The Law School 101 Personal Statement Workbook – 2012 edition
The Law School 101 Personal Statement Workbook – 2012 edition
1
Contents
BONUS: As a thank you for visiting my website, I would like to offer a FREE personal statement review to the first person who emails me ( diane.nhan@gmail.com
) with the subject line: “The lucky number 23”.
After reviewing your statement (deadline for submission will be August 31), I will provide you with a copy with my corrections, suggestions, comments, etc. for your consideration in improving the quality an impact of your statement. Good luck!
2
Part I: Questions to Get You Thinking (Don’t Hurt Yourself!)
The following questions are designed to stimulate your thinking and help you formulate the content that could go into your statement. I recommend that you browse through them, and start filling in the ones that you think would be most relevant to the type of essay that you want to write.
Why do I want to go to law school? What do I hope to gain from my experience at law school?
Why do I want to work in the legal profession?
-What are my skills/experiences that going to make me a successful law student/lawyer?
-How did I develop these skills? Are there powerful stories I can tell about my important experiences?
What are my significant life experiences (ex. travelling?). What have I learned from them?
-How have I contributed to the community (campus and/or greater community) so far in my life?
-What impact did my contributions have?
-What did I learn from these experiences? How did these experiences impact my life?
3
How do I plan to contribute to the law school community and greater society when I’m a law student?
-What is my greatest or most meaningful accomplishment in life so far?
-What drove me to reach this accomplishment? What skills/characteristics did I use to achieve this success?
-What kinds of legal issues interest me? Why? (seeing something on Law & Order doesn’t count)
-What do I hope to do with my legal education to work with or address the issues that interest me?
-Why do I want to go to a particular law school? What attracts me to that particular program?
4
Part II: Law School Cheat Sheets
Most law schools will set out instructions (I like to think of them as ‘cheat sheets’) advising as to what they are looking for in the personal statement for applicants in the regular or general category of
admissions. Make sure that you review the instructions thoroughly for each school that you wish to apply for, so that you tailor your statement exactly to that school’s expectations. Please note that some of the materials below are from previous years, you MUST download and use the application materials from 2012-2013 when they become available.
The University of Manitoba (Robson Hall) and the University of Victoria do not require a personal statement. The University of Dalhousie (Schulich School) does not provide information on its website about the personal statement requirements.
A.
Thompson Rivers University (Statement of Interest)
Length
Details
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
Maximum 500 words http://www.tru.ca/__shared/assets/law_application23411.pdf
The statement of interest should be no more than 500 words. If you submit more, the committee members will read only the first 500 words. You may print your statement on a separate page and attach it to the application. The purpose of the statement of interest is to provide the Admissions Committee with additional information about you that will be used in assessing your application.
Among other things, the Admissions Committee is interested in finding out the following:
• What led you to make the decision to apply to law school?
• What you would like to do with your law degree?
• Why you are interested in the Faculty of Law at Thompson Rivers University in particular?
• Why you have made previous academic or other choices and how they have affected your decision to apply to law school?
This is a place for you to show us who you are, and what makes you of particular interest to the
Faculty of Law at Thompson Rivers University. It is also an opportunity for you to demonstrate your personality, your maturity and that you understand the nature of the decision that you are making in choosing to come to the Faculty of Law at Thompson Rivers University.
The members of the Admissions Committee consider the Statement of Interest in the context of the rest of your application. Therefore it is useful for you to discuss how the experiences you have listed elsewhere on your application are relevant to your desire to attend law school.
5
B.
University of British Columbia (Personal Statement AND Questionnaire)
Length
Details
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
Length of personal statement not yet specific online;
Answers to application questionnaire limited to 200 words per question http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,207,358,326
The personal statement may be used to assess admissibility and it will be used, in conjunction with the academic average and LSAT score, to determine entrance scholarship offers.
A personal statement is required in all categories. Regular applicants may request that special circumstances be considered in determining their academic average. The special factors or circumstances (such as medical or other emergency matters) must be documented fully. If a regular applicant requests the Committee to consider making an adjustment to the academic average (not including certain courses or a year), the facts must be verified and supported by appropriate documentation. If the special circumstances are medical, then a doctor's letter is required. Not all special circumstances can be considered in the regular category. Certain factors such as financial hardship, learning disabilities or other disadvantages, or ethnic background, can only be considered in the discretionary category.
Application Questionnaire – http://www.law.ubc.ca/files/pdf/admissions/questionnaire.pdf
1.
Why do you want to study law?
2.
What particular skills, interests, and experiences do you have that make you well suited to the study of law?
3.
What contributions do you think you would make to the UBC Faculty of Law?
6
C.
University of Alberta (Supplemental Form)
Length
Details
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
Cannot exceed the space (two pages) provided on the interactive PDF form. http://lawschool.ualberta.ca/~/media/law/documents/ISF2009.pdf
Please provide the following information to assist the Admissions Committee (the Committee) in evaluating your academic record, and in assessing your ability to succeed in the Law School and to make a positive contribution to the Law and the legal profession.
1.
Describe any personal attributes or background experiences that show you are likely to make a positive contribution to the law faculty, the legal profession and the larger community (e.g., leadership; academic achievements; employment; extra-curricular and community service; physical, cultural, political, economic or other factors).
2.
This question is OPTIONAL- If you think that there are any significant circumstances or relevant facts relating to your application that you wish to communicate to the
Admissions Committee, describe them below.
D.
University of Calgary (Statement of Interest)
Length
Details
Max 500 words. http://law.ucalgary.ca/prospectivestudents/admission/assessment
An applicant should take care to provide the information requested in the Statement of
Interest. The applicant should answer these questions:
What led you to make the decision to apply to law school?
What would you like to do with your law degree?
Why are you interested in the University of Calgary in particular?
Why you have made previous academic or other choices and how have they affected your decision to apply to law school?
7
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
There is no “right” answer to these questions. A Statement of Interest that provides a thoughtful and authentic sense of the applicant’s interests and motivations, even if it includes acknowledgement of uncertainty or ignorance, will be more persuasive to the reviewer than a
Statement which tries to “tell us what we want to hear”. http://law.ucalgary.ca/system/files/Application+Form+2011+Word_0.pdf
The statement of interest should be no more than 500 words. If you submit more, the committee member will read only the first 500 words. You may print your statement on a separate page and attach it to the application. The purpose of the statement of interest is to provide the Admissions Committee with additional information about you that it will use in assessing your application.
This is a place for you to show us who you are and what should make you of particular interest to the University of Calgary Faculty of Law. It is also an opportunity for you to demonstrate your personality, your maturity and that you understand the nature of the decision that you are making in choosing to come to the University of Calgary Faculty of Law.
The members of the Admissions Committee consider the Statement of Interest in the context of the rest of your application. Therefore it is useful for you to discuss how the experiences you have listed elsewhere on your application are relevant to your desire to attend law school.
E.
University of Saskatchewan (Personal Statement)
Length
Details
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
Max 500 words. http://www.law.usask.ca/programs/law-degree/How-to-Apply.php#personalstatement
Your personal statement provides us with further information about you that will be used in reviewing your application. Discuss special academic interests and achievements, work experience (including volunteer work), special skills, personal attributes and any other significant life experiences (e.g., family-related, travel, etc.). The personal statement must be composed entirely by the applicant and should be a maximum of 500 words.
8
9
F.
Queen’s University (Personal Statement)
Length
Details
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
The personal statement should be typed in a font no smaller than 11 pts and should not be single-spaced. The personal statement should be a maximum of 8,000 characters in length.
(about three pages maximum in length). http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/olsas/pers_queens.pdf
Each personal statement must be authored entirely by the applicant. The Admissions
Committee finds the personal statement to be helpful, along with the autobiographical sketch, verifiers, and letters of reference, to identify scholarship prospects among applicants who are competitive on the basis of grades and LSAT scores.
The academic rigour of the J.D. degree program requires that students granted admission have strong aptitude for legal reasoning, demonstrated academic ability and good potential for success in studies at this level. The Admissions Committee considers other attributes such as intellectual curiosity, avid interest in the law, social commitment, reasonable judgment and insight, leadership potential, teamwork skills, creative ability and innovative endeavours, selfdiscipline, time management skills and maturity. The Admissions Committee will review personal statements, the autobiographical sketch and letters of reference to obtain information about these attributes.
Special circumstances that may have impacted adversely on academic performance can be addressed. Such circumstances can include, but are not limited to, illness, involvement in varsity or professional sports, family obligations during periods of study, or personal tragedy. These circumstances are more time-limited without continuing adverse impact or less systemic impact than the sorts of factors supporting an Access category claim. The fact that an applicant has been able to overcome significant economic, physical, cultural or other disadvantage may provide evidence of the characteristics that show good potential for successful legal studies.
10
G.
University of Ottawa (Personal Statement)
Length
Details
It should be typed and not more than two pages and a font not smaller than 11 pts. http://www.commonlaw.uottawa.ca/en/admissions/completing-your-application/writing-yourpersonal-statement.html
The Personal Statement each candidate must prepare is a critical part of the application and should be thought of as an interview with the Admissions Committee. In reviewing Personal
Statements, committee members assess candidates according to the following considerations:
1.
Capacity for critical, creative and original thinking
2.
Communication skills, including writing skills
3.
Evidence of capacity to manage workload and time
4.
Ability to make a meaningful contribution to the overall law school environment and to the profession and the public it serves as demonstrated by, among other things:
• A record of extracurricular activities and community involvement
• Career experiences and achievements
• Personal success in dealing with challenges
• Diverse social, economic, ethnic, or cultural experiences and perspectives
• Awareness of and interest in specializations and other strengths of the Faculty’s program of legal education
• Specific career aspirations
5.
Commitment to upholding ethical standards and to treating all members of the university community with respect. http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/olsas/pers_ottawa.pdf
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
The Law School is interested in creating a vibrant and diverse academic environment and in preparing competent and compassionate professionals. To ensure that the student body represents the fullest possible range of social, economic, ethnic and cultural perspectives in our society, we consider many factors. Among these are significant achievements in extracurricular activities while at university or in community involvement; outstanding qualities or achievements in previous careers; linguistic, cultural or other factors that add to an applicant’s overall academic achievement; and personal success in overcoming challenges such as a disability or financial hardship. Applicants may use the Personal Statement to discuss how these aspects of their lives relate to their interest in law studies.
H.
University of Toronto (Personal Statement)
Length
Details
There is no page or word limit. Most applicants submit Personal Statements of about 300-600 words (one to two pages). http://www.law.utoronto.ca/admissions/jd-admissions/application-procedure#Statement
11
The personal statement is part of the OLSAS application. As the Admissions Committee conducts no interviews, the personal statement is an applicant's opportunity to outline those features of the application which distinguish the applicant. The content of the personal statement is not prescribed. However applicants are encouraged to use the personal statement to share their
"story" with the Admissions Committee. Applicants may wish to outline in the personal statement such things as their choice of undergraduate program and institution; the extent to which it has prepared them for the study of law; and if appropriate, any anomalies in the academic record including false starts, fewer than five courses over two terms, and introductory courses taken in the third or fourth years of a program.
The personal statement is also an opportunity for applicants to highlight their non-academic accomplishments as well as any circumstances which may have contributed to or detracted from their academic and non-academic success, such as the response to disadvantage due to adverse personal or socio-economic circumstances or to barriers faced by cultural (including racial or ethnic) or linguistic minorities; and the impact of temporary or permanent physical disabilities. Applicants may want to write to the Committee about the different ways they see themselves contributing to the law school and legal community.
Aboriginal applicants are requested to outline in their personal statements their interest in, identification with, and connection to their communities.
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/olsas/pers_toronto.pdf
I.
University of Western Ontario (Personal Statement)
Length
Details
Applicants in the General category must keep the personal statement to a maximum of 5,000 characters. http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/olsas/pers_western.pdf
12
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
The personal statement allows you to expand on information provided on the application, to identify strengths in academics, and other achievements, to outline your choice of undergraduate program and how is has prepared you for the study of law, and to explain your interest in the study of law. The personal statement also provides the opportunity to highlight significant achievements or events, extra-curricular activities, volunteer work or paid work experience.
Excellence may be demonstrated in a number of ways. The ability to excel in a non-academic area may show characteristics that allow the Admissions Committee to predict success in legal studies. Similarly, the fact that a candidate has overcome a significant economic, physical, cultural or other disadvantage and achieved significant success may also provide evidence of those same characteristics. If you are applying in the Access category, you must provide details of the disadvantage or barrier that may have affected your academic studies of Law School
Admission Test.
While review of your personal statement by others is acceptable, this statement should be written by you alone.
13
J.
University of Windsor (Personal Profile)
Length
Details
Questions must be answered in the space provided. http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/olsas/pers_windsor.pdf
1.
How do you think your academic, business, employment and/or professional experiences have contributed to your development as an individual and prepared you for the study of law?
2.
If you have been involved in extracurricular activities (such as community service, political, religious, social, or athletic, etc.), which of these experiences has been the most important to you? Why?
3.
Do you believe that you have developed any special skills or interests other than your university program or work experience as previously outlined? How may these skills assist you in the pursuit of legal studies and a future legal career?
4.
Why do you want to study law? Do you have a career objective other than the traditional practice of law? Please describe.
5.
This question is OPTIONAL – If you feel that there are personal facts or issue, relating to your application which you would wish the Admission Committee to be apprised of, but which have not been covered in your response to (1) through (4), you may describe these below. You must provide supporting documentation (e.g. attending physician letter) to evidence and support any such personal issues or facts.
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
14
K.
Osgoode Hall - York University (Personal Statement and Supplemental
Information)
Length
Details
Not specified on school website. http://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/prospective-students/jd-program/applying/jd-applicationprocedures/first-year-program/personal-statement
All applicants must complete the Personal Statement and Application Supplemental Information
(part of the on-line application). The purpose of the personal statement and supplemental information is to provide information to the Admissions Committee that will assist in making an informed and thoughtful decision on your application.
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
The Personal Statement consists of two parts, Part A and Part B, which will be considered with other components of an applicant's file, including academic performance, LSAT and references.
Part A of the Personal Statement provides for discussion on such topics as, community leadership and involvement, academic leadership and involvement, advanced academic work, and athletic activities. Applicants are also asked to discuss their interest in legal education and how their law degree may be used in the future.
Part B of the Personal Statement provides for discussion on one or more of the following considerations, where applicable:
Equity
Work or Life Experience
Performance Considerations
Diversity
15
L.
Lakehead University (Personal Statement)
Length
Details
Max 8,000 characters. http://www.law.lakeheadu.ca/uploads/docs/OLSAS%20Lakehead%20Profile.pdf
All applicants must complete the Personal Statement with their OLSAS application. The Personal
Statement provides applicants with the opportunity to demonstrate to the Admissions
Committee their strengths, capabilities and achievements that distinguish them as a desirable applicant to the Faculty of Law at Lakehead University.
The Personal Statement can include information about what led the applicant to make the decision to apply to study law, preparedness for the study of law, future aspirations once graduated from law, as well as the applicant’s particular interest in Lakehead University and the
Faculty of Law. Applicants may wish to include information about any anomalies with their academic performance, highlight non-academic achievements, and any special circumstances that have contributed to, or adversely affected, their academic and non-academic success.
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
The members of the Admissions Committee will consider the Personal Statement in the context of the rest of the application. It must be authored entirely by the applicant and must not exceed
8,000 characters in length.
M.
McGill University (Personal Statement)
Length
Details
Max 8,000 characters. http://www.mcgill.ca/law-admissions/undergraduates/admissions/documents#STATEMENT
16
Applicants must submit a brief essay (maximum two pages, in English or French) explaining their motivation for law studies, their interest in the McGill B.C.L./LL.B. program in particular, and how they might contribute to the life of the Faculty.
The personal statement enables Committee members to develop a fuller understanding of each candidate and her or his suitability for the B.C.L./LL.B. program, as well as evaluate the quality and clarity of her or his written expression. This original piece of writing allows the Committee to appraise an applicant's intellectual curiosity, social commitment, political insight, leadership skills, ability to work in teams, openness to cultural and linguistic diversity, maturity, and potential for growth through opportunity or adversity. Note that the personal statement should expand on ideas and move much beyond the résumé. A simple restatement of experiences mentioned in the résumé is not useful.
Candidates are invited to discuss any information about themselves that might assist the
Committee in this appraisal. For example, applicants may want to describe their experience as a member of a minority group, or factors that may have made access to a university education difficult. Mature applicants may wish to connect a legal education with their trajectory until now or, if there isn't a connection, to explain the motivations for a significant change in course.
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
The Faculty seeks to achieve a socially diverse learning community comprising a balance of women and men, English and French speakers, as well as representing different career aspirations, backgrounds, life experiences, and geographic origins.
17
N.
University of New Brunswick (Personal Statement)
Length
Details
Max 8,000 characters. http://www.unb.ca/fredericton/law/_resources/pdfs/newadmissionsfaq.pdf
Why do I want to attend this particular law school?
My notes
Q: What should I put in the personal statement?
A: A personal statement provides you with an opportunity to introduce yourself and to say how the study of law fits with what you have done and what you plan to do. Your academic qualifications and experience are evident from your resumé so your statement should focus on particular achievements in the arts, sports, or some other area in which you excel, any challenges or adversity you have overcome, and any work or volunteer experience or community service.
Q. Who reads my personal statement?
A. Your personal statement may be read initially by the Admissions Officer and then by members of the Admissions and Scholarships Committees in order to make their decisions.
The Admissions Committee reviews the personal statement of each applicant in the discretionary categories (please see the Admissions Handbook, found in the Admissions
Requirements section of the website, for a description of these categories), as well as those of applicants considered in the supplementary review (described below) and those placed on a waiting list.
