Lesson One: Law School    Essay Question Help

Part of what makes the personal statement so difficult is that you need to do so much in one essay. Unlike the college application essay where your motivation is unquestioned and your goals can remain undefined, and unlike other graduate programs where you are expected to write multiple essays in response to specific questions, writing a personal statement for admission to law school requires that you incorporate multiple themes in one composition. Needless to say, this can be tricky.

There are three basic themes for you to consider:

1. Why you want to be a lawyer/attend this law school.
2. What makes you unique, different, or exceptional.
3. Why you are qualified. 

You might focus on only one theme or try to incorporate all three. No matter how you choose to do it, remember that if your essay doesn't ultimately express your motivation for attending law school and pose an argument for why you should be accepted, you've missed the mark.