Answering law school personal statement questions

When you’re applying to law school, it’s not always easy to track down the answers you need. Even though you have pre-law advisors, websites, and perhaps even friends you can ask about the process, each application is different. More importantly, each student is different. Your law school application experience is entirely unique and won’t be exactly the same as your friends’ or your siblings’.

For this reason, it can feel challenging to learn the “right” way to do things. You may have questions, and it might feel like the answers are out of reach.   That’s where I come in. As you may have guessed by now, I specialize in the law school personal statement. And chances are, if you have a question, I have an answer for you. (Even if I don’t have it right away, I’ll find it!) For now, here are three of the most common questions I get asked about the law school personal statement: 1. I don’t even know where I want to go to school. Should I still start my law school personal statement? Yes! Even if you don’t know exactly where you want to go – and aren’t sure which essay topic you’ll write about – you’ll find many schools ask similar questions. For this reason, if you start brainstorming ideas by taking a look at common topics, you’ll be way ahead when you eventually do decide on a school. 2. How long should my law school personal statement be? First off, it’s important to precisely follow the instructions on the application. If it has a maximum word count, don’t go over it. But your word count shouldn’t fall too far under that maximum, either. If you’re not using up most of the allotted words, you’re probably not getting your point across. Aim to be just below the maximum word count - never over it!  3. When should I start the law school personal statement? You might think my answer would be, “as soon as possible!” But realistically, you shouldn’t start it too early. Thinking about the law school personal statement too far in advance might be counterproductive. You’ll have a more developed perspective by the time you’re ready to seriously start applying to law school.  For this reason, I recommend that you don’t start brainstorming topics any earlier than 5-6 months before you submit your law school application. Definitely don’t wait any longer than 3-4 months before submitting your application to start your essay. You’ll need ample time to generate ideas, actually write an essay draft, and get feedback so you can edit it. Do you have any other questions about the law school personal statement I haven’t covered here? If so, I’d be happy to answer them! Just reach out. Until next time, Steve P.S. My next article is one you won’t want to miss. I’m going to share the five must-have elements for an incredible law school personal statement, so keep an eye out!

Recommended Resources: 1. Law School Admissions Coaching Get personalized 1-1 help on every aspect of the law school admission process -- or just 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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