How to write Statement of Purpose for a Law School Admission

[QE]

Dear Coves

I am not sure if this is the right forum to seek guidance, so please help if this post is in the wrong section.

The post is about a question "How to write Statement of Purpose" for a law school admission ?
My friend wants to prepare a statement of purpose and we were researching the contents of it and would be thankful to get the guidance from you all.

QE

 

[somashekar]

Few people on board cause of holidays and X'mas season .. still can anyone pitch in and share their thought ~~~ ?
Meanwhile have a look at This

 

[tigerfan51]

I'm told by a law college tutor and lecturer that the statements of purpose do not make or break your application at his university. Your friend's marks and LSAT scores are the most important. He says statements of purpose mostly say "I've always wanted to be a lawyer, I'm the head of student government, on the debate team, etc. " Make it legible, no spelling mistakes and indicate how much you like reading.

 

[Randy]

All the person has to do is say why and leave all the fluff and garbage out of it.

 

[Stijloor]

All the person has to do is say why and leave all the fluff and garbage out of it.

The KISS principle is seldom applied in the Law business..

Stijloor.

 

[Wes Bucey]

FWIW
The school where I went more than 45 years ago now gives this set of suggestions to applicants:

Personal Statements


What should I write about in my personal statement?


The personal statement is one part of the application over which you have complete control (which, understandably, makes it one of the most difficult). The Admissions Committee does not give applicants a specific topic to discuss. In fact, we are purposefully vague in our guidance because we want you to write about something personal and completely individual to you. The personal statement is your chance to go beyond the numbers of your application. Think about what you would want to convey in an interview and what you can contribute to the Law School. This may include may your background, unique experiences, and the things that interest and motivate you.
Does the Admissions Committee have any tips or suggestions?

Yes, of course. Although there are few rules that apply to every applicant when it comes to personal statements, here are some general tips that should apply to everyone:

• Proofread, proofread, proofread. Your personal statement must be free of errors - this is a sample of your writing and it should be a strong reflection of your written communication skills. Edit extensively and make sure to remove tracked changes. Please do not submit a personal statement with typos or spelling errors. If you are unable to submit a law school application free of errors, the Committee will be concerned about your work product in law school.
• Be concise and organize your thoughts. The Admissions Committee wants to see your ability to communicate information in a clear, organized and concise manner (much like you will be required to do in law school and as an attorney).
• Make sure your personal statement is about you. This seems obvious, but spending too much time discussing a family member, family history, or stories about other people is a very common mistake. Even if you tell a moving and interesting story, it will not be a successful personal statement if it does not tell us about you. We often read these and think "that was really interesting, but what about the applicant?"
• Be straightforward. Do not make it more complex than it is. There are no points for creativity with respect to the format. We simply want a candid, well-written essay that helps us learn about you and your story.
• Be yourself. Do not write about something you think you are supposed to write about. Do not rely too heavily on advice from resources that tell you how to write a personal statement or provide sample topics. A topic will not be effective unless it is appropriate for your specific application and background. It is okay if you have not had to overcome adversity or you do not want to write about changing the world. Be yourself - that will result in a unique personal statement that shows us who you are.
• Make it personal. If someone else could write your personal statement, it probably is not personal enough. We often see this happen when applicants discuss a social issue or area of the law. Remember that you are not trying to educate the Admissions Committee about the law or any particular issue. Your goal should be to educate the Admissions Committee about you.

 

[Wes Bucey]

Dear Coves

I am not sure if this is the right forum to seek guidance, so please help if this post is in the wrong section.

The post is about a question "How to write Statement of Purpose" for a law school admission ?
My friend wants to prepare a statement of purpose and we were researching the contents of it and would be thankful to get the guidance from you all.

QE

The holidays are over. It would be "interesting" to know if any of the responses were seen as helpful by your friend.

 

[QE]

Wes

Thanks for following up. Somashekar mentioned a website which was not new to my friend. The guidance that your school provided was vague as they already state it, its the applicants chance to tell more about themselves to the admissions committee.

To be honest my friend was struggling as there is no one way defined in the books. But if there are more folks out there who can help and advise we can certainly use some help.

Thanks
QE.

 

[Wes Bucey]

Wes

Thanks for following up. Somashekar mentioned a website which was not new to my friend. The guidance that your school provided was vague as they already state it, its the applicants chance to tell more about themselves to the admissions committee.

To be honest my friend was struggling as there is no one way defined in the books. But if there are more folks out there who can help and advise we can certainly use some help.

Thanks
QE.

Here's the deal:
Nothing has changed in 45 years. Back then, the admissions committee wanted to know why I wanted to study law. Was there a defining moment in my life? Did I have a role model? Was I greedy for the big bucks of corporate law? Was I some head-in-the-clouds idealist out to save the world?

My own answer was that I was obsessed with getting things right without having to go back and redo them. I was an advocate of FMEA (Failure Modes & Effects Analysis) long before I ever heard the term. I was a scientist, working on my PhD, and I thought a good legal education from one of the most prestigious universities was a good adjunct to being a successful scientist doing important research. Even then, I had no intention of practicing law, just being very knowledgeable about it.

Bottom line:
I told the truth and it struck a responsive chord in the committee.

the rest of the story:
I left "pure science" for the business world and, strangely enough, the "scientific method" and legal research were key to my subsequent success in the investment banking business. I learned a lot about reading people and their motives and desires by doing the same kind of intensive research I had learned gaining science and law degrees. I'm not a "shoot-from-the-hip" kind of guy. I have a detailed explanation for my decisions and actions. If it seems like I make a decision without due consideration, it is usually because it closely parallels a past event and the progression seems clear and inevitable, so I skip to the end. It's kind of like the game of chess - good players can see several moves ahead and make rational decisions based on the character of an opponent's play up to that point. Occasionally, a chess master gets surprised, but not very often. Even then, he has back-up strategies to assure a win.

 

[Jason PCSwitches]

[FONT=&quot]I've been down this road. It's not that difficult, keep it simple and be honest. Your grades & test scores are going to be the difference maker; that is as long as you don't shoot yourself in the foot with your SOP. My best advise is: don't be generic, be real.[/FONT]