…Wrote books essay; one of “up to 500” invited to do video statement for Knight Hennessy but not selected as finalist (such a tease) Harvard interview: The most one-sided of all my interviews. I immediately felt good about it (told some friends I probably had a 9/10 performance), but then I fell into a downward…
Applicant wisdom
Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.
332 entries matching "personal statement"
…most schools. If you’re like me, work extra hard on your personal statement and essays, do ALL of the optional/supplemental components, and have help with proofreading and edits and suggestions. Submit your best possible app even to your “safety” schools, because many people found in a historically competitive cycle…
…had two professors who had very different classes and one person from my childhood (he used to be in local gov and I volunteered to help his ward when he needed it for storms/stuff like that) who is now a judge. I think having 3 people who had very different things to say about me probably gave the committee a wide…
Applied to WashU w/ redacted GPA Submitted LSAT (for double-digit point increase) and GPA addenda to all schools Submitted diversity statements to all schools No legal experience, member of AmeriCorps after college Unsolicited fee waivers: UChicago (Didn’t apply)- Penn (Didn’t apply) Cornell (Didn’t apply) Duke…
…I really do think it is worth it. I think essays and personal statements are the strongest tool we have to sell ourselves to committees. Now, for everyone! My second advice, and this is crucial, is that one strength is enough to overcome all weaknesses. If your work experience and story demonstrate unique…
LSAT 165 GPA 4.05 2026–27 cycle
Prepare your personal statement and supplemental documents early! Have them done by August of the year you’ll apply, so that way you don’t have to stress and can just upload the documents and submit when applications open in September. You’ve got this! You’re going to be a fantastic lawyer! <3
…work for multiple years. This culminated in a strong personal statement, resume, and letters of recommendation. While my results were slightly below my expectations, I think me making a cogent and purposeful argument for why I wanted to attend an NYC-based program helped tremendously during the scholarship…
…I figured there must have been something in my letters or personal statement that was giving them pause, so I tried to overcome that with that last LOCI. They called me in mid august to ask if I was still interested and if I’d gotten a scholarship anywhere else, and then extended the offer (with $) verbally on that…
…here is that it doesn’t really matter how much you personally want law school. Instead, what matters is whether you can demonstrate that the admissions committee ought to want law school for you too. If I put myself in the reader’s shoes and I only think to myself, “wow, this guy really wants to go to law school,” I…
…it as many times as you need, and start working on your personal statement, optional essays, and letters of recommendation the summer before. Make sure that you spend time working on your applications. Effort shows through your essays, and schools are more likely to admit you and offer scholarships if they see that…
Practice all available admission tests and find your strength before committing. Don’t be afraid to use your life story thoughtfully in your personal statement.
Your personal statement is your gold. Also, I highly recommend doing social work or something adjacent to it prior to law school. You learn a ton about how the law interacts with vulnerable people at systemic and individual levels, and it makes for a great narrative. I think that’s what gave me the edge in…
All it takes is one! Apply to more schools than me–I was stupid. Additionally, really focus on that personal statement, resume, and letters of rec. With such a competitive cycle, that’s what got me into UVA + being a really good fit, rather than LSAT/GPA. When it comes down to it, schools will evaluate you…
…(to an extent), focus on outcomes over rankings, and be personable in interviews. Background: I am a highly non-traditional applicant. Although I was born in the US, I spent my entire childhood and high school abroad, followed by four years of mandatory military service as a combat officer in that country’s…
Softs/essays/work experience/LSAT can counteract a weak GPA (especially if you’re older, perhaps?). Find a writer friend to review your boilerplate personal statement to catch the one passive voice clause that slips through your filter.
…practice tests and blind reviewed every single question. Personal statement was formed over 5-6 months. I started over from scratch about 4 times until I landed on my final copy. Do all optionals, prepare for interview, DONT use AI, and be authentic in your writing. Best of luck to you. And remember: God will never…
…who I was and why law was the right next step for me. My personal statement explained my specific legal interests that lead me to law school, my supplementals emphasized the identity that shaped my interests, and the LORs and resume corroborated my written materials. I truly believe that my written materials were…
LSAT 159 GPA 3.08 2025–26 cycle
wish I had written customized personal statements. Oh well.
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