts to offer feedback and constructive criticism. Thats's one of main reasons I started my personal statement early – so I had time to show early drafts to friends, family, and professors. I wanted to give them time to give me feedback. Thing is, you need to get feedback from people who DON'T know you that well.

Feedback from people you know (friends, family, professors) can be useful, it comes with its own set of drawbacks. It's hard to say no to feedback from people you know and respect if you disagree with the changes they want you to make. Also, it's sometimes hard for people you know to be 100% honest about what they think. So, I really recommend getting feedback from people you don't know, or at least people you don't know well. This way, you'll feel more comfortable disagreeing with their suggestions if you don't like them. So, where do you find these people? One thing you could do is ask friends of friends to "exchange" personal statements - you know, you review mine, I'll review yours. But another place you can find these people is, of course, the Internet. I really think this is one of the best ways - something about the Internet just makes it easier for people to be honest with their feedback and share what they really think about your essay draft. More on that another time. For now, let's move on to the next (even easier) method: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- METHOD 2.) The so-easy-a-5-year-old-can-do-it way (AKA "writing prompts") --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's simple - just fill in the blanks to overcome writer's block. Here are just a few: "I like ____ because it makes me feel ____." "A global issue that excites me is _____ because ______." "I enjoy learning about ____ because ______." Yeah, they might seem lame, but they're really a great tool to help you get started and make the whole process easier. They're almost like Mad Libs. (Does anyone else remember those?)

So now whenever you have some trouble picking a topic...try one of these methods from my LSAT and law school admissions courses. Until next time, -Steve Recommended Resources: 1. A Comprehensive Guide to the Law School Personal Statement This guide provides tips on conceptualizing, planning, writing, and editing the law school personal statement. 2. Law School Admissions Guide I've written a concise guide to the law school admission process with tips on completing every aspect of your applications from start to finish. It's a small price to pay for a whole lot of guidance, and it's short enough that you'll actually read the whole thing. 3. Law School Admissions Cheat Sheet Quick-reference guide for the law school personal statement, the "Why X?" essay, and the law school résumé. (You can also get it with the LSAT Cheat Sheets.)

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