Personal Statement

The personal statement is a very important part of your application. If a candidate is otherwise qualified, the personal statement can be a deciding factor in the admissions decision. It is your chance to provide a more nuanced and personal picture of yourself, highlighting your academic strengths and noteworthy experiences that relate to your decision to apply to law school. Only a few law schools include in-person interviews as part of the admissions process. Take this opportunity to frame yourself in a positive light and to emphasize your strengths. 

Overall, law schools will be looking for evidence that you can write a coherent statement. There should be introductory and concluding paragraphs; each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence; and there should be a clear line of development/narrative through the statement. Ideas should be supported with concrete examples. Your essay should not merely repeat information supplied elsewhere in your application or resume.

Allow plenty of time to write and rewrite your personal statement, observing any specific law school application instructions. Edit your essay to approximately two pages, double-spaced. Because admissions committees are reviewing thousands of applications, more writing is not better in this case. Have multiple people read your essay to ensure the organization, grammar, sentence structure, and presentation are absolutely perfect before you submit it!

As a general rule:

  • Do not use the personal statement as the place to apologize for or explain poor grades or test scores or a disciplinary record. It is better to attach an addendum to your application to address these issues. See below for more information.
  • Do not focus on your high school activities or accomplishments. Focusing on achievements in high school can draw attention to a lack of similar achievements in college.
  • Do not spend too much time talking about someone else. The focus of the essay should always be on you, your passions, your experiences, and your motivations for applying.
  • Writing Tips

    Be specific and concise! Personality, character traits, and relevant skills such as analytical thinking or public speaking can be demonstrated in a personal statement by giving specific examples or anecdotes that show (and don鈥檛 tell) the law school how you developed the particular qualities.

    Do not be afraid to show your personality! Aim for a more conversational (but not casual) tone so that the statement flows easily for the reader. An easy way to make your personal statement stand out is to open with an anecdote about yourself that sets up the framework for the rest of the statement. For example, if you are discussing why you want to enter the legal field, you might begin by describing a scene from a defining moment in your life that inspired your interest in practicing law. A well-told, concise anecdotal story can immediately capture readers鈥 attention and draw them into your worldview. Even if you don鈥檛 include an anecdote in the introduction, the essay should, in a sense, 鈥渢ell a story鈥 about you in a way that captures and keeps the reader鈥檚 attention while explaining your decision to apply to law school.

    Make a different personal statement for each law school application. The admissions officers want to see that you have put time and effort into researching why their school is a good fit for you. Vague statements asserting that a law school is a good fit without any supporting evidence or explanation are not helpful, so do your research and work on articulating the reasons for your interest in each school.

    Consider listing a few of the specific factors that have drawn you to that law school in the concluding paragraph of your essay. You can review a school鈥檚 website to determine what you like about that school, but avoid simply regurgitating information from the website. They want to know how that information is relevant to your specific interests and/or goals. However, this sort of personalized touch is less relevant to top-ranked schools (typically, top 5 or so)鈥攖hey generally know why you would like to attend.

    Some schools have a separate 鈥渙ptional鈥 essay allowing you to discuss why you want to attend that school. If that is the case for one of your schools, write the separate essay, and omit the personalized paragraph from your personal statement. If the school offers this additional essay prompt, you should treat it as a required statement and put time and effort into developing reasons supporting your desire to attend that school.

    Save the school鈥檚 name in the title of the document to help minimize the chances of sending schools the wrong version of the essay.

  • Optional Essays

    Many law schools invite additional 鈥渙ptional鈥 essays to provide more detail on topics including obstacles or setbacks you have overcome, how you may contribute to the diversity of the school, significant accomplishments or experiences, and more. We recommend applicants take advantage of this opportunity to provide more personal information!

     

  • Addendum

    An addendum is an explanatory statement used to address an issue or perceived weakness within an application package, often to proactively provide admissions offices with additional context that may answer questions they have during the course of their review. For applicants with issues associated with Character & Fitness, such as an academic violation or criminal history, an addendum is required. Other circumstances that might call for an addendum include:

    • LSAT (for example, a jump of 5 points or more or a high number of cancellations/absences)
    • GPA (for example, a noticeable dip in grades during a specific term)
    • Gap in education
    • Reapplicant

    If you have questions or concerns, the pre-law advisor is available by appointment to help you determine if you should write an addendum.

  • Writing Feedback

    The pre-law advisor can help you brainstorm topics, make an outline, and/or review your personal statement during a 30-minute appointment. Students are also encouraged to make an appointment to receive feedback on their optional essay(s) and addendum, but the meeting must be scheduled separately from the review of your personal statement. 

    Please send your essay to prelaw@binghamton.edu at least 1 business day in advance of the scheduled appointment. No writing feedback will be given via email.

    For more additional feedback on your writing, such as how to improve your grammar or refine your sentence structure, make an appointment with the Writing Center.

    Alumni applicants can schedule an appointment to discuss their personal statement and other application materials with the pre-law advisor by calling Harpur Academic Advising.