Law school personal statement mistakes to avoid

You might remember that, in my last article, I shared the most common law school personal statement mistake I see students make. (In case you missed it, it’s forgetting to show how you’ve overcome a challenge and become a better, more determined student.) Although this is an important mistake to avoid, there are others you should also be aware of. The problem is, these mistakes are very easy to make. And, although they’re simple for students to overlook, law school admission officers will definitely notice if you’ve made them. To prevent your law school personal statement from being tossed aside by your reader, make sure you’re not making any of these simple mistakes: 1. Restating what’s on your application Your law school personal statement is your one opportunity to show something other than test scores, grades, and extracurriculars. It should describe a unique experience that your reader wouldn’t know about you from reading the other parts of your application. 2. Skipping over detail The law school personal statement should bring your reader into your world and make them feel as if they’re really there. The way to do that is to write using details. If you’re not sure how to include the right amount of detail in your law school personal statement, take a look at my previous “show, don’t tell” article for some helpful advice. 3. Using clichés Clichés are overused, which means law school admission officers have read them more times than they can keep track of. Your goal should be to state your message in your own unique way. Don’t use someone else’s words to tell your story. 4. Having a weak intro or conclusion Too many students overlook the importance of a strong introduction. It should grab your reader’s attention and make them feel like they’d be missing out on something amazing if they didn’t keep reading. A powerful conclusion is just as important. It should leave your reader with a meaningful thought or image so you stay in their minds!  5. Misspellings, improper grammar, or other mechanical errors Remember, this is one of the most important essays of your entire life. There’s no room for simple mistakes you could easily fix through proofreading. Don’t just glance over your work quickly. Read it, leave it, then come back to it. And, make sure you have a trusted source – whether it’s a parent, teacher, or me! – look at your work to make sure it’s absolutely perfect. While these mistakes are simple to make, it’s worth taking the extra time to go back and ensure you’ve avoided them. A few extra minutes could make or break your ability to attend the law school of your dreams. Until next time, Steve P.S. Sometimes, even when students check over their own work, they could still be missing some mistakes. Certain errors are just that easy to miss. If you ever want to be 100% certain your law school personal statement is entirely mistake-free, you can always reach out to me. My law school admissions counseling services have helped countless students get into top-14 law schools, and they can help you, too!

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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